UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

UNESCO's work on transboundary water cooperation in South East Europe

Way forwardAlexandros Makarigakis, Programme Specialist, UNESCO

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

Coastal zone with alluvial sediments –highly developped for housing, industry & tourism

Dinaric Karst Mountain range – in natural state

Flat plain with alluvial sediments - agriculture

Common landscape in the SEE / Adriatic Region

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

Importance of groundwater in the SEE / Adriatic Region

• In the Adriatic Coastal Zone and adjacent Karst Mountains, groundwater is the main source of water supply for domestic use (including tourism), industry and agriculture.

• Groundwater resources are affected by the intense human activities and by the lack of adequate land use planning, and threatened by climate variability with increased frequency of extreme flooding and droughts.

• Water functions as the “bloodstream” of both nature and the economy. The hydrological setting in the Adriatic Region is characterized by strong interactions between surface water, coastal waters and underlying aquifers, underpinning natural and socio-economic processes.

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

Pressures

• Unsustainable and insufficient wastewater and solid waste management

• Pollution from industry (heavy metals, acids, oils) and agriculture (nitrate)

• Lack of education / training in water resources management• Lack of scientific knowledge exchange among stakeholders• Lack of cooperation among stakeholders, institutes and initiatives

at all levels• Inadequate implementation and enforcement of legislation• Lack of harmonization of national legislations among neighboring

countries and the completion of the transposition of EU Directives

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

DRIN Corda pilot projectThe pilot project aims to:• provide the competent authorities of Albania

and Montenegro with the tools for the operationand maintenance of the networks, consistentwith requirements of the relevant EU legislation(WFD and GWD)- to implement (whereverdeemed necessary and decided by the NationalAuthorities) a systematic monitoring ofgroundwater resources state (quantity andquality) in the project focus area.

• provide proposal of transboundary groundwatermonitoring programme for the focus area(hereafter: Program of monitoring thegroundwater) in line with requirements of theprovisions of the EU Water framework directive.

Geographical scope:Lake Skadar/Shkoder and Buna/Bojana River delta

Hydrogeological Systems around Skadar/ShkoderLake

Hydrogeological Systems in the Buna/Bojana delta area

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

Key issue: • Seawater intrusion• Groundwater Dependent

Ecosystems!!

GWB-06 Buna/Bojana delta .-

Monitoring zones in Montenegro & Albania

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

Environmental assessmentGroundwater quality in The Koplic and Trush aquifers

Kisha e Madhe - Shkodër

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Nitr

ate,

mg/

L

0

5

10

15

20

25Bore - hole, Hot i Ri

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019N

itrat

e, m

g/L

0

5

10

15

20

25

Grudë - Fushë - Koplik

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Nitr

ate,

mg/

L

0

10

20

30

40

50

60Dobraç - Shkodër

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Nitr

ate,

mg/

L

0

5

10

15

20

25

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

4

4

4

4

31

4 = Severe

0 = Very Low

3 = High

2 = Medium

1 = Low

Numeric Vulnerability

Scale

Step 1: Mapping vulnerability

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

Steps forward

Collaboration with the local Geological Surveys

Equip two wells in each country. Selection of the necessary equipment.

Field testing for 3 months.

Capacity Building on the methodologies for the design and operation of groundwater monitoring network.

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

Phase 2MedProgramme

Focus on coastal aquifersalong Adriatic coast(Sub-ecosystem 2)

Phase 3DIKTAS

Focus on Dinaric Karst aquifers in Balkan(Sub-ecosystem 3)

Phase 1DRIN

Focus on alluvial aquifer(Sub-ecosystem 1)

In-depth assessment of hydrogeology and

interaction betweengroundwater, surface water

and ecosystems; capacitybuilding and multi-country

governanceProposed: Buna/Bojana

aquifer & wetlands2020-2025

Implementation of Strategic Action Plan to strengthen

multi-country cooperation, governance frameworks and

institutional capacity

2020-2025

Projects implementation

Demonstration of state-of-the-art groundwater quality monitoring tools

and capacity buildingPilot 2 sites near Lake Skadar/Shkoder and Buna/Bojana Delta

2018 - 2020

UNESCO IBC webinar 7 July 2020

DRIN Pilot Project

Thank U4 UR @10Ti

�Common landscape in the SEE / Adriatic Region�Importance of groundwater in the SEE / Adriatic Region��Pressures��DRIN Corda pilot projectSlide Number 6Environmental assessmentSlide Number 8Steps forwardProjects implementation�DRIN Pilot Project