Management of Floods and

Cooperation on Transboundary

RiversRivers

ZAGREB, 13.-14. DEC. 2011

vladimir.holcik@vvb.sk

EUROPE

SLOVAKIA

RIVER BASIN ORGANISATIONS (SK)

TRANSBOUNDARY RIVER

COMMISSIONS

• SK – HU

• SK – AU

• SK – CZ

• SK – PL• SK – PL

• SK – UKR

all flood protection problems have to be solved

WHICH PROBLEMS ?

Problems in:

• Hydrology (discharges, water levels, ...., also ice regime),

• Hydraulics,

• River regulations (rip-rap, spur dikes, groins, dredging, ....),

• Environment (chemistry of water, biology, fishes, ......),• Environment (chemistry of water, biology, fishes, ......),

• Energy use (WPPs),

• Navigation (locks, weirs, ports, ...........),

• Flood protection (dikes, inundation areas, poldes, .......),

TbRCs STAFF

• Hydrologist,

• Hydraulic eng., or Civil eng. (river regulations, turbins, locks, weirs, dikes)

• Chem. eng. (water analysis, ......),

• Navigation specialist,

• Biologist (plankton, fytoplankton, .......),

• Zoologist (zooplankton, fishes, .......),

• Police (border guard, geodesist)• Police (border guard, geodesist)

PROBLEMS:

technical,

administrative,

(1, 2, 3 languages, ideal would be only one language)

FLOOD PROTECTION PROBLEMSshort historical overliew

GOOD & BAD PROJECTS

GOOD PRACTICE PROJECTS

• SK – AU

BAD PROJECT

Project in Austria – Danube easterly from Vienna

Flussbauliches Gesamtprojekt Donau östlich von Wien (200 M €)von Wien (200 M €)

Why?

- Riverside fortification destroyed (404.500 m3)

- Groins destroyed or „reconstructed“(137.700 m3)

- Opening of the old arms system

- Riverbed granulometry changed (1.816.500 m3)

BAD PROJECT

• Project in Austria – Danube easterly from Vienna

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES?

- Stream down: sand, loam, clay, mud, limbs, also whole trees; all is deposited in Ba, Ču, Ga

- 3 fresh water sources in Bratislava in danger

(app. 800.000 inhabitants), Kolmatation

- Old bridge will be relatively more low - Old bridge will be relatively more low

- Trees are dangerous for navigation

- problems in locks (but also in weirs, WPP)

- good only for the dark-green forces ☺☺☺☺

- inacceptable for navigation ������������

OLD BRIDGE, river km 1868,14 (Bratislava)

Bratislava, new flood protection wall

WPPS Gabčíkovo – Nagymarosengineers: good cooperation; politicians: bad cooperation

WPP Gabčíkovo

WPP Nagymaros

DEN HAAG, ICJ VERDICT:

• Hungary was not entitled to suspend and later abandon in 1989 the works on the common Project,

• Czechoslovakia was entitled to proceed in Nov. 1991 with the solution on his own territory, but was not entitled to put it into the operation in Oct. 1992,

• The notification of Hungary of May 19, 1992, about termination of the Treaty, had no legal effect on the validity of the Treaty 1977,Treaty, had no legal effect on the validity of the Treaty 1977,

• Slovakia as successor of Czechoslovakia became the party in the Treaty 1977,

• SK and H must negotiate in good faith, in the light of prevailing situation and must take all necessary measures to achieve the objectives of the treaty 1977, in accordance with such modalities, as they may agree upon,

• A joint operational regime must be established and settlement of accounts for the construction and operation of works must be effected, both in accordance with the Treaty 1977, taking into account mutually agreed modifications,

• If not agreed otherwise, both parties have to compensate to the other party, damages caused by their illegal conduct.

How to improve the cooperation

on transboundary rivers

• TbRCs members on high technical level (no

politicians!),

• To understand deeply the problems of all

aspects of flood protection, to forecast (!) the aspects of flood protection, to forecast (!) the problems,

• Good administration – only one language in

TbRCs

• Enough money

Bratislava 2002

Many thanks for your attention!

Danke für ihre Aufmerksamkeit!

Merci beaucoup pour votre attention!Merci beaucoup pour votre attention!

Cпосибо вам за внимание!