Gotranskarstba

7. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ACTIONS

From previous investigations reported in this document, the inventory of transboundary aquifers in SEE developed by UNESCO/INWEB and the assessment of the existing situation in the region, we may conclude the following:

a) Transboundary groundwater resources play a significant role in the economy of the SEE region:

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  Two main types of productive transboundary aquifers were identified in the region:
  

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  the limestones of the karstic type area of the Dinaric coast and its mountainous hinterland, which were reported to provide 60 to 80 per cent of total water usage in their respective areas, and some of the Dinaric karstic aquifers of Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania as much as 90 or even 100 per cent, and
  
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  the thick alluvial sedimentary sequences of the Danube basin, mainly those associated with the Danube River itself and its tributaries, with groundwater varying from only 15 per cent for some, up to 70 per cent for the important Banat, Backa and Srem alluvial aquifers along the River Danube in Serbia, Croatia and Hungary.
  

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  The demand for water is expected to increase. As a result, existing conflicts between competing users of groundwater will inevitably worsen.
  
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  Agriculture, and to a lesser extent tourism, are the predominant consumers of groundwater for most of the SEE countries. Agricultural activities not only threaten the availability (quantity) but also the quality of groundwater due to the extensive use of fertilisers and pesticides. This will further reduce the amount of potable water. Most irrigation systems in the Mediterranean countries perform far below their potential mainly as a result of inadequate technologies, management practices and policies.
  

b) The SEE transboundary groundwater resources are very fragmented, not very well known and unequally exploitable:

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  This is first of all due to climatic differences between the north and the south, but also due to the differences in geologic conditions and relief which are unequally conducive to groundwater infiltration and accumulation.
  
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  The karstic coastal transboundary aquifers, both along the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, are of particular importance, as they represent in many cases the only resource of water supply for drinking, agricultural and industrial uses. Particular care needs to be taken in the management of such types of aquifers, especially because of the delicate balance between fresh water and intruding salt water. Moreover, in these areas, demand is increasing, due to the increasing urbanisation of coastal areas.
  

c) Groundwater transboundary resources are very fragile, and exposed to the risk of pollution:

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  In general, both alluvial and karstic aquifers have reported groundwater quality problems. Of the questionnaires received, only two specifically reported that there were no groundwater quality issues at all.
  
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  The over-abstraction/exploitation of aquifers has in many instances led to the decline of the water table as well as to the deterioration of water quality, primarily through nitrate diffuse pollution and saltwater intrusion in coastal areas.
  
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  Groundwater contamination, mainly through irrigation return flow, untreated wastewater, toxic industrial and medical waste, and accidental spills of hazardous material, is evident in all SEE countries, but limited data make it very difficult to estimate the total extent of pollution.
  
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  In groundwater aquifers pollution is long-lasting; efforts to prevent pollution are more effective and less costly than curative measures.
  

d) Major problems and difficulties in transboundary groundwater management:

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  Difficulties in integrated groundwater resources management arise in scientific and technical matters (groundwater monitoring, data interpretation, modelling, and the close groundwater-land linkages); there may also be a lack of political willingness for cooperation.
  
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  Lack of reliable data and trends on groundwater quantity and quality.
  
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  Lack of systematic monitoring.
  
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  Absence of local and regional cooperation agreements.
  
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  Weak capacity of national institutions involved.
  
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  Examples of good management practices for sustainable use of transboundary water resources are lacking.
  
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  Measures refer only to a particular project or are problem-driven. Therefore, there is always a time lag between the cause of a specific problem (for example over-abstraction and pollution) and its effect (for example falling water level or quality deterioration). Furthermore, until recently many monitoring networks in the region were developed for the assessment only of the groundwater quantitative status (water level). The quantitative aspects were the only aspects that policy makers were interested in. Groundwater quality management has only recently become an issue.
  
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  Groundwater is not explicitly addressed in the water legislation of many Mediterranean countries. In most countries, systems of water permits have been introduced in recent decades to control water use, but the over-exploitation of groundwater has defied solution. While the share of public surface waters has tended to increase, many institutional reforms (via national water laws) have only affected groundwater use rights but not property arrangements.
  
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  Most of these management problems and challenges are common to most SEE countries. The exchange of experience and relevant and targeted cooperation would therefore be highly useful.
  

Recommendations for further actions
The importance of shared groundwater resources in the SEE region becomes most apparent when plans to combat water scarcity and to adapt to climate change are needed and when there is increased pressure for economic development and water related activities on either side of the border.
The main reason for the actual extremely difficult situation for the implementation of an integrated system of management of transboundary groundwater resources in the SEE region is not the lack of technical and scientific methodology, but mainly identified in the absence of cooperation between riparian countries, the absence of adequate institutional support and bad governance of both internal and shared groundwater aquifers.
Further actions should target the following ultimate goal:

Develop regional and bilateral groundwater governance in order to ensure effective management of transboundary groundwater resources, taking into account environmental risks associated with various water pollutants and risks from potential conflicts over sharing transboundary aquifer resources.

Establishing groundwater quantity and quality monitoring systems is the foundation for developing a common vision on groundwater management and set up strategies for groundwater protection.
Monitoring of water quality, water levels and water extraction in a shared aquifer are required to assess the availability and exploitability of groundwater resources. Implementation of monitoring systems should follow the guidelines of the EU-WFD.
When common monitoring systems are not feasible for various reasons historical or organisational regarding the institutional structure of the countries involved, the harmonization of the data bases and data processing is essential for a cooperative utilisation of groundwater resources.

Annex 1 List of Participants

Workshop on
DEVELOPING REGIONAL COOPERATION FOR SHARED KARST AQUIFER MANAGEMENT IN SEE
27-28 June 2008, Thessaloniki, Greece

LIST OF PARTICPANTS

BONACCI, Ognjen	University of Split Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture Matice hrvatske 15 21000 Split Croatia Tel: [phone] Fax : [phone] E-mail : [e-mail]
BRETOTEAN, Mihai Viorel	National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management Sos Bucharesti-Ploiesti 97 COD 013686 Bucharest Romania Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-Mail: [e-mail], [e-mail]
FALOUTSOS, Dimitris	Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) 12, Kyrristou str. 10556 Athens Greece Tel: [phone], / 324 7267 Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail], [e-mail]
FEJZIBEGOVIC, Semra	Hydro-Engineering Institute Sarajevo Stjepana Tomica 1 71000 Sarajevo P.O. Box 405 Bosnia & Herzegovina Tel: [phone] Fax : [phone] E-mail : [e-mail]
GANOULIS, Jacques	Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Department of Civil Engineering Division of Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering Thessaloniki 54 124 GREECE Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
GOROVA, Rossitza	Ministry of Environment and Water 136 Tzar Boris III Blvd 1618 Sofia Bulgaria Tel: [phone] Fax: E-mail: [e-mail], [e-mail]
GURER, Ibrahim	Gazi University Faculty of Engineering & Architecture Yukseli Sokak No: 5 06570 Maltepe Ankara Turkey Tel: [phone]/ 1003, [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
MIHAILOV, Grigor	UACG, Faculty of Hydrotechnics Department of “Water Supply, Sewerage, Water & Wastewater Treatment Chr. Smirnensky boul. 1 Sofia 1046 Bulgaria Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
NDINI, Miriam	Institute of Energy, Water & Environment Durresi Street 219 Tirana Albania Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
QUARTANO, Katie	Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Department of Civil Engineering Division of Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering Thessaloniki 54 124 GREECE Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
RUSJAN, Simon	University of Ljubljana Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering Hajdrijova Ul 28 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia Tel: [phone] Fax: E-mail: [e-mail]
SKOULIKARIS, Charalampos	Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Department of Civil Engineering Division of Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering Thessaloniki 54 124 GREECE Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
STEVANOVIC, Zoran	Department of Hydrogeology Faculty of Mining & Geology University of Belgrade Djusina 7 11000 Belgrade Serbia Tel: Fax: E-mail: [e-mail]
STOURNARAS, Georgos	University of Athens Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment Panepistimioupolis Zografou 15784 Athens Greece Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORKSHOP
DEVELOPING REGIONAL COOPERATION FOR SHARED KARST AQUIFER MANAGEMENT IN SEE
27-28 June 2008, Thessaloniki, Greece



Annex 2 Workshop Agenda







Workshop on
DEVELOPING REGIONAL COOPERATION FOR SHARED KARST AQUIFER MANAGEMENT IN SEE
27-28 June 2008

Thessaloniki, Greece

Day 1: Friday 27 June 2008
09:15 – 09:45 Registration

09:45 – 10:15 Welcome and Opening statements

Mr. Jacques Ganoulis - Welcoming note, aims and expected output
Session 1: Evaluation of existing water governance regarding shared karst aquifers in SEE region
10:15 – 10:30 Overview of existing situation – Jacques Ganoulis
10:30 – 11:00 Country reforms on legal, institutional and technical issues

5 minute country presentations from Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania

11:00 – 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:00 Country reforms on legal, institutional and technical issues

5 minute country presentations from Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece

12:00-12:30 Discussion

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Session 2: Monitoring data, groundwater models and case studies from SEE

12: 30 – 12:45 Challenges and Conflicts for Managing Transboundary Karst Aquifers: Examples and Case Studies in the Dinaric region – Ognjen Bonacci

12:45 – 13:15 Monitoring data and existing information

5 minute Country presentations from Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania

13:15 – 13:30- Discussion

13: 30 – 15:00 Lunch break

Session 2: Monitoring data, groundwater models and case studies from SEE (continued)

15:00-15:30 Monitoring data and existing information

5 minute Country presentations from Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece

15:30-16:00 Discussion

16:00 – 17:00 Open discussion on sessions 1-2
Day 2: Saturday 28 June 2008

Session 3: Enhancing regional cooperation towards the joint management of shared karst aquifers in SEE
09:00 – 09:45 INWEB’s suggestions – Jacques Ganoulis

09:45 – 10:45 Discussion of the proposed suggestions

10:45 – 11:15 Coffee break
Session 4: Towards the future: from a reliable common knowledge base to the effective groundwater resources management in the Balkan countries – Roundtable discussion
11:15 – 13:00 Coordination and institutional support

Improving regional water governance

Dissemination and enhancing political willingness

The way forward: Draft action plan

Concluding remarks

Recommendations

13:00 End of workshop

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1 DPSIR: Driving forces of environmental change (e.g. industrial production), Pressures on the environment (e.g. discharges of waste water), State of the environment (e.g. water quality in rivers and lakes), Impacts on population, economy, ecosystems (e.g. water unsuitable for drinking), Response of the society (e.g. watershed protection).