etc

Improvement of the Management of the Vardar River Basin


Assignment: Assisting in the process of improving the quality of water resources shared by Greece and the formerYugoslav republic of Macedonia, i.e. the Vardar river and the Dojran lake, so as to progress towards compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive.
DSC01675DSC01672DSC01663Fish

Contracting Authority: European Agency for Reconstruction, Skopje

Beneficiaries: The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning (MEPP), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MAFWE), and the Municipality of Dojran

Contract Value: 1,000,000 Euro

Financing Agency: European Union (CARDS)

Consortium: Euroconsult Mott MacDonald (NL), Eptisa (Spain), Mott Macdonald (UK), GEING (fYROM)

Composition of Team: Team Leader, Water Resources Specialist, Water Quality Specialist, Industrial Pollution Specialist, Hydrologist, Legal expert

Period of Assignment: 18 months (Start date: January 2007)

Background: The Vardar River Basin covers 80% of the territory of the FYR of Macedonia, and its water resources are important to the Republic of Macedonia for irrigation, energy production, drinking water, industrial water, and as a conduit for disposal of wastewater.
Report No.2 - Prelim. Assessment of the Effects of Pollution
The Vardar (or Axios River as it is referred to in Greece) is important to Greece as a resource for irrigation water and municipal/industrial water supply. However, Greece is worried by the declining volumes of flow in the Axios as well as the high levels of pollution in the river as it flows from the FYR Macedonia. There are many cross-border aspects of water management in the river basin that require cooperation between the two countries.

The Vardar River Basin and its water resources are important to the Republic for irrigation (63%), fish ponds (11%), energy production (no usage), drinking water (12%), industrial water (15%), and as a conduit for disposal of wastewater. Lake Dojran is a sub-catchment of the Vardar/Axios River basin as its waters would pass into the Vardar/Axios River if levels in the lake had not fallen below the threshold of the outflowing stream. Lake Dojran is important because of its unique ecology and its resource for tourism, fishing and health spas. The Vardar/Axios River is important to Greece as a resource for irrigation water and municipal/industrial water supply. However, Greece is worried by reducing volumes of flow in the Axios as well as high levels of pollution in the river as it flows from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Thermaikos Gulf, into which the Vardar/Axios River flows, has been identified as a hot spot by the Mediterranean Pollution Monitoring and Research Programme (MEDPOL). Water is abstracted from the streams flowing into Lake Dojran and the aquifers on their territory around Dojran, mainly for irrigation. Surface streams and irrigated areas in the catchment are mainly on the Greek side of the lake and investigations carried out into water balances by experts in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have not had access to such information. There are many cross-border aspects of water management in the river basin that require cooperation between the two countries. Over recent years there has been little such cooperation and each country knows little of water management activities in the other.

Description of the Project: This project was designed to assist the FYR of Macedonia in entering into joint efforts with Greece to improve cooperation on river basin planning and water management. However, it was known that the fYR of Macedonia has to improve water management within its own borders, as a prerequisite, before promoting a joint management with Greece. The project's objective was therefore to improve the quality of the water resources shared by Greece and the FYR Macedonia, i.e. the Vardar River and the Dojran Lake, so as to progress towards compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). This project paved the way for the preparation of a comprehensive River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive (i.e. a joint plan between the FYR of Macedonia and Greece), which has been hampered by fragmented water management structures on the Macedonian side.

Project Achievements:
  • Identification of the reasons for the lowering of Lake Dojran and potential measures to recover lake levels and improve water quality.
  • Calculation of the river basin's water balance by collecting, processing, completing and analyzing the hydrological and hydrogeological information.
  • Compilation of an inventory of the most important industrial pollution sources in the Vardar River catchment and required actions to improve the quality of emissions from key polluters.
  • Preparation of an analysis of water resources of the Vardar/Axios River.
  • Inventory of water demands in the river basin (drinking water supply, irrigation, industry, environment, recreation)
  • Analysis of the combined effects of river pollution from all sources (not just industries) and river management practises (abstractions and operation of reservoirs).
  • Provision of an overview of the importance of water flows and quality to fisheries in the Vardar River basin.
  • An assessment of groundwater monitoring arrangements in the Vardar River basin adjacent to the border with Greece and recommendations for any necessary improvements.
  • Analysis of options for improved operational management of the Vardar River.
  • Preparation of a River Basin Management Plan for the Vardar River in line with the requirements of the EU WFD.
  • Planning the management measures programme, including potential measures to recover Lake Dojran levels.
  • Improvement of the understanding within the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia of international water law and its application to transboundary water sharing and protection.
  • As far as is possible, completion of the Joint River Basin Management Plan for the Vardar/Axios River Basin, according to the contexts of the WFD-annexed specifications.

Documentary Film

Reports and Documents Produced for the Contracting Authority - European Agency for Reconstruction, Skopje:
  • Options for Improved Management of the Vardar
  • Assessment of the Effects of Pollution
  • Heavily Modified Water Bodies in the Vardar River Basin
  • Artificial Water Bodies in the Vardar River Basin
  • Groundwaters in the Vardar River Basin
  • Corine Land Cover of the vardar River Basin (Map)
  • Geology of the vardar River Basin (Map)
  • Hydrometric Network (Map)
  • Meterological Network (Map)
  • Summary on Sampling, Chemical, Biological and Hydromorphological Analysis
  • Macrophytes as Indicators of Ecological Status of the River Vardar and Lake Dojran
  • Fish as Indicators of Ecological Status of the River Vardar and Lake Dojran
  • Phytobenthos as Indicators of Ecological Status of the River Vardar and Lake Dojran
  • Proposal for GIS Design for the vardar River Basin
  • Assessment of the Most Serious Industrial Pollution
  • Overview of Fisheries
  • Ground Water Monitoring in Gevgelija Plain and Lake Dojran Area
  • Lake Dojran Water Balance Model
  • Vardar River Basin Water Resources
  • Preliminary River Basin Managment Plan for the Vardar River Basin