Water Screening workshop at pilot- Drina river basin
Date: 23.06.2014
Place: Podgorica, Montenegro
Organizer: ECRAN Secretariat in cooperation with the EC TAIEX Unit
Water Framework Directive (WFD) implementation requires the development of River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) and Programmes of Measures (PoMs) have been prepared for each of the River Basin Districts (RBD). A programme of measures describes the actions that must be taken to bring water bodies into “good status”, for which the key measures are as follows: improving hydro morphology via restoration; removing or scaling back migratory obstacles and transverse structures such as weirs so as to restore river continuity; and sewage treatment plant optimisation; implementation of good agricultural practice to reduce chemical inputs into water bodies.
In order to meet the WFD objectives the beneficiaries will need to coordinate their RBMPs and PoMs in a cross-border fashion to ensure that water management problems can be evaluated and managed based on uniform or comparable criteria. The neighbour states will need to engage in extensive cooperation to elaborate cross-border monitoring programmes, develop and harmonise comparable assessment procedures and defining cross-border water management issues.
The purpose of the screening workshop is primarily focused on exchange of initial information between ECRAN experts and Water Management Coordinators from the beneficiary countries sharing Drina River Basin related to development of the selected parts (i.e. framework for an acceptable and efficient Programme of Measures (PoMs)), of the future trans boundary River Basin Management Plans. Drina River Bain is selected to be a pilot for demonstrating how Programme of Measures needs to be accustomed to the general and specific conditions/requirements of the countries.
Objectives of the Workshop:
Wider Objectives:
• Kick off meeting with Water Management Coordinators in order to establish common understanding of basic terms and definitions which is very important for the creation of favourable setting for the future trans-boundary cooperation and coordination of Programme of Measures for Drina River Basin.
• Adoption of the detailed work plan for accomplishing screening objectives.
Specific objectives:
• To present the scope and goals of Task 2.3.2, schedule of the activities, level of the participant’s involvement into provision of the information for pilot river basin and for other countries, explain approach and organisation of the work and define expectations.
• To establish common understanding of basic terms and definitions, different policies and regulatory frameworks as well as differences in delegation of responsibilities, for development, adoption, implementation and control of implementation of Programme of Measures.
• To present and discuss principles and requirements of WFD, Integrated Water Resources (IWRM) and Integrated Water Resources Governance (IWRG) with regard to PoMs.
• To present and discuss the main obstacles in development of PoMs.
• To present and discuss various techniques and tools for screening and evaluation of acceptable and efficient Programme of Measures for Drina River Basin.
• To present and discuss screening process in details including assessment, evaluation of options, options and substituting techniques in case of gaps and uncertainties, selection of viable PoMs throughout practical work (filling screening templates) with participants on example.
• To agree on rules and procedures.
• To agree on to-do list and screening work plan.
