Scheldt Pilot River Basin Pilot River Basin Workshop Stresa, 7-8 March 2006 Scheldt Pilot River Basin Work programme RBMP and significant water management issues in an international river basin district Ilke Dieltjens Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (Flanders) PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Summary of activities 2005 Scaldit action “Characterisations RBD”: publication Scaldit report (F, D, E) publication roof report art. 5 (F, D, E) Scaldit action “Up to the IRBMP”: work programme IRBMP for the Scheldt significant water management issues Scaldit action “Water management and spatial planning”: publication report (F, D), brochure and cd-rom (F, D, E) on flood risks and spatial planning in the Scheldt IRBD Scaldit action “Communication” 3 transnational boat trips: presentation of Scaldit report 3 ‘Scaldixit’ newsletters (F, D) PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Work programme international river basin management plan for the Scheldt Work programme IRBMP integrated into work plan International Scheldt Commission 2005-2009 Timing national/regional RBMPs: France and Walloon Region: 2008 Flemish Region, the Netherlands, Brussels Capital Region, (Belgian Federal State): 2009  work programme IRBMP according to stepwise approach PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Stepwise approach IRBMP: declaration of intent “In compliance with the Treaty of Ghent, all delegations will take into account the advanced timing of some delegations during the elaboration of the roof report of the river basin management plan and they will take into account the results of the analyses and of the consultations of the remaining delegations when deciding on the definitive roof report of the river basin management plan.” PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Stepwise approach IRBMP: timing 31/12/2005: First draft table of contents 31/12/2006: Annotated table of contents 30/06/2007: Rough draft roof report RBMP - first version 31/12/2007: Rough draft roof report RBMP - second version 31/12/2008: Draft IRBMP 31/12/2009: Definitive version roof report RBMP PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Work programme IRBMP: organization of work Five project groups working on various items IRBMP: Good status and monitoring coastal and transitional waters Good status and monitoring fresh surface water Good status and monitoring groundwater Cost effectiveness analysis (Floods and droughts) Two supporting project groups: Cartography Communication One coordinating working group: Drafting roof report RBMP Coordination programmes of measures PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

ISC Heads of delegation Walloon Region Brussels Capital Region (BCR) Flemish Region Belgium Federal State The Netherlands ISC Heads of delegation Operational and strategic co-ordination President: Walloon Region France ISC Plenary meeting Decision-making WG C: Co-ordination Technical co-ordination President: France PA1 Communication – Flemish Region PA2 Cartography – Walloon Region PA3 Coastal and transitional waters – Belgium PA4 Fresh surface water – Brussels Cap. Region PA5 Groundwater – Walloon Region PA6 Cost effectiveness analysis – The Netherlands PA7 Floods - Droughts Water quantity management – France Safety & floods – Flemish Region Monitoring – Flemish Region NGOs, experts, etc. Workshop 1 Accidental pollution Workshop 2 Image – attractiveness ISC-secretariat PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Stepwise approach IRBMP: example project groups Coordinated definition of good status (SW+GW) - project groups “Coastal and transitional waters”, “Fresh surface water” and “Groundwater”: 31/12/2006: first exchange of information regarding difficulties to obtain the good status 31/03/2007: first consultation regarding objectives for transboundary waters 30/06/2007: first consultation regarding exemptions 30/06/2008: second exchange of information regarding difficulties to obtain the good status 31/08/2008: definitive coordination of objectives for transboundary waters 30/10/2008: definitive coordination of exemptions PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Significant water management issues of common interest in the Scheldt IRBD Surface water quality, hydromorphological alterations, sediments Groundwater vulnerability Scheldt-specific pollutants Economic analysis Flood and drought prevention management Governance Data, measuring methods and assessment methodologies PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Surface water quality, hydro-morphological changes, sediments Insufficient surface water quality: insufficient PhC quality: oxygenation conditions, nutrient conditions, other substances insufficient BIO quality: further investigation required Major hydromorphological changes: dykes, straightened and canalized watercourses for flood protection and navigation: negative impact on ecological working of water system, on biodiversity, on reproduction and migration of fish Excess sediment and insufficient sediment quality: soil erosion  excess sediment: negative impact on water drainage and navigation insufficient sediment quality: negative impact on water quality PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Groundwater vulnerability Groundwater quality most GW bodies ‘at risk’ due to presence of nitrates and pesticides further investigation required regarding definition good chemical status Good quantitative status of groundwater most GW bodies ‘at risk’ due to overexploitation and uncertainties regarding GW recharge  specific tuning required for transboundary aquifers PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Scheldt-specific pollutants Cu, Zn and PCBs: transboundary impact on district level transnational cooperation regarding follow-up and implementation of measures to reduce their discharge Other substances can have transboundary impact on a local level bi- or tri-lateral cooperation PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Economic analysis Further follow-up and refining of economic indicators Cost-effectiveness analyis programmes of measures Cost recovery: reasonable contribution of different sectors of water users PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Flood and drought prevention management Coordination of flood management approaches on the basis of European strategy Quantitative water management: ecological and economic dimension Preserving water resources PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Governance Each MS responsible for implementation WFD on own territory BUT also need for cooperation and coordination on IRBD level insight into each others procedures, exchange of information, comparability of assessment methods and results, building on each others experiences and, if necessary, harmonisation PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Data, measuring methods and assessment methodologies Improvement of mutual comparability of measuring and assessment methods enhancement of coordination and of mutual understanding of exchanged information transboundary coordination of environmental objectives = major challenge PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Summary of activities 2006 Scaldit action “Up to the IRBMP”: information exchange and coordination monitoring programmes (SW+GW) information exchange and coordination definition ‘good status’ (SW+GW) evaluation expected improvement of water quality as a result of implementation of basic measures information exchange cost effectiveness analysis annotated table of contents IRBMP for the Scheldt Scaldit action “Communication”: 3 ‘Scaldixit’ newsletters (D, F) brochure significant water management issues (D, F, E) closing event (24 October 2006 - Mechelen, Belgium) PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa

Thank you for your attention! PRB-workshop, 7-8 March 2006, Stresa