1. in transboundary basins:
Joint Monitoring and Assessment
in transboundary basins:
obligations and experience under the Convention
Addis Abbeba, 14 November 2012
Zsuzsanna BUZÁS
Hungary
Photo WWF

2. Different levels of co-operation
International level
River basin level
Transboundary level
National level

3. International level UN/ECE Convention on the Protection and Use
of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
(Helsinki Convention)
World Meteorological Organisation
Hydrology and Water Resources Programme
- Guide to Hydrological Practice
- Technical Regulations

4. International level UN/ECE Convention on the Protection and Use
of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
The Convention entered into force in 1996 but already in 1994 started the Task Force on Monitoring and Assessment (which later on became the Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment) with the main task developing Guidelines,
these guidelines aimed to assist the Governments and joint bodies for common management of transboundary waters (surface and groundwaters)
the guidelines were revised based on findings of the pilot projects that aimed to implement of given guidelines in practice

5. Guidelines and Strategies
International level
UN/ECE Convention on the Protection and Use
of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
Guidelines and Strategies
Guidelines on Monitoring and Assessment of Water Quality of Transboundary Rivers, 1996 (revised in 2000)
Guidelines on Monitoring and Assessment of Transboundary Groundwaters, 2000
Guidelines on MA of Transboundary and International Lakes (2002)
Strategies for Monitoring and Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters, 2006

6. International level UN/ECE Convention on the Protection and Use
of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
Guidelines on Monitoring and Assessment of Water Quality of Transboundary Rivers, 1996 (revised in 2000)
Content: - Identification of river-basin management issues
- information needs
- strategies for monitoring and assessm.
- monitoring programmes
- data management
- reporting
- joint co-ordinated action and institutional
aspects

7. International level UN/ECE Convention on the Protection and Use
of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
pilot projects were good tools to learn how could the countries put into practice the guidelines
it started with MoU signed by the two Parties, in which they declared with river basin – lake – or groundwater would be the topic,
usually they got some special financial support both for the implementation itself and for the reporting about the findings,

8. International level UN/ECE Convention on the Protection and Use
of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
the final reports were handed over both to the MA Working Group and the given joint bodies for further consideration,
pilot projects were useful instrument not only for the trial implementation and developing guidelines, but for the further cooperation of the involved countries,
but had some problems as well: planned 2 years were never enough, language (English reports had to be translated) and sometime financial problems

9. The Danube River Protection Convention
A legal frame for co-operation to assure
the protection of water and ecological resources and their sustainable use in the Danube River Basin
It was developed parallel with UNECE Water Convention
signed: 29 June 1994, Sofia
entered into force: 22 October 1998
Permanent Secretariat: since 1 October 1999

10. Trans National Monitoring Network – TNMN
The coordinated Monitoring Network has been upgraded.

11. TNMN until 2007 Based on national monitoring networks
Data from 77 sampling stations provided
52 determinands in water
Minimum sampling frequency 12/year (chem) 2/year (biol)

12. Major Objective – Revised TNMN
The major objective
overview of the overall status and long-term changes of surface water and – where necessary – groundwater on a basin-wide scale
particular attention paid to the transboundary effects like pollution load
link Danube nutrient loads and eutrophication Black Sea
monitoring of nutrient sources and pathways of nutrients in the DRB and the effects of measures to reduce the nutrient loads into the Black Sea.
address all biological quality elements

13. TransNational Monitoring Network TNMN 1st yearbook 1996
Harmonise or make comparable the monitoring and assessment methods
Develop communication and data processing facilities
Elaborate joint programmes for monitoring the riverine conditions in the Danube catchment as basis for the assessment of transboundary impacts

14. JDS2 JOINT DANUBE PROGRAMME 2008

15. JDS2 Objectives
96 sites were successfully sampled along the 2,600 km stretch of the Danube River
Survey gathered comprehensive information about riverine hydromorphology, biology and chemistry; microbiological and isotope analysis was performed as well
Strengthened basin-wide cooperation among the scientific community
Increased public awareness toward water quality protection

16. Transboundary level 7 neighbours
SLOVAKIA
UKRAIN
AUSTRIA
HUNGARY
SLOVENIA
ROMANIA
CROATIA
Bilateral co-operation is essential for the daily water management in Hungary, because 96 %
of the water resources
is originated from the neighbouring countries
YUGOSLAVIA
7 neighbours

17. Hungarian experience at transboundary level
History:
started with flood defenses,
followed by data exchange and
water quality control
Co-operation through commities based on the Water Convention principles, organised according to
technical issues, or
catchments
only commitees related to water quality exist in all relations
Co-operation are based on regulations
Co-operation in water resources management have started
Co-operation in groundwater related question is the next step
Common implementation of EU WFD is the new task

18. Transboundary level Hungary - Romania Hungary - Slovakia
Sub-committees
- on the protection against floods and excess waters
- on water management and hydrometeorology,
- on water quality
Hungary - Slovakia
Subsidiary bodies
- Danube sub-committee
- Ipoly/Ipel sub-committee
- Tisza sub-committee
- Sub-committee on water quality
- Expert group on hydrology
- Expert group on the implementation on WFD

19. Transboundary level Romania - Hungary Regulations
on the frontier crossing of the responsible authorities
on the mutual visual aerial observations under critical situations caused by floods and excess waters
on flood defences,
of mutual communication of meteorological and hydrological data and information
on the water quality of transboundary surface waters,
on the procedures in the cases of unexpected, hazardous pollution
on the defences against excess waters,
on the concerted operation of some hydraulic structures,
on the regular hydrological observation and common identification of water resources of watercourses

20. National level - Cooperation among the water related
ministries and related institutions
including monitoring activities
(surface and groundwater, quantity and
quality!)
- Responsibility for co-operation on
the transboundary, catchment
and international level

21. Lessons learnt on transboundary monitoring and assessment
In the Hungarian practice:
- we revised the already existing transboundary water agreements based on Helsinki Convention and EU WFD (the river basin principle and new tasks)
in the regulations under the Agreements were introduced
the groundwater and new biological parameters, partly based on the outcomes of the pilot projects under UNECE

22. Lessons learnt on transboundary monitoring and assessment
In general (1):
being Parties to the UNECE Water Convention gives not only obligations, but neutral field for discussions of water related problems, between downstream and upstream countries,
importance of personal contacts and understanding, common work, including common measuraments and projects with
involvment all the interested institutions and the public,
- Parties should try to translate all relevant documents, guidelines into their national language

23. Lessons learnt on transboundary monitoring and assessment
In general (2):
- both the transboundary agreement and the regulation under it dealing with MA tasks should include surface and groundwater, quality and quantity elements event though the monitoring for these elements on national level belong to different ministries and institutions,
- sign the Agreement on high political level and implement
on regional, expert level, having the feedback connection

24. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

25. river basin management plans
Transboundary level
Flood control
common
river basin management plans
Hydrological data exchange
Water quality protection
Surface water management
Groundwater management

26. Transboundary level Romania - Hungary
Regulation of mutual communication of meteoro-logical and hydrological data and information
Article – Introduction
2. Article – Aim of the mutual exchange of meteorological and hydrological data and information
3. Article – Regular daily meteorological data exchange
4. Article – Water – snow equivalent data exchange
5. Article – Meteorological warnings
6. Article – Daily precipitation forecasts exchange
7. Article – Regular daily hydrological data exchange
8. Article – Hydrological warnings
9. Article – Exchange of hydrological forecasts
10. Article – Replacement of daily met and hydrological data
11. Article – Exchange of yearly hydrological data
12. Article – Exchange of groundwater data
13. Article – Information of the changes of basic data
14. Article – Exchange of weather radar and radar warnings data
15- Article – Long-term hydrological forecasts
16. Article – Protocols and methods of exchange of data and information

27. Transboundary level Slovakia - Hungary Regulations
rules of procedure of the HU-SK Committee
on Transboundary Waters
in the defense against floods, excess waters and ice
during accidental pollutions
on the sampling, analyses and evaluation of water quality
on the activities during the accidental pollution
of the cooperation in the exchange of hydrological data and information

28. Transboundary level Slovakia - Hungary
Regulation on the sampling, analyses and the evaluation of water quality performed by the authorities of the Hungarian Republic and the Slovak Republic in the watercourses forming the frontier or crossed by it
1 Article – Aim of the regulation
2 Article – Institutions involved
3 Article – Sampling places
4 Article – Water quality parameters
5 Article - Sampling methods
6 Article – Fulfilment of physical, chemical and biological samplings
7 Article – Compliance of the results
8 Article – Evaluation of the results
9 Article – Applied threshold limits
10 Article – Qualification of the results
11 Article – Periodical survey of the water quality changes
12 Article – Reporting obligations of the Water quality sub- commission
13 Article – Closing resolutions

29. Transboundary level Slovakia - Hungary
Regulation on the sampling, analyses and the evaluation of water quality performed by the authorities of the Hungarian Republic and the Slovak Republic in the watercourses forming the frontier or crossed by it
Annexes
1. Data of involved institutions
2. List of the sampling places and frequencies
3. List of the parameters, units and yearly frequencies of given parameters
4. Sampling, conservation, transport and storage methods
5. Fulfilment of physical, chemical and biological samplings
6. Protocol for common sampling results
7. Protocol for evaluation of the results
8. Threshold values for evaluation
9. Summary table
10. Protocol for the water quality changes of given rivers

30. Transboundary level Slovakia - Hungary
Regulation on the sampling, analyses and the evaluation of water quality performed by the authorities of the Hungarian Republic and the Slovak Republic in the watercourses forming the frontier or crossed by it
4 Article – Water quality parameters
- general physical and inorganic chemical parameters
- general organic parameters
- inorganic industrial pollutants parameters
- organic industrial pollutants parameters
- biological parameters (including based on WFD: phytoplankton, - - macrophytes and phytobenthos, benthic invertebrate fauna)
12. Article – Reporting obligations of the Water quality sub-commission
- evaluation of water quality in written from and with general tabulators
- general summary of the yearly water quality changes
- reasons of the changes

31. Transboundary level Slovakia - Hungary
Regulation on the activities during the accidental pollution
of the Hungarian -Slovakian transboundary waters (1995)
1-2. Article – Introduction and aim of the regulation
3. Article – Information exchange
4. Article – Evaluation of the risk and vulnerability
5. Article – Contingency plans
6. Article – Warning systems
7. Article – Information about the events
8. Article – Post-evaluation of accidental pollutions
List of annexes
1. Data of the institutions which have to be informed in case of accidental pollutions (two responsible national ministries)
2. Data of other institutions involved into accidental events information exchange
3. Protocol for reporting
4. Technical means for identification of accident
5. Contingency plans’ content
6. Information protocol about the accidental pollution

32. Objectives of the DRPC
 Ensure sustainable and equitable water management;
 Ensure conservation, improvement and rational use of surface and groundwater;
 Control discharge of wastewaters, inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances from point and diffuse sources of emissions;
 Control flood and ice hazards;
 Control hazards originating from accidents (warning and preventive measures);
 Reduce pollution loads of the Black Sea from sources in the Danube catchment area;

33. Co-ordination mechanisms in the DRBIT CH PL MK AL
ICPDR DE AT CZ UA MD HU SI CS BG RO SK HR BA
– coordination
– information exchange
– develop strategy for RBM Plan
– develop DRB roof report for EC
– harmonisation of methods and mechanisms
Co-operation
(example)
Bilateral agreements (examples)
RBM EG
Sub-river basin co-operation (example: Tisa, Sava River)

35. COUNTRY
POPULATION*
TOTAL AREA
DRB
of the state
in DRB
of the state
in DRB
in state
flag
name
status
capita
million %
km2
km2 % %
GERMANY EU CP
82,398,326
9.300
11.49
357,021
56,184
7.01
15.74
AUSTRIA EU CP
8,188,207
7.700
9.51
83,858
80,423
10.03
95.90
CZECH REPUBLIC EU CP
10,249,216
2.800
3.46
78,866
22,870
2.85
29.00
SLOVAKIA EU CP
5,430,033
5.200
6.42
48,845
47,084
5.87
96.39
HUNGARY EU CP
10,045,407
10.045
12.60
93,030
93,030
11.61
100.00
SLOVENIA EU CP
1,935,677
1.700
2.10
20,273
16,422
2.05
81.00
CROATIA
Apl CP
4,422,248
3.000
3.71
56,542
34,965
4.36
61.84
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO  CP
10,655,774
9.800
12.11
102,350
88,635
11.06
86.60
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA  CP
3,989,018
2.900
3.58
51,129
36,636
4.57
71.65
BULGARIA
Acs CP
7,537,929
3.500
4.32
110,910
47,413
5.92
42.75
ROMANIA
Acs CP
22,271,839
21.000
25.94
237,500
232,193
28.97
97.77
MOLDOVA  CP
4,439,502
1.100
1.36
33,843
12,834
1.60
37.92
UKRAINE  CP
48,055,439
2.650
3.27
603,700
30,520
3.81
5.06
ICPDR TOTAL
219,618,615
80.850
99.88
1,877,867
799,209
99.72
ALBANIA  
3,582,206
0.010
0.01
28,748
126
0.01
0.44
ITALY EU 
57,998,353
0.020
0.02
301,230
565
0.07
0.19
MACEDONIA  
2,063,122
0.010
0.01
25,333
109
0.01
0.43
POLAND EU 
38,622,660
0.040
0.05
312,685
430
0.05
0.14
SWITZERLAND  
7,318,638
0.020
0.03
41,290
1,809
0.23
4.38
BASIN TOTAL
329,203,593
80.950
100.00
2,587,153
802,248
100.00
*) as of July 2003

36. Most international river basin in the world
10% of Europe
83 mil inhabitants
19 countries
Most international river basin in the world

37. Catchment level Convention on Co-operation for the Protection
and Sustainable Use of the River Danube
Regional Co-operation of the Danube Countries in the frame
of the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO
International Association for Danube Research (IAD)
Co-ordination of researches in the field of Danube’s ecosystems
(mapping, monitoring, investigation and modelling)
International Association of Waterworks in the Danube Basin
Aiming to reduce risks of pollution of drinking water
Danube Commission
To ensure the unrestricted navigation
Forum of the Danubian Hydrological Services
Discussion on the monitoring related tasks related to
international conventions, organisations and directives

38. JDS2 General conclusions
Important tool for the preparation of the Danube River Basin Management Plan
Generally improving trend along the main Danube River was confirmed
Specific problems were reinforced, especially at a number of tributaries and downstream large cities