1. -The Rhine - from an Open Sewer to a Living River how to develop a river basin management plan at river Rhine level International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine Dr. André Weidenhaupt President

2. The Rhine, a European river

3. 3 portofrotterdam.com Basle Rotterdam Mean annual discharge (D/NL): 2.200 m³/s HQ low : 1000 m³/s HQ extrem : env. 10.000 m³/s length: 1233 km navigable: 825 km (Basle-Rotterdam) Drinking water: est. 30 millions of consumers inhabitants: 58 millions Strasbourg Cologne Luxembourg Frankfurt

4. 4 The Rhine river basin 9 states Italy Austria Liechtenstein Switzerland France Germany Belgium Luxembourg Netherlands

5. 196 years of riperian cooperation at the German-Luxembourg border (treaty of 16.6.1816): 3 shared rivers in a condominium two autorities Germany and Luxembourg

6. Changes during the centuries 1838 1872 1980

7. ICPR Established 1950, amended in 1963 and 1999 Members Switzerland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, European Community Observers Countries – Austria – Liechtenstein – Belgium / Wallonia Intergovernmental Organizations (IGO's) Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) International Rhine Commission

8. Rules of cooperation De-centralised organization National delegations – political mandate – technical know how – funds Consensus Decisions are recommendations Obligation to report on the implementation of measures Political trust, no sanctions Neutral Secretariat Regular budget - Regular budget (1.000.000 €/a) - 80% salaries (Secretariat) - Rent, publications, computers, communication Rhine Convention Rules of procedure and financial regulations What makes the ICPR effective?

9. Organisational Structure

10. 1950 - Foundation 1963 - Treaty of Berne 1972 - 1st Rhine Ministers’ Conference 1986 - Accident at Sandoz (Basle, CH) 1987 - Rhine Action Program Landmarks 1993 and 1995 - Flooding 1999 - New Convention 2000 - Programme Rhine 2020 2000 - EU Water Framework Directive

11. Management by disaster (1) 1986: Fire at Sandoz, CH causing the death of all aquatic life downstream (e.g. eels on 400 km) 10-30 tons of highly toxic pesticides flowed into the river

12. Main results Water quality has considerably improved Accidents have been considerably reduced The Rhine fauna has recovered Duration:1987 – 2000 The Salmon as symbol Reduction of discharges with 50-70% in the period till 1995 Rhine Action Programme (1987) Main elements

13. Management by disaster (2) - Dec. 1993 and - Jan./Feb. 1995: Major flooding in Germany and the Netherlands 1995: 200.000 people evacuated

14. Ecosystem improvement Flood prevention Water quality improvement Groundwater protection Program on the sustainable development of the Rhine Duration 2000 - 2020 Programme - Rhine 2020

15. Objectives Restoration of mainstream as backbone of the Rhine system Improvement of habitat for flora and fauna Examples of Measures Permit natural flooding Enhance extensive agricultural use of alluvial areas Preserve the freely flowing sections of the Rhine Rhine 2020: Ecosystem improvement

16. Measures (expl.) Increase water retention by reactivating inundation areas Maintain and strengthen dikes Draft flood risk maps (illustrative e.g., for spatial planners) Objectives 10% reduction of damage risks and 25% reduction by 2020 Increase flood awareness Improve flood warning systems Rhine 2020: Flood prevention

17. Results (1)

18. Reduction of point source inputs between 1985 – 2000: ~ 60 substances 30-49 %50-69%70-100 %No discharges Total nitrogenHCHammoniumdioxins 2-chloro-tolueneTotal phosphorous atrazin 4-chloro-tolueneleaddichlorvos Trichloro- benzenes cadmiumDDT 1,1,1 tri-chloro- ethane chromiumsimazine mercurytrifluraline Results (2)

19. Annual loads of substances at the german-dutch border Unit198519952000 Ammonium nitrogen t/y37.00014.000 6.800 Total phosphorous t/y32.00017.00013.000 Atrazinekg/y10.000 6.900 1.200 Cadmiumkg/y 9.000 9.700 5.100 Mercurykg/y 6.000 3.500 1.600 Results (3)

20. Results (4)

21. Results (5) Reduction of damage risks:  and  depending specific situation! Reduction of water levels (up to 30 cm)  at Oberrhein, less at other stretches Flood risk maps  for the main stream and partly for tributaries, e.g., Moselle/Saar Flood forecasting  100% increase of forecasting period (be it with loss of reliability) Flood prevention, progress report 2006

22. Salmons returning to the Rhine

23. But still a lot to do ….

24. 24 National and regional states: competent authorities for watermanagement EU members (7): Italy, Austria, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands Others (2): Liechtenstein, Switzerland (Germany = 8 German states) WFD, levels A & B for RBMP 9 international working areas: Crossing borders countries and/or (german) states

25. The Moselle/Saar sub-basin

26. 1.Respect for responsibility of member states towards European Commission 2.Coordination of water management issues at the appropriate level river basin working area (e.g. Moselle/Sarre) national/state 3.Careful selection of the appropriate level in advance; special attention for upstream – downstream relations WFD coordination in Rhine river basin district

27. Part B Part A Issuesfor whole Rhinedistrict issues working areas issues working areas Issuesfor member states or states SubRBMP’s for national orstatelevel -if applicable- Reporting toEC RBMPRhine river basindistrict Coordination

28. 1.River continuity and development of habitats 2.Reduction of diffuse pollution 3.Further reduction of point sources of pollution 4.Better matching various functions of rivers (shipping, ecology, drinkingwatersuppy, flood protection, etc) Issues to be coordinated at A-level

29. 1.River continuity and development of habitats 2.Reduction of diffuse pollution 3.Further reduction of point sources of pollution 4.Better matching various functions of rivers (shipping, ecology, drinking water supply, flood protection, etc) Result at A-level: international RBMP Rhine

30. 1.Masterplan for long-distance migrating fish species (salmon, eel etc) in whole river basin 2.Main elements of masterplan in international river basin management plan (A-level) 3.Agreement on measures in most nations/states. Implementation is EU- obligation RBMP at A-level: River continuity

31. 1.Agreement on reduction of nutrients to protect lakes and coastal waters 2.20 % reduction expected from ongoing measures, monitoring and studies to see if more is needed. 3.New Environmental Quality Standards derived (Directive 2008/105/CE and Rhine substances) 4.Not implemented in all countries 5.Pesticides difficult: much depend on EU policy RBMP at A-level: diffuse pollution reduction

32. 1.´traditional substances´ no major problems (high level of wastewater treatment); 2.New substances (emerging pollutants) become a problem (e.g. human and veterinary medicines and related products) 3.International working group active combining data from all countries (PG MIKRO) 4.Measures in next River Basin Management plans (2015 and 2021) RBMP at A-level: reduction of point sources

33. Ongoing process, not many concrete results yet workshops addressing conflicts with all stakeholders Hydro-power and river continuity Flood protection and habitat development Navigation and more natural embankments RBMP at A-level: matching functions

34. Homepage: www.iksr.org www.waasser.lu Thank you for your attention!