Nemunas/Nieman: environmental situation and experience of public engagement in RBM

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1 Nemunas/Nieman: environmental situation and experience of public engagement in RBM Edmundas Greimas, Lithuanian Fund for Nature Nina Palutskaya, Ecohome Neman

2 Nemunas river basin in the Baltic catchment area 4th longest river in the Baltic sea catchment area 937 km; 4th according to volume of discharged water 678 m 3 /s; 4th according to the size of basin km 2 ;

3 Distribution of Nemunas/Nieman basin among 5 countries Nieman basin shared by: km 2 km 2 km km 2 BY km 2 LT LT BY RU PL LV

4 Major environmental problems in Nemunas catchment area Non-point source pollution from agriculture; Point-source pollution with organic substances and N & P; Pollution with hazardous substances; Modification of rivers; Hydropower stations;

5 Non-point source pollution with biogenic substabces, N and P Most of pollution comes from agriculture: manure and mineral fertilizers; According to NO3-N (nitrate nitrogen) about 20 % are not in good ecological status ; Most polluted rivers are in mid-north and south-west part.

6 Non-point source pollution with biogenic substabces, N and P (2) Nitrogen input from mineral fertilizers by administrative units Nitrogen input from mineral fertilizers is based on area of farmers declared cropland and standard dosage of fertilizers (in LT); Kėdainia, Panevėžys regions in N and Šakiai region in SW of LT and Hrodnienskaja Oblast in BY

7 Point-source pollution with organic metarials, N and P Point-source pollution originating from urban setlements without water treatment (WT) facilities, industrial discharges, discharges from WT plants and stormwater discharges; 0,5 mln people are living in small setllements without WT; About 7 % of rivers are not in good ecological status because of pointsource pollution

8 Point-source pollution (2) Total nitrogen load from point sources In Nemunas basin (LT) there are: 1412 discharges points from WT facilities, industrial plants and urban settlements and 795 discharge points of stormwater; 2467 t/year of total-n from point-sources (LT)

9 Physical modification of river courses 23 % of rivers are classified as risk water reservoirs because of strong physical modification of river courses in the past; From 1955 to 1980 about 2.6 mln ha (80 % agricultural land) was drained in LT; 4241 km was straightened and channelized (distance from here to Afganistan)

10 Hydropower stations 50 hydropower stations (HP) are operating; 33 of them are recognized as causing great ecological impact for downstream river segment; 13 causing significant impact to anadromous fish (i.e. >10 fish/day damaged)

11 Inter-governmental cooperation on the river Nemunas basin level Poland and Lithuania Inter-governmental Water Commission since 2009, the 6 th meeting was held 5 days ago; 3 LT institutions: MoE (6 persons), MoFA & State Border Protection Service; Exchange of information on planned & accomplished activities

12 National mechanisms for interinstitutional cooperation Nemunas Basin Coordinative Council MoE Municipalit ies 47 Other ministries NGO & business (2 engo)

13 NGO activities & cooperation LT (1) Lašišos dienoraštis (Diary of Salmon) Cooperation of anglers clubs and associations for protection of spawing salmon from poaching; Also monitoring of fish damage near hydropower dams; Monitoring & reporting of attempts of physical alteration of small rivulets, etc. Information signs for public (espec. poachers)

14 NGO activities & cooperation LT (2) Let s Do campaign: clean-up of public areas, forests, river valleys, including bottom of lakes/rivers by scuba divers clubs;

15 NGO activities & cooperation LT (3) Ad hoc public groups fighting against illegal fencing of water bodies (including river banks)

16 NGO activities & cooperation LT (4) Alliance for salvation of Lithuanian rivers Mėlynasis vingis (Blue Bend); Alliance has developed as an public reaction to the attempt to dam for hydropower purpose Neris and Nemunas rivers

17 NGO activities & cooperation BY (5) Voluntary patrolling of rivers during the salmon spawning period (since 2011 about 20 volunteers take part); Mangagement & improvement of spawning habitats (increase from 25 to 60 salmon nests in Tartak river)

18 Achievements of project From River Watch to River Management Improved and increased communication and cooperation among LT-RU- BY environmental NGO s; Creation of very favourable conditions for formal establishment of PART; LT-RU-BY engo s are ready to cooperate and tackle some common problems, e.g. hydropower dams, salmon protection, etc.

19 Possibilities for future LT-BY-RU cooperation in the Nemunas river basin context Establishment of operational transboundary Nemunas River Public Advisory Council; Start dealing with specific transboundary issues, i.e. salmon, hydropower, etc.

20 Let s save our rivers for future generations! Thank you!