Ion Munteanu, Director DANUBE DELTA BIOSPHERE RESERVE ADMINISTRATION. Marian Tudor, Operational Director DANUBE DELTA NATIONAL INSTITUTE

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1 Ion Munteanu, Director DANUBE DELTA BIOSPHERE RESERVE ADMINISTRATION Marian Tudor, Operational Director DANUBE DELTA NATIONAL INSTITUTE

2 Wetland restoration projects in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve/Romania Romanian Ministry of Environment 2014

3 HUMAN INDUCED CHANGES IN DANUBE DELTA Nitrogen: 300, ,000 t/year Phosphorous: 45,000-60,000 t/year Oil: 45,000-50,000 t/year DANUBE TULCEA HABITAT REDUCTIONS HABITAT ALTERATIONS A BY BY B l a c k S e a DAMMING UPSTREAM FLOODPLAIN AND 22% OF THE DELTA AND BUILDING BARRAGES AT KM 942 AND KM 863 FROM RIVER MOUTHS POLLUTION AND DREDGING CHANNELS (after Staras, 2000) LEGEND Damming (22%) Pollution New channels

4 DAMMING FLOODPLAIN UPSTREAM DELTA Catch sizes in the Romanian Danube Delta and adjacent lakes t o n s x1,000 ha Damming floodplain area of the Danube river Siret Cyprinus Carpio Total Damming period Iron Gate I Jiu Iron Gate II before after 1970 Arges Ialomita Calmatui Olt (after Staras, 2000)

5 25,340 to 25,631 to 16,548 to 17,576 to 26,000 to

6 DAMMING AND CHANNEL EXCAVATION Danub e Danub e Legend Excavation period > 1960 Legend Building period (after Staras, 2000)

7 Channels blocking (after Staras, 2000)

8 CHANGES IN HYDROLOGY AND WATER CHEMISTRY DANUBE RIVER Water inflow (cm/s) P(PO4) (mg/l) N(NO3) (mg/l) P(PO4) inflow tons/year DELTA ECOSYSTEMS Before <0,01 0,06 0,07 0,4 1,5 1, ,05 0, N(NO3) inflow tons/year (modified after Staras, 2000)

9 CLIMATIC CHANGES AND THEIR IMPACT ON DANUBE DELTA

10 DANUBE RIVER low water level has a major impact on DANUBE DELTA Water (lacustrine) surface reduction Marsh or lacustrian areas changes into partial or total drained fields

11 Low water level impact on shoreline vegetation Macrophytes habitat reduction Bushes and reed expansion

12 DANUBE RIVER low water level has a major impact on DANUBE DELTA Eutrofication Reduction of aquatic species which consist basic food resource of birds Migration from colonies

13 DANUBE RIVER low water level has a major impact on DANUBE DELTA Easy access of predators (golden wolf, fox, ratoon dog) and hunters to colonies due to lake dry bottom

14 Fish migration to deeper waters Impact on fishermen's communities Longer distances between localities and fishing areas

15 And it has hundred of faces over the year (Flooding map in April and August ) April August

16 Wetland loss and degradation Activities : not necessarily wise or sustainable can lead to loss and degradation Underlying causes : poverty and economic inequality, population pressures from growth, social and political conflicts, sectoral demands on water resources, centralized planning processes, financial policies References : Moser, M., Prentice, C., Frazier, S., 1996

17 Wetland loss in Europe (1995) COUNTRY PERIOD % LOSS OF WETLANDS Netherlands France Germany Spain Italy Greece References : Commission of European Communities, 1995

18 Consequences of wetland loss and degradation water flow regulation and flood control ability to retain sediment and nutrients availability of natural wetland products recreation and tourism opportunity socio-cultural significance maintenance of natural systems global regional local levels References : Davies, J., Claridge, G.F.(Eds.), 1993

19 Restoration Works in the Danube Delta In Babina (2,100 ha), - agricultural polder - in Cernovca(1,580 ha) - agricultural polder - in Popina(3,600 ha) - fishpond - in Fortuna (2,115 ha) - - agricultural polder - in SF. Gheorghe arm s meanders (687 ha) In Holbina - Dunavat(5,630 ha) - fishponds - TOTAL: 15,712

20 BABINA-CERNOVCA PILOT PROJECT Babina (2,100 ha) Cernovca (1,580 ha) Research Design Implementation Monitoring Project status Present status fully implemented reverted to wetland since 1994 fully implemented reverted to wetland since 1996 a mosaic of water types, clear to turbid water systems, depending on the connectivity to the river

21

22 BEFORE FLOODING

23 2 YEARS AFTER FLOODING

24 AGRICULTURAL POLDER IN DANUBE DELTA

25 Babina-Cernovca area (satellite images)

26 BIOLOGICAL FILTERING CAPACITY OF THE PALUSTRIAN AND AQUATIC VEGETATION

27 CONTACT OF CLEAN WATER FROM RESTORED AREA WITH DANUBE WATER RICH IN SEDIMENTS

28 CONTROL FISHING RESULTS IN RESTORED AREAS INDICATES THE PRESENCE OF BOTH REPRODUCERS AND YOUNG FISHES

29 Popina Canal S = 3,600 ha, fish ponds -Research: Implemented since Status: permanent wetland connected to the river POPINA PROJECT POPINA I Dâmbei Road CHILIA Arm EC 21 Popina Brook O p e n in g M o n k EC 22 Musura Branch Canalul Cardon Cardon Canal

30 FORTUNA PROJECT S = 2,115 ha -Former polder for forestry -Research: Present status: implemented Fortuna Lake Danube

31 HOLBINA-DUNAVAT PROJECT S = 5,630 ha, former fish farms Research: Result: Restoration strategy Implementation status: investment funds available since 2003 Evolution: water system reverted from turbid plankton - dominated state to clear macrophytes - dominated one (!)

32 Hydrological connectivity restoration MEANDERS PROJECT S= 687 ha 3 islands - created as a result of rectification of Danube arm - were proposed to be connected to river

33 BENEFITS OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION BABINA&CERNOVCA PILOT PROJECTS - S=3,600HA UNSUSTAINABLE / ABANDONED POLDERS WETLAND REHABILITATION ECONOMICAL RESULTS FILTERING ECOLOGICAL VALUES FISH: 34 KG/HA/YEAR REED: 1-2 TONES/HA/YEAR PASTURE: 0,5 UVM/HA/YEAR EURO/HA/YEAR with low costs instead subsidies NUTRIENT REMOVAL - 15 KG PHOSPHORUS/HA/YEAR KG NITROGEN/HA/YEAR SEDIMENT RETENTION - 11 TONES/HA/YEAR HABITAT FOR BIRDS AND FISHES AESTHETIC VALUES WATER STORAGE

34 ECONOMICAL INDICATOR: MAXIMUM COST/BENEFIT RATIO BABINA&CERNOVCA PILOT PROJECTS - S=3,600HA COSTS: RESEARCH, DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION: 100,000 EURO BENEFITS: FISH YIELD: 3,600HA x 34KG x 0.5EURO/KG = 60,000EURO/YEAR REED HARVEST: 3,600HA x 1T/HA x 16EURO/T = 60,000EURO/YEAR TOURISM: 10TURISTS x 100DAYS/YEAR x 10EURO/DAY = 10,000EURO/YEAR CATTLE: 100HA x 0.5UVM/HA x 100KG x 2EURO/KG = 10,000EURO/YEAR TOTAL VALUE : 140,000 EURO/YEAR at low labour costs

35 AWARDS & DANUBE DELTA BIOSPHERE RESERVE AUTHORITY

36 CONSTRAINTS POLITICAL DECISION PUBLIC AWARENESS ECONOMIC INTEREST LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATION WATER QUALITY WETLAND RESTORATION FUNCTIONAL INTEGRITY IRREVERSIBLE MAN MADE CHANGES GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE (after Staras, 2000)

37 (after Staras, 2000)

38 ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROGRAMME part of the Master Plan for sustainable development of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve - Foto: Erika Schneider WWF Germany

39 ţ ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROGRAMME Stage I Task 1 Desiltation works L=195 km Civil works Restored areas 1. A.A. Babina S= 2.100ha 2.A.A. Cernovca S= 1.580ha 3.A.A. Fortuna S= 2.115ha 4.A.P. Popina S= 3.600ha Total S= 9.395ha Task 2 Wetland restoration Polder Fish Pond Total S = 5,876 ha Total S = 13,940 ha

40 ţ ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROGRAMME Stage I Carasuhat S= 2,863 ha 2. Murighiol-Dunavăţ S= 2,538 ha 3. Sulina S= 475 ha 4. Chilia I + II S= 2,950 ha 5. Murighiol S= 2,260 ha 6. Ceamurlia I S= 2,900 ha 7. Holbina-Dunavaţ S= 5,630 ha Civil works Restored areas 1. A.A. Babina S= 2.100ha 2.A.A. Cernovca S= 1.580ha 3.A.A. Fortuna S= 2.115ha 4.A.P. Popina S= 3.600ha Total S= 9.395ha Polder Fish Pond Total S = 5,876 ha Total S = 13,740 ha Total Stage I : S= 19,616 ha

41 PARDINA S= ha ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROGRAMME ţ Stage II Task 1 Desiltation works L = 70 km Restored areas 1. A.P. Babina S= 2.100ha 2.A.P. Cernovca S= 1.580ha 3.A.P. Fortuna 4.F.P. Popina S= 2.115ha S= 3.600ha Total S= 9.395ha Task 2 Wetland restoration Polder Fish Pond Total S = 32,512 ha Total S = 13,570 ha

42 PARDINA S= ha ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROGRAMME ţ Stage II Polder Total S = 32,512 ha Restored areas Fish Pond Total S = 13,570 ha 1. A.A. Babina S= 2.100ha 2.A.A. Cernovca S= 1.580ha 3.A.A. Fortuna S= 2.115ha 4.A.P. Popina S= 3.600ha Total S= 9.395ha Total Stage II : S= 46,082 ha

43 SIREASA 2010 ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROGRAMME Stage II Polder Total S = 32,512 ha Fish Pond Total S = 13,570 ha Total Stage II : S= 46,082 ha

44 THANK YOU

45 Marian Tudor OPEARTIONAL DIRECTOR Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development 165 Babadag street Tulcea / ROMANIA Phone /232 Fax Contact: mtudor@indd.tim.ro