Links:

www.undp.hr

www.everydropmatters.com

www.coca-cola.com

www.hgk.hr

www.tz-otocac.hr

www.otocac.hr

www.velebit.hr

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experi-ence and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.Short extracts from this publication may be reproduced unaltered without autho-risation, on condition that the source is indicated.The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of UNDP.

SECRETS OF WATER 3

Welcome to the Gacka!

We would like to propose a toast with a glass of spring water that has quenched the thirst of inhabitants and visitors

of the Gacka Valley for centuries. We hope that our water will refresh you, that you will enjoy yourselves here, and

that you will gladly take the Gacka story to some other river, to some other clear spring.

We would like to tell this story about water to and through all of you – visitors, nature lovers from Croatia and

abroad, fishermen, children and adults – all those people who spread good energy. This is the energy that is

dispersed when we are lucky to be a part of some important big story like the story of water.

This is a story about water protection – the protection of all of our lives.

We want this story never to stop. We want it to flow and flow…

The heart’s singing in the dreamland

The birds have flown into me, landed on a wave on an ideal river.

Only they are genuine, in this bastion built of darkness.

They give to grim faces in life’s hollow passing

An overwhelming joy from the clear blue skies.

Tin Ujević

SECRETS OF WATER4

One need not be a great expert on the history of mankind to conclude that all the progress of man and civilization took place where there was water – perfectly plain water which is, actually, anything but plain. It is, in fact, one of the most mysterious substances in the world.

It is the only compound of two gases that remains liquid at normal temperature and pressure. It is the only plain substance that appears at the Earth’s surface in all three states of matter.Water, as a gas or as a vapour, is always present in the air around us. It covers approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface, and our bodies contain a similar amo-unt. All life started in water. Water regulates the Earth’s temperature and also the temperature of the human body. Water brings various substances and oxygen to cells, protects organs and tissues, and carries away waste and garbage.Water, undoubtedly, is a very useful substance. Without it, you would not be reading this text now. The problem is that this substance, apart from being useful, is also indispensable. We can only survive for 72 hours without it.Therefore, we should not, even for one moment, forget that only 1% of the world’s water is potable and completely safe for man.

THE STORY OF A DROP OF WATERThere is approximately the same amount of water on Earth today as there was when the Earth was formed. The water that you may have just drunk consists of the same molecules as the water that the dinosaurs used to drink.

OMNIPRESENT WATER – AND HOW TO MANAGE IT WELLWe take water for granted. It has been, and always will be, here. This we should not doubt. The question is whether we will still be here if we do not treat water wisely. What other more precious substance could we wish for in our house? During hot nights, half asleep, we look for this valuable fluid: a glass of water next to our bed. We begin our day by splashing our faces with water. We need water like plants need the morning dew. It is like a refreshing shower. Hurriedly, we have a cup of coffee – again mostly water, and then we are ready to go.

THE MOST COMMON AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE MOST UNCOMMON SUBSTANCE IN THE WORLD

Little has been added or lost during millions of years. In a never-ending cycle, it continues to move forever and to change from solid, to liquid, then to gas, in a very sensitive balance. In a hydrological cycle, water is filtered through soil and porous rocks and consequently becomes potable.This is the topic that interests us the most.

SECRETS OF WATER 5

DRINKING WATER TREATMENTFiltration is a process used to separa-te particles from the liquid. Filters for water treatment are often made of layers of sand and gravel. Apart from filtration, disinfection is one of the most important steps in the water treatment process, and the one whi-ch removes pathogenic organisms from the water. Water is most often disinfected with chlorine which successfully removes a wide range of pathogens from the water thereby keeping it clean during distribution in the water supply system. It is also an economical process. However, there is a negative side. Chlorine reacts with numerous organic and inorganic compounds normally present in water and thus creates unwanted results. Big doses of chlo-rine may also cause problems with the taste and the odour of water.There are a number of reasons why it is necessary to treat water before it is drunk. Firstly, no one can be sure what is going on in the upper flow of the river. No one can really know whether small objects have caused pollution. For example, small animals, birds, snakes, etc., could fall into open wells. Wells are not always safe particularly in karst areas. They are safe only in cases when water is taken directly from the well. Water from a lake is very dangerous as drin-king water because it is often pollu-ted with waste from industry, hou-seholds, or agricultural activities and may also be polluted by people and animals. In the areas where water is

scarce, rainwater that is collected in tanks, basins and stagnant water are the only solution for survival. In such cases, basic, indispensable water tre-atment includes filtration by adding soda and then boiling the water.

Since it is not always easy to obtain drinking water, the key to the success of any water loss reduction programme is public education. Truly, every drop does matter. Every drop may, in the grand scheme of things, contribute to significant savings in water use in a city at the time of a water shortage – hence the title ”Drop by drop“.

SECRETS OF WATER6

URBAN WASTE WATERCities have a long history of polluting their own water sources. The Romans polluted the Tiber to the extent that the local population could not use it as drinking water beginning from 140 BC. Today, in many rivers water consump-tion is not possible downstream from the sites where waste water is released. In developed countries, cities treat waste water in order to decrease pollution and to prevent eutrophication (enrichment of watercourses with biogenous substances which usually results in the formation of a habitat dominated by phytoplankton). Furthermore, after being treated, water may be recycled in order to lessen the pressure on water resources.

HOW WE DEVASTATE RIVERSThere are several ways in which we make water unusable. One way is the excess use of cleaning products, more specifically: detergents. People always add a little more detergent just to ensure the laundry is clean, don’t they? However, the excess ends up in natural waters causing eutrophication that disturbs the ecosystem balance and may cause the death of organisms in the water.Some eutrophication occurs naturally when nutrients and sediments are depo-sited through erosion and settling, which is the reason why closed systems, like lakes, gradually age. People accelerate and expand this natural process by relea-sing huge quantities of nutrients, particularly phosphates, through municipal and industrial discharge or as a result of run-off from agricultural land. When there is a high concentration of nutrients in the water, aquatic plants and algae start growing very quickly. Algae grow in various forms and are often found as green gelatinous thread-like masses in streams and artificial lakes. These plants die and decompose causing a decrease in the oxygen being dissolved in the water. And when there is no oxygen, there are problems causing life forms to be reduced in numbers or to die out completely.

SECRETS OF WATER 7

Salinization is another enemy of water. This refers to a build up of salts in soil, eventu-ally to toxic levels for plants. All irrigation water contains dissolved salts derived from soluble minerals in the soil. Rain water also contains some salts. Evaporation of water from the dry surface of the soil leaves the salts behind. This is a worldwide problem, particularly acute in semi-arid areas which use lots of irrigation water. This water is often of poor quality (brackish water) and such fields are poorly drained and never get well flushed. There is also a danger of salinization of groundwater which occurs because of underground seawater intrusion due to excessive water pumping.The earliest civilizations appeared in the regions where the soil was the most fertile and where there was plenty of water. They perished when the soil became satura-ted with saltwater caused by incorrect irrigation, when forests in the drainage area were cut down and when soil erosion and silt deposits destroyed the very essence of agriculture. Herod wrote that Egypt was “given land, the gift of the river”. We may broaden the thought of the ancient historian and say that the entire civiliza-tion and all our lives are “the gift of water”. We should therefore take care of it.

This is the least we can do with a gift, isn’t it?

IT IS GOOD TO KNOW

- approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. - approximately 83% of our blood is water- approximately 65%

of an animal’s weight is water - approximately 60% of a tree’s

WATER IS...!... A HEAT STORAGE

Huge heat capacity is one of the unique characteristics of water. Big water masses – oceans, seas and great lakes – have a regulating impact on local climate because they work like gigantic thermo stats. weight is water.

...UNIVERSAL SOLVENT

Water can dissolve most natural and artificial substances on the Earth, which makes it a universal solvent.

... PLANT NUTRIENTS CARRIER

Water passes from moist soil to the plant’s roots, then through the plant and evaporates through miniscule pores scattered on the leaf surface. The transfer of water and nutrients from the root to leaves is made possible through cohesion and affinity. Cohesion is the result of the polar charac- ter of water molecules between which strong forces of attraction occur. Affinity is a term describ- ing an attractive force between molecules of water and molecules of other substances.

„Do not pollute the environment because the whole Earth will be poisoned.“ Tomislav, 3rd grade

SECRETS OF WATER8

WATER STATISTICS

326 million of cubic miles of water exist on Earth.

60 000 is the number of litres of water a person drinks during his/her life.

75%of the human brain is composed of water.

75%of each tree is composed of water.

9%is the percentage by which water expands when frozen. However, frozen water is lighter than water, and that’s why ice floats on water.

80%of an ear of corn is composed of water.

1 litre a minute is the amount you waste if you leave the water running when you brush your teeth.

500 million litres of water may fall during a twenty-minute storm.

70%of our skin is water.

95%of a tomato is water.

80%of a pineapple is water.

4 litres is the amount a cow has to drink to produce one litre of milk.

400 litres of water is the average amount a person in the western world uses each day.

40-100 litres of water is the amount we use during a five-minute shower.

8,000 litres of water are needed in order to produce four car tyres.

1,000,200,000 (around one billion, two hundred thousand) litres of water is used every day for printing newspapers around the world.

„The Gacka River - that’s me! It feeds me, it caresses me. It is my life.“ Petar, 4th grade

SECRETS OF WATER 9

IMPORTANT!

Almost 97% of water on Earth is saltwater or water that is not potable.2% of water is locked in glaciers.

THIS means that people and animals have to manage with the remaining one (1) percent of earth’s water resources for their diverse needs such as, watering fields, personal hygiene, drinking and industrial usage.

DROP BY DROP......How much water have you used today?

Many people use up to five litres of water when brushing their teeth, al-though we really need only one to two glasses of water. Multiply that huge number of litres with population numbers – and you may get a headache when you think how much water we waste every day. A garden hose or a run-ning tap may represent a loss of around 20 litres of water per minute! It’s more than 1,200 litres per hour, which is sufficient to fill eight bathtubs. In three days, this quantity of water would be sufficient to fill a 100 cubic meters swimming pool. This treated, clean water is sufficient to fulfil the minimal needs of a 400 person rural community during the period of 100 days (25 litres per person per day). Even the slightest flushing of the toilet creates water losses up to a hundred litres a day. Each crack in a damaged pipe cre-ates water loss, too. Here are some examples:

Slow dripping: 5,000 litres lost over the period of 3 months

1 mm crack: 100,000 litres lost over the period of 3 months

1.5 mm crack: 225,000 litres lost over the period of 3 months

3 mm crack:600,000 litres lost over the period of 3 months

The amount of water lost in municipal waterworks or the amount of water that is not taken into account due to uncontrolled leaking and theft, could even amount to 60% of used water.

Even one drop of water represents a water ecosystem since it contains or may support numerous living organisms. In fact, ecologists and microbiologists often observe “in vitro” small samples of water from lakes and rivers in order to understand problems related to using huge water masses.

„The Gacka River - that’s me! It feeds me, it caresses me. It is my life.“ Petar, 4th grade

THE GACKA VALLEY THROUGH HISTORY10

THE GACKA VALLEY THROUGH HISTORY12

‘PLAVI’ AND ‘MALENICE’What was life like on the Gacka in the old times when life was harder but simpler? Well, it was not bad thanks to some very simple but effective devices.

THE GACKA NATURAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT

People lived in the Gacka Field 12,000 years ago

There used to be a total of more than eighty pairs of millstones on the Gacka River and its tributaries

The story of people living in this little piece of “Heaven on Earth” known as the Gacka Valley, takes us back to ancient times. Archaeological excavations pro-ved that people lived in the Gacka Field in the Mesolithic period, (transitional period intermediate between the Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods), around 10,000 B.C. The pre-Illyrian culture of the Copper Age developed in this valley during the time when the Paleolithic hunter, tired from wandering, was ge-tting used to the sedentary way of life. They found refuge in the caves like the Bezdanjača Cave on the hill Vatinovac between Zalužnica and Vrhovine.

THE GACKA VALLEY THROUGH HISTORY 13

From the 8th century B.C., in the late Bronze Age, the Iapodic culture began to thrive. Since, in reality, useful devices like time-machines do not exist, we can only imagine romantic scenes of everyday life of the Iapodes in the picturesque scenery of the Gacka Valley. Here, set among the hillocks, people lived in their stone dwellings (gradine) in the vici-nity of the river. These settlements were Arupium in Prozor, Avendo on Crkvina in Kompolje, gradine in Staro Selo, on Humac above Otočac, on Pražinovac in Zalužnica, on Godača, on Plasina and a number of other knolls. The most densely populated area of the Gacka region was, and still is, along the watercourses. This is particularly true along the Gacka itself, which used to be the jugular vein of people’s lives until the mid-20th century.

„I find the Gacka beautiful because I can see my reflection in it. I do not throw gar-bage into the Gacka. If we throw garbage into the Gacka it may become polluted.“ Eni, 3rd grade

THE GACKA VALLEY THROUGH HISTORY14

In order to exploit the benefits of the river, ancient inhabitants of the valley used the ‘plav’. The ‘Plav’ is a wooden boat that was typically used on the Gacka. It is a monoxile made from a hollowed-out trunk of a fir tree. It had numerous uses. It was used to mow underwater grass that the cattle were fed on, for transporting wheat to and from mills, as well as for recreation. The technique for the construction of the ‘plav’ was passed down through traditi-on. Today, the ‘plav’ still has a useful purpose as part of tourism programmes. Thanks to the Katedra Čakavskoga sabora of the Gacka region, several ‘plavi’ were reconstructed and they are becoming first class tourist attractions. Written records through history describe the use of the Gacka in the econo-my of the region. In the Middle Ages, 14th and 15th centuries, the princes of Krk (later known as the Frankopans) awarded mills in Švica to certain monastic communities in Senjska draga and Spasovac near Senj. ‘Malenice’ water mills, mostly situated, at the spring of the Gacka River, at Majerovo and Tonkovićevo vrilo, and at vrilo Pećina soon became indispensable. The ‘Malenice’ took advantage of the slow fall of the river near the spring, and people created barriers to obtain a more significant fall. There were no mills in the plain paths of the watercourse all the way to the chasms. The most important set of water mills, sawmills, ‘stupe’ and ‘koševi’ was situated on the Skela in Švica – at the well-known Švica waterfall, before the Gacka flows into Lower Švica Lake. This waterfall, which is more than a hundred and fifty meters in width, has powered mill wheels on more than twenty cascading water mills and sawmills. There used to be a total of more than eighty pairs of millstones on the Gacka River and its tributaries.

THE GACKA VALLEY THROUGH HISTORY 15

„Preserve the beautiful Gacka so that you may enjoy its beauty.“ Ivan, 3rd grade

There is not much left of the ‘malenice’ (water mills) these days. The only partially preserved ones are those at Majerovo vrilo and the stream Malinišće in Lešće. But it is here that we are faced with almost unsolvable family disputes. Due to unclear land titles between numerous owners who now live all over the world, from Canada to Australia, this exceptionally valua-ble cultural heritage is left to the ravages of time. However, there is good news. Three water mills at Majerovo vrilo and the big sawmill have been reconstructed in the past few years. One facility remains to be reconstructed and the set of preserved old wooden houses and barns in the vicinity of Majerovo vrilo show the Gacka Valley world as it once was.

Unfortunately, it is too late for some of the mills. All the water mills and a sawmill at Tonkovićevo vrilo have been destroyed. There is, however, one stupa for proce-ssing fabric, two ‘koš’ and a few pa-irs of millstones which have been reconstructed and are operating at Klanac vrilo. Water mills in Švica are the sad remains of the former wealth. There is no water in that part of the watercourse any more. Except during occasional mainte-nance works at the Hydropower Plant Senj when water is released towards Švica and the Švica, the waterfall roars again for a few days, recalling more glorious days.

THE GACKA VALLEY THROUGH HISTORY16

LIFE NEXT TO ‘MALENICE’Inhabitants of the Gacka Valley could always depend on their river even during dry seasons. Its springs have never gone dry. The ‘maleni-ce’ used to be a gathering place even for people, who did not live nearby. People from distant parts of Lika and Krbava came to mill their wheat when their own rivers had gone dry. Water mills and milling represented much more than trade activities. It was a central gathering place for a multitude of people. Sometimes it would be days before their wheat could be ground and customers had to be taken care of during that time. Therefore, the ‘malinari’, or mill owners, would feed the waiting people with simple food, mainly bread. When the wheat was taken to the mill in wagons, the horses and oxen nee-ded to be fed, too. Long periods of waiting created opportunities to communicate, to make friends, to exchange news, to re-tell true and fictitious events, to joke and to quip. All that is part of their oral literature. There is no doubt that people used those days of waiting as mini-holidays. In the days of actual drought, there was no dro-ught when it came to singing and dancing around the ‘malenice’.

STUPE, KOŠEVI, SAWMILLS...There were some more very important devices in the old way of life in the country. For example, stupe (stamping mills) and koševi (baskets). Koševi were devices in the shape of a hollow vat into which water fell. Blankets and rugs were then twirled around in these devices giving them a stronger structure and softness. Stupe were special devices in which mauls, powered by a water battered wet cloth, made the fabric sturdy and suitable for cutting and sewing wool clothes.

There are two ‘koš’ and one ‘stupa’ preserved on the Gacka, at Klanac vrilo in Sinac. Up until the mid-20th century though, there were more near other mills, particularly in Švica. ‘Stupe’ were used for be-ating ‘jačmen‘ (barley) to separate the husk from the grain. Barley was omnipresent in the traditional diet of the local population.

The Gacka water was also used to power sawmills. There is not a single sawmill left but the one at Majerovo vrilo has been recon-structed. Tourists can see the way it used to work and there will also be a small museum there.

ECOLOGICAL WISDOM OF THE ANCIENT INHABITANTS

Apart from milling, the Gacka was the most important source of drinking water for both people and animals. Water was therefore protected from pollution of any kind. It was forbidden to allow horses to go into the river and its tributaries. It was also forbidden to soak hemp in the river. Conse-quently special holes for soaking hemp had to be dug. There were no detergents at that time so washing clothes was allowed since it was thought that water could not be polluted in this way. Local people believed that water may be drunk only after ‘it goes over sev-en stones’. This indicates that even in those days, they were aware of the autopurification quality of the river which was attributed to its extraordinarily rich fauna.

LOG TRANSPORTATION

Up until the 1960s, the middle and lower Gacka was used to transport logs. The Gacka River, as a karst river, is unique in this way since this was not done even on the big-ger rivers. Logs were transported to sawmills in Otočac and Švica tied into ‘mladije’ which are struc-tures similar to rafts. This specific feature of the traditional Gacka economy provided exciting infor-mation for ethnographers looking for unique Croatian customs.

THE GACKA VALLEY THROUGH HISTORY 17

LET ’S GET TO KNOW THE GACKA18

THREE SOURCES OF THE DEEP RIVERA polite introduction is the basis of etiquette. Well, then – let’s get to know the Gacka. It is time for some geography.

FROM DINARIC KARST, FROM HIGH SOURCES AND THROUGH DEEP CHASMS...

The Gacka has steep banks. The derivation of its name comes from the word ‘gat’, which means ‘pit’ or ‘precipice’.

The biggest Croatian plateau is situated in the hinterland of Velebit. It is bound by the Velika and Mala Kapela mountain range to the north, by Plješivica and by the Unac and Una Rivers to the east. The continental part of Lika-Senj Co-unty consists of three separate entities: Gacka, Lika and Krbava. The hero of this story, the Gacka River, is situated on this plateau. In the southeast part of the Gacka Field, under the border hills of Godača, there are several wells that the local people call ‘vrila’. Quietly and modestly, the Gacka is born from karst funnel-shaped deep wells.

There are three main sources: Majerovo vrilo in Sinac, the system of Tonkovi-ćevo vrilo wells, and Klanac vrilo, from which a ‘warm stream’ called Kostelka flows. Majerovo vrilo is 23 metres deep where the wide underground flow enters under Godača horizontally.Along with these three large and constant sources, the Gacka relies on nume-rous tributaries, and on more than thirty smaller, constant or temporary wells.

A COLD, STEEP-BANKED RIVERThe Gacka River sources are located at an altitude of 460 metres. Despite the height of the sources, and the man made design of the small waterfalls, the Gacka is generally a quiet and lazy river. The reason lies in its gentle fall which elegantly winds along the Gacka Field.

The Gacka has steep banks from which its name is derived. The word ‘gat’ means ‘pit’ or ‘precipice’. The river depth varies from a few metres to ten or more metres in its middle and lower parts which is considered quite deep. Although slow, the Gacka River water is evenly cold. It never freezes and the difference between summer and winter temperature is minimal – from 7.9ºC in January to 10.8ºC in July. This fact is of great significance for the development of flora and fauna. Water temperature is within optimal range for salmonid fish.

LET’S GET TO KNOW THE GACKA20

LET ’S GET TO KNOW THE GACKA 21

HOW TO SHORTEN THE RIVER

The Gacka River has a short watercourse of only 17 kilometres. However, when we include all its constant and temporary tributar-ies, the combined length totals around 60 kilometres. Up until 1965, the Gacka was several times longer – 61 kilometres. At that time, a system of canals and tun-nels for the Hydropower Plant Senj was built, causing its south arm toward Švica and two Švica lakes to run dry, as well as the north part that ran through Otočac and fur-ther to the northwest. Currently, the total length of constant and temporary tributaries of the Gacka River is 42.5 kilometres. In con-trast, formerly the total of all the Gacka watercourses used to be an impressive 103.5 kilometres. If we take into consideration the present circumstances of the Gacka canals and tunnels up to its end point in the Gusić Field, the river is 55.4 kilometres long.

LET’S GET TO KNOW THE GACKA 21

„I see my river like the nature’s soul. I live on it and I gladly drink it every day.“ Nikolina, 4th grade

LET ’S GET TO KNOW THE GACKA22

BELOW THE SURFACE24

WHO IS SWIMMING IN THE GACKA?Eleven types of fish live in the Gacka river basin. These mainly belong to the species brought in during the 20th century which now reside in various man made habitats in the Gacka Valley. But there are indigenous types...

FISH OF THE GACKA RIVER

The Gacka River is renowned as one of top three salmonid waters, which means it is great for trout, but there are other species too. The only fish tho-ugh, that has lived (along with the extinct eel) in the Gacka River from the Pleistocene period, and which may be called autochthonous, is the Brown trout. However, a lot of water has flown along the riverbed since then, so no one can be certain whether it represents a completely autochthonous species or whether it has mixed with other types of trout from other parts of Europe. Regardless, the Brown trout should be treated with respect. It represents a unique and autonomous species that has been residing in this river for more than 10,000 years. Other species were introduced into the river at the beginning of the 20th century. Three types of trout currently are predominant in the Gacka: the Brown trout, the Rainbow trout, and (in warmer habitats) the Roach.

Considering the turbulent underwater social life, it had long been con-sidered that the Brown trout and the Rainbow trout competed in the Gacka waters. However, recent studies indicate that the Rainbow trout does not spawn in the Gackoj so it is not a real rival to the autochthonous Brown trout. It is quite the opposite. As the Rainbow trout grows, it moves towards the sea and leaves the Gacka. As a result, after a number of years, the Brown trout always displaces the Rainbow trout. However, introducing Rainbow trout is not always harmless. The karst minnow lived only in the Ljuta River near Cavtat in addition to some waters in Bosnia and Herzegovi-na. The Rainbow trout is the reason that this species is now extinct in Cro-atia. Furthermore, the population of Telestes polylepis (svijetlica) in Velika Kapela and Ogulin regions, has been reduced. But the ability of the Brown trout to dominate in this fish community is a characteristic that may be useful. It is well known that the Brown trout does not have as high a yield rate as the Rainbow trout but it has a far higher survival rate and growth rate. These facts make fame-seeking sport fisherman happy! Due to its numerous qualities, a huge number of brown trout reach trophy specimen size in the Gacka River.

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„Do not pollute the environment because we need it.“ Magdalena, 3rd grade

„How beautiful the Gacka is! Clean and clear. When the sun shines, it sparkles like a million pearls.“ Ines, 4th grade

BELOW THE SURFACE 25BELOW THE SURFACE 25

A QUESTION OF PRESTIGEThe Brown trout is highly appreciated in the fishing world. Catching a large Brown trout, which can be immediately distinguished from other types of trout by its orange lateral spots, represents a “Mecca” for passionate fisher-men who come to the Gacka from all over the world. It is very prestigious to fish on the Gacka and to catch a trophy-sized Brown trout. The Gacka trout is unique due to the floral wealth it feeds on so it grows five to seven times faster than in any other salmonid water in the world

Fishing season on the Gacka lasts from March 1st to October 31st. Fishing is allowed with an artificial fly only. Each fisherman is entitled, per day, to only one Brown trout not smaller than 50 cm and one Rainbow trout not smaller than 40 cm. If caught, specimens that do not reach the prescribed length, must be returned to the river. The ‘catch and release’ system, including the taking of photographs with trophy specimens, is becoming increasingly common.

FISHING ZONESWhen it comes to sport fishing, the main watercourse of the Gacka River is divided into two zones.

The first zone comprises the course of the river from Tonković Vrilo to Stanišić Bridge where only artificial fly fishing is allowed. In this zone, there is also a part in which the ‘catch and release’ system is applied. This is in the area upstream from Podgora Bridge up to the spot where Sinačka pučina and Gacka meet. In the zone from the Pucirep stream to Tonković vrilo, fishing is prohibited in order to protect the parental shoals of the Brown trout.

The second zone includes the Gacka River course from Stanišić Bridge to the Gacka and Lika Rivers confluence into Poljica tunnel. In this area, fishing is allowed using artificial flies and all other artificial baits. It is also permitted to keep one Rainbow trout larger than thirty centimetres and one Brown trout larger than fifty centimetres.

BELOW THE SURFACE26

The third zone includes the stagnant waters of Švičko Lake and Gusić Field Accumulation Lake where fishing is allowed with the use of any artificial bait. As well, three specimens out of the four that are caught may be kept (pike, carp, tench and catfish). The total fishing water area is around 44 hectares, out of a possible five thousand hectares. During the fishing season on the Gacka River, 2,500 daily licences are provided.

European crayfish (Astacus astacus), still residing in the Gacka tributary Knja-povac, is an indicator of the remarkable cleanliness of the river. The entire course of the Gacka used to abound in crayfish, but the so-called crayfish plague at the beginning of the 20th century destroyed the population. This tragic epidemic was the result of human recklessness. As a consequence of the allochthonous American White-clawed Crayfish being introduced into the river the autochthonous species was bacteriologically destroyed. The water in the Gacka River up until the end of its middle part, is rated as a first class level of water cleanliness and then is reduced to a second and third class level for the remainder. This is, in part, caused by our contemporary life style, from agricultural influences which use artificial fertilizers and pestici-des, to industrial applications. Recently, the highway in close vicinity to the middle part of the Gacka, has resulted in motor oil pollution and rainwater contaminated with fuel hydrocarbons.

In the upper course of the Gacka which is the most interesting for sport fishing, Brown trout is the dominant species, numbering 400-600 pieces per hectare and a biomass of 80 kilograms per hectare. Rainbow trout is less abundant with 50 pieces per hectare and biomass of 10 kilograms per hectare making it the second most important fish species in the Gacka River. Both Brown and Rainbow trout grow well due to the abundance of food. The Gacka is a salmonid water, so, in ac-tuality, these are the main two fish species with marginal presence of some other species (grayling, pike and seven other species).

‘TRLA’ – TROUT SPAWNING LOCATIONSThe Gacka trout spawns in so called ‘trla’ – cleared pebble nests the local popula-tion has known about for as long as they can remember. Trout hatcheries need to be preserved and kept in their natural state. The most important hatcheries are as follows: Tonković vrilo downstream from the mills; Klanac vrilo below the mills; Knjapovac around 500 metres upstream and downstream from St. Francis Chapel; Sinačka pućina upstream; upstream Gacka river – Ostojićev slap-Stupi u bari; Štumberov slap; entrance into Kostelka; Mlinice; downstream curves below Vrban most; and upstream from Tončin most and Šatrić.

‘RESA’ – UNDERWATER GRASSThe entire range of flora types is called ‘resa’ by the local population, although it consists of different species of flora. Favourable water temperature, a benign chemical composition, a muddy bottom and slow flow are reasons for such a rich plant life. Although the Gacka is characterized by being relatively constant in temperature, the growth of water plants is still more exuberant during summer. Twenty five (25) different types of underwater plants were identified, from sev-eral sorts of algae to stem plants. Thanks to the deep, muddy riverbed abundant in thick underwater plants, seventeen different animal species live in the Gacka.

„I drew a bridge and the Gacka River because the Gacka River is the most beautiful river. The Gacka is the source of water. If the Gacka River didn’t exist, there would be no water.“ Goran, 2nd grade

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PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF THE GACKA REGIONEndemic species, butterflies, bats, wolves, bears, lynx...

WILDLIFE WEALTH

The Gacka Field is a typical example of karst landscape. Wide and ample valleys are surrounded by steep slopes of high mountains, and the river creates fertile soil throughout the area. The Gacka, though, is not a typical karst river with deep canyons. Together with its tributaries, it slowly winds along the Gacka Field, from its source in the southeast to the place where it disappears underground in the northwest part of the Field.The blue river is surrounded by green tones of vast woods, fields, pastures and meadows which present gorgeous scenes to the observer.

In the Gacka region, pastures alternate with fields. But, pastures will only exist if there are cattle grazing that stops vegetation from “going wild“. When farmers stop raising cattle, forest vegetation will prevail and gradually the open spaces will disappear and will be overrun by natural vegetation. Additionally, many plants and animals associated with pastureland will also disappear. On the other hand, the wild shrubbery represents a natural barrier and marks a transition between pastures and broadleaf deciduous forests, providing a home and san-ctuary for numerous species of animals that feed on the surrounding pastures.

SECRET WORLD OF PLANTSDespite a long botanical tradition in Croatia, there has never been systema-tic research undertaken regarding Gacka Valley flora. Nevertheless, seventy three species of plants have been recorded in this area. There is no doubt that the actual number is much higher particularly if we take into considera-tion that the existing data for most species is quite outdated. We will never know how many plants have disappeared due to human influence in the second part of the twentieth century. Changing the course of the Gacka River is an example of such influence.

It is known, however, that according to the red list of threatened plants and animals in Croatia, twenty three (23) threatened species live in the Gacka Valley. Thirteen (13) of them are on the verge of extinction in Croatia accor-ding to the criteria of IUCN – global environmental conservation organisa-tion. Two of the species are threatened at the European level. Apart from being a home to endangered species, the Gacka Valley has a very specific value because of seven endemic plants.

„The Gacka River flows through the Gacka Field. Along the river there are trees that create shade. In the Gacka River, we can see trout and along the river we can see fishermen trying to catch fish.“ Marina, 2nd grade

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COMMON MARE’S-TAIL – A PLANT THAT REMOVES BORON FROM WATERCommon Mare’s-Tail is also one of the threatened species which may be found on the banks of shallow, stagnant and slow flowing waters. It roots underwa-ter but most of its leaves are above the water surface. More recent research shows that Common Mare’s-Tail successfully binds toxic elements from pol-luted water, particularly boron.

YOU CANNOT FIND THIS ANYWHERE ELSEThe Gacka region is rich in endemic species. For example, Meadow Squill is a species that used to inhabit Arctic regions during the Tertiary period and subsequently moved to southern regions under the influence of Ice Age. Conversely, Creeping Marshwort was last seen near Sinac in 1910 and since then there has been no further confirmation, nor have botanists referenced its existence in this region. It is questionable whether it is still present in this region, but we are optimistic. In Croatia, this rare plant grows in moist soil habitats like humid meadows, ditches and shallow marshes, river courses creating lakes, river effluents, etc., but only in a few locations.

ENDANGERED SPECIESAmong strictly protected species, we should point out those that are in the category of species in danger of extinction according to the criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. For example, Marsh Arrowgrass, a species that grows in wet, marsh areas that are often flooded is critically endangered. The following are examples of some endangered speci-es which you may recognize when walking along the Gacka River:Small-fruited Yellow Sedge grows in moist meadows along ditches, paths and riverbanks. It needs slight to moderate acid humus soil that is moist, rich in nutrients, and does not contain limestone.

Early Marsh Orchid belongs to the orchid family and is found in open, humid and marsh areas. In order to protect these and the aforementioned species, it is essential to protect moist meadows and marsh areas. Then there is Greater Spearwort which grows in moist, marshy habitats all over Croatia. It contains huge quantities of anemonol and is highly poisonous.

„The Gacka River is a source of our life, we drink the water from the Gacka River. I drew a picture of three swans on the Gacka River.“ Katarina, 2nd grade

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LORDS OF THE FOREST – WOLF, LYNX AND BEARWolf, lynx and bear – all three animals live in the Gacka and Gacka Field regions. These impressive beasts are one of the main characteristics of mountainous Croatia and we are delighted that they still roam our woods – although encountering them does not necessarily evoke happiness in the lonely individual who inadvertently meets them!

The wolf has been extinct in most parts of Western Europe for a long time. On the Balkan Peninsula, the area of some 50,000 km2 there are probably more than three thousand wolves wandering around. This would include the wolf population in Albania for which data does not exist. In Croatia, wolves live in Gorski Kotar,

and in 2007 to 220. The wider area of the Gacka Field and the Gacka River partly overlaps with the territory of wolf packs “Mala Kapela-Brinje” with ten to twelve members, and “Jelavac” with six to eight. Lynx have became close to extinct as a result of hunting and is still endangered today, due to several factors. The most important of these factors is illegal hunting, or poaching. Lynx are also killed as they can be considered pests and they die in road accidents, as well. Finally, the homozygosity of the population, (that has developed from only a few animals), is a threat to the continued survival of the lynx. A long time ago, lynx used to live in all forested areas of continental Croatia, including the hills in Slavonia and on the coast. However, at the end of the 19th cen-tury the lynx disappeared from Cro-atia. The last one was killed in 1903 near Čabar. After it was brought to

Lika, Kordun and Banovina, and in north and central Dalmatia. After the decline in numbers in the beginning of the 1990s when it was thought that only approximately fifty wolves remained, the wolf became a protec-ted species. Consequently, in Croatia the wolf population increased in 2000 to an estimated 100 to 150,

Slovenia in 1973, it spread along the entire mountain region of Gorski Kotar and Lika, as well as in the mo-untains of Dalmatia. It is estimated that there are no more than sixty lynx in Croatia today. There is a decreasing trend in the lynx population due to the high level of inbreeding (bree-ding between close relatives) and a decrease in the number of hoofed mammals that are the main prey of lynx in Croatia.

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The Brown bear belongs to the ‘Balkan metapopulation’, which lives in a 50,000 km2 area divided among the following states: Slove-nia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzego-vina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece. The population which has also spread to Austria and northern Italy consists of three thousand bears. In Croatia, the ma-jority of bears live in the mountain region south of Karlovac (Risnjak and Snježnik, Velika Kapela, Velebit, Mala Kapela, Plješevica and Dinara). Ćićarija and Učka are also potential habitats for the Brown Bear. During the Homeland War, Brown bears expanded their habitat to lower parts of Velebit, and recently they have been seen on the western coast of Istria, on the island of Krk, on Mosor and Biokovo. Some of them have become permanent visitors of Žumberak!

According to some estimates, there are currently 380 to 620 brown bears in Croatia, including 220 to 360 sexually mature adult bears. This represents almost a 50% increase in comparison to estimates of ten years ago. The most recent estimates are even more optimistic indicating that there might even be between six hundred and one thousands bears in Croatia.

“Preserve the beauty of the Gacka River because its beauty is contagious.“Hrvoje, 3rd grade

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BEAUTIFUL CREATURES OF THE NIGHTThree big groups of vertebrates that historically used to fly are reptiles, birds and mammals. Today bats are, along with birds, the only species that fly and the only mammal that actually flies. Due to the particular shape of their win-gs (short and wide) some types are exceptionally mobile in small spaces and may even hover in place like hummingbirds. Long-eared bats are so skilled they can take the spider out of its net in flight without even damaging it! All European bats feed only on insects many of which are pests. Therefore, bats are very useful in regulating the insect population.

Before we dedicate more time to these unusual creatures, let us just mention that there are twenty three mammal species (three of which we have previously dis-cussed) spread throughout the wider Gacka River and Gacka Valley region. Some species are better off than others but the situation most certainly cannot be called “rosy”. It is still necessary to designate ‘Special areas of conservation’ for twelve mammal species and in-clude them into strictly protected species in the EU territory. Some of the twelve species are bats, like Schreiber’s bat, the Long-fingered bat, Bechstein’s bat and the Medi-terranean horseshoe bat.

With thirty three species recorded, Croatia is at the top of the Europe-an list in terms of the diversity of bat fauna. The reason lies not only in Croatia’s geographic position but also in the preserved habitats. Bats are wide-spread and most often may be seen in deciduous woods which abound in food (insects) and numerous natural coverts like cavities or vacuities un-der the cortex .They are also found in meadows, rivers and lakes. They usually use caves, pits, and crevices in rocks and abandoned mines as winter retreats. Many species have adapted to living near humans in the cities and dwell in attics and wall crevices. This is not a well kept secret since they may often be seen flying around street lamps!

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Unfortunately, due to human intervention, bats are, globally, one of most endangered species. Bat habitats are fast disappearing and fragmenting. This can be attributed to the excessive use of pesticides as well as the fact that they are often victims of human fear and prejudice, resulting from ignorance.

Since bats are active at night when sight is not an important requirement, bats use echolocation. This is a system of navigating with the help of sound to find food and navigate in the dark. Certain species may locate a prey not bigger than two millimetres when flying in complete darkness. In winter, bats hibernate usually underground where temperatures are relatively low but constant. The smallest bats, the Lesser horseshoe bat and the Pipistrelle Bat, weigh only two to four grams. In comparison to other mammals of the same size, bats live quite a long time. Some bats live for more than thirty years. All bats in Croatia are strictly protected by the Nature Protection Act.

„I want waterfalls to be clean and water to be potable.“ Karlo, 2nd grade

„This is the water we live on.“Michelle, 2nd grade

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THE WORLD OF BUTTERFLIESThe meadows of the Gacka Valley are home to numerous butterflies. Altho-ugh recent data does not exist, the endangered and rare Clouded Apollo, Southern Festoon, Woodland Ringlet and Mountain Blue probably live in this region. Life is becoming increa-sing difficult for the Clouded Apollo because its natural habitat is being affected. For example, forest edges are being cleared, bushes are being cleared from meadows and refore-station is done with monocultures. Due to these disturbances, habitats are isolated and fragmented. Butterfly collectors also pose a risk to these species. The population of Southern Festoon is normally local and small so any type of devastation caused by development or similar activities could ultimately lead to habitat iso-lation, fragmentation and extinction. The Woodland Ringlet is endangered as a result of intensive agriculture and the development of transport and other infrastructure.

It is a pity that we will miss all the stories butterflies could have told us! Like the story of Mountain blue whose red-orange twenty-millime-tre caterpillar falls to the ground at certain point in its development and is subsequently found by ants. The caterpillar secretes a sugary solution that ants eat. They carry the caterpi-llar into the ant nest and hide it from predators. The caterpillar stays in the ant nest for eight to nine months and eats the ant larvae. An interesting arrangement but in the end, a bad deal for the ants! After the “Trojan horse” phase in the ant nest where it fed well on ant larvae, the caterpillar changes into a chrysalis in the dark and then leaves as a butterfly – the ornament of flower meadows.

„The duck enjoys clean and drinkable water at the source. It makes children who watch it very happy. I do not want anyone to endanger it.“ Filip, 2nd grade

37

ENDEMICS IN CROATIAA population of olms lives in Gorski Kotare, Lika and Dalmatia. We hope it will live on despite pollution of underground with chemical waste, pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Olms are also endangered by the fragmentation of habitats and the disruptions in food sources. This is caused by filling underground cavities with concrete during hy-drological operations as well as to changes in the level or direction of underground watercourses which prevents the inflow of flood waters rich in organic waste.

The olm is an endemic species of the Dinaric karst, from the Soča River basin to the Trebišnjica River

basin and lives in the karst regions of Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Along with a separate population in Istria, there are at least two more isolated sub-populations in Croa-tia: one in Kordun and Lika, in the Mrežnica River basin, and perhaps in the Gacka; in Dalmatia, in the Krka and Zrmanja rivers basins, and in the Cetina, Neretva and Trebišnjica (BiH) tributaries whose waters go underground all the way to Ombla, Rijeka dubrovačka.

Among the endemic species that may be found in the Gacka Valley is the cave clam – a relic represen-tative, a ‘living fossil’ of the extinct Pliocene group. Recent studies show that the familiar freshwater bivalve has been living undergro-und for around five million years. It is endemic to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and possibly Slovenia where only shells were found in the sediments of one source. Cave clam colonies live in groundwater attached to rocks at chasm entrances where there are no strong currents. They also live along main underground channels through which the water flows from karst fields. During dry periods, the colonies remain out of water, but in a moist undergro-und microclimate.The Cave tube-worm is the only known freshwater representative of bristle worms. It is an endemic species that appears in the Trieste

region, in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lives only in the Dinaric karst. There are at least eleven separate popula-tions in Croatia. Due to annual oscillations in water lever, they periodically remain out of water but only in a very humid envi-ronment. In favourable locations, they create unique microhabitats – layers of dead and live speci-mens of tubes that may be over a metre thick. The Lika cave pill-bug is anot-her Croatian endemic species. It inhabits only the river in Lika that belongs to the Adriatic and the Black Sea drainage areas – tribu-taries of the Zagorska Mrežnica, and the Gacka sources. It lives on the bottom and on the side rocks of karst groundwater as well as in karst sources. The Cave prawn, also belonging to the Crustacean group, is a Croatian endemic, too. It lives in karst underground rivers and lakes with a clay/sand and pebble bottom.

INHABITANTS OF THE SKYIn the wider Gacka area, there are seventeen bird species listed in the Red Book of Birds of the Republic of Croatia. The nesting populations of nine of them are endangered and are at risk of extinction. The Common Snipe, Honey-buzzard and Montagu’s Harrier are a few examples of these bird species. A patient bird watcher may also sight a Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon or Bonelli’s Warbler as the birds fly over the Gacka Valley from their faraway nests.

„The duck enjoys clean and drinkable water at the source. It makes children who watch it very happy. I do not want anyone to endanger it.“ Filip, 2nd grade

BIODIVERSITY OF THE GACKA REGION

WATER RESOURCES IN CROATIA40

Although you may have learned the following information at school, edu-cated people nevertheless still occasionally forget according to Einstein’s phrase, “Education is what remains after we forgot everything we studied in school”. We will therefore remind you of some facts that were taught in schools. In acrimonious debates, Croatia is placed geographically in the Mediterranean, South-eastern or Central Europe regions or politically in the European Union, or in some other associations. However, from the perspecti-ve that is more important than the abovementioned geographic or political aspects – the perspective of water – Croatia belongs to two drainage areas: The Black Sea drainage area, and the Adriatic Sea drainage area.

If water were currency (and some say it will happen), then Croatia would be a rich country. Water is abundant but not always and not everywhere. Like international football, renewal of water in Croatia is seasonal. Problems arise during extremely dry summers which usually follow winters with little snow. Let us not forget 2003 when there was lack of water and drought that created additional wrinkles on the farmers’ foreheads!

FIFTH IN EUROPE There was reason for celebration in 2003 when UNESCO in Paris announced its World Water Development Report that comprised 188 countries worl-dwide. Croatia is in 5th place in Europe and 42nd place in the world regarding water wealth and availability per capita. These facts should definitely console us before catastrophic scenarios on future wars over water develop.

Objectively speaking, Croatia should not have problems in supplying its citizens with clean water in the near future since it is one of the few countri-es in Europe and the world with considerable reserves of clean, unpolluted drinking water. We have enough water reserves for our needs in the next few decades although available quantities are not equally distributed in all parts

of the country nor equally available during all seasons. However, neither the encouraging numbers nor the optimism will be sufficient if we do not take special care of water cleanliness. This is particularly true in the karst regions where there is high quality groundwater. The fact that around 90% of our water supply comes from groundwater underscores the value and importan-ce of this vital natural resource.

CROATIAN WATER WEALTHA person may be wealthy in many ways – in oil, diamonds, money, love, luck, rare old records, or even in sunglasses...whatever he/she desires. The good news is that we are all wealthy in something much more important than everything listed above...Water!

A VIEW FROM THE HEIGHTS

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GROUNDWATER PROTECTIONWe cannot see it, but it is here. And without it, life would be difficult. Gro-undwater represents around fifteen percent of renewable water resources. Since it is better protected from surface pollution, groundwater is more important for water supply. Measuring shows that Croatian groundwater is a better quality than groundwater in highly developed countries.

Groundwater in Croatia is well preserved. This is mostly attributed to the low permeability of the surface strata. However, not even the thickest strata offers enough protection from increasing groundwater pollution with a vast range of pollutants. This is the price of modern technological processes and the use of chemical substances in agriculture, some of which may be carcinogenic and toxic. The quality of water that we will have in the future depends on the ecological conscience of each individual but will depend even more on mo-dern technological applications in waste water treatment and the controlled use of agrotechnical means. The key point is the controlled disposal of all categories of waste which we produce in immense quantities.

WATER WEALTH STATISTICSThe following is a statistical analysis of Croatia’s water wealth: The total volume of this renewable resource approximates 71.4 billion cubic metres of water or 71.4 cubic kilometres of water. This means that 14,900 cubic metres of water belong to each Croatian citizen. Prepare lots of bottles if you are going to get your share! Sixty percent of the above amount comes from Croatia – the rest comes from upstream countries.

With the aim of managing water, Croatian territory is divided into four hydrological drainage areas as well as the City of Zagreb area. These are drainage areas of the Sava River; the Drava and the Danube Rivers; Primorje and Istria drainage area; and Dalmatia drainage area.

„The Gacka River flows under numerous bridges. If it weren’t for the Gacka river, we would die of thirst.“ Martina, 2nd grade

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PER CAPITAHow wealthy is each Croatian citizen when it comes to water? Numbers vary from 6,000 cubic metres of water per capita per year to 16,000 cubic metres of water per capita, according to World Bank data for Croatia.

Around 45% of annual water con-sumption is used for water supply. In Croatia, 79% of the population is connected to a public water supply system, and around 52% of the population is connected to a public sewage system. The good news is that not as much soil is irrigated in Croatia

as in other countries in the world – only around 0.5% of the total area of fields and gardens. This soil irrigation percentage is much higher in other countries. Croatia is still among the lucky countries in which drinking water comes out of a tap. Neverthe-less, it is following global trends and has started to sell clear spring water. Around 22,000,000 litres of spring wa-ter are sold in Croatia, 12,000,000 litres of which are bottled in Croatia.

Today, around 50% of all available freshwater reserves is consumed. It is estimated that in a few decades

consumption will increase to around 80%. We can not emphasize enough the importance of regarding water differently than we regard oil. Greed should not be allowed. There are alternatives to oil, but there is no substitute for water.

The basis of water management in European Union countries is the EU Water Framework Directive. The prin-ciple is expressed in the statement. “Water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must be protected, defended, and treated as such.”

„I love my river. My house is next to it. There are plenty of fish. I have a striking view. My Gacka is beautiful, clear and clean.“ Mirela

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RIVERS, LAKES, PONDS...The main water resource is surface water that is found in 20 rivers, 26 natural and artificial lakes and in the Adriatic Sea. The total length of the most important watercourses is 6,830 km. The Danube flows through Croatia with a length of 188 kilometres, and the Drava and the Sava with a length of 562 and 505 kilometres respectively. Many rivers represent borders with neighbouring countries: the Dragonja, the Mura, the Drava, the Danube, the Korana, the Kupa, the Sutla, the Sava and the Una. Karst rivers, like the Mirna, the Raša, the Lika, the Gacka, the Zrmanja, the Krka and the Cetina provide an average of 10 billion cubic metres of water or 10 cubic kilometres of water per year. In the continental part of Croatia, there are carp fish farms with a total area of 100 km2 which consume a total of 310 million cubic metres of water. There are also 14 trout fish farms.

WHO HAS ENOUGH WATER?13.49% of countries have enough freshwater, or between 5,000 and 10,000 cubic metres per capita per year, while in 36.81% of countries water abounds with more than 10,000 cubic metres per capita per year. The remaining 50% of countries are not so lucky.

„I love my river. My house is next to it. There are plenty of fish. I have a striking view. My Gacka is beautiful, clear and clean.“ Mirela

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Most Croatian citizens just turn on the tap and use healthy drinking water from public water supply systems. All their hygiene needs are met without pro-blems. The situation is considerably different in other parts of the world. More than 1.2 billion people, or one fifth of mankind, have no access to a permanent supply of sanitary water. On the average, 15 million people, mostly children, die each year in the world due to unsanitary water. When we take into con-sideration the fact that the number of people on Earth has doubled in the past fifty years, the need for drinking water has increased many times for food production and other needs. However, the quantity of drinking water on the planet remains limited. It is clear that water mathematics do not go our way. Croatian citizens use water in one of the following three ways: 1) from a public water supply system used by 79% of population in Croatia; 2) from local wa-terworks which are built and managed by groups of citizens. This water is not under the control of experts and is not analysed regularly. Caution is therefore

needed when it is used for drinking. Twenty percent (20%) of the population is supplied with this type of water; and 3) from using water from private wells or rainwater collected on roofs and stored in cisterns. This water is not under authorized expert control and its quality is inconsistent since it may be conta-minated from roof particles and other pollutants.Ninety percent (90%) of water in the public water supply in Croatia comes from groundwater. For example, in the region south of Karlovac, in the predominantly karst mountain region, groundwater is considered to be high quality. This is a lucky consequence of an unlucky circumstance – the region is less economically developed. Today, though, when rapid economic deve-lopment is becoming more and more prevalent, it would be opportune to raise awareness about the advantages of keeping nature intact. Up until now the quality of water has been preserved. Careful protection could preserve it for the future, too.

...AND HOW TO SAVE WATER?Difficult question! Well, some wisdom is needed, some technology, and some knowledge – and just a bit more goodwill.

HOW WE USE WATER

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VULNERABILTY AND CONSUMPTION OF CLEAN WATER RESERVES Unlike the water reserve per capita, water consumption is constantly in-creasing. Although a person really needs only one to five litres of water per day (depending on the climate) the actual consumption is more than one hundred times greater. Estimated specific water consumption in Europe is around five hundred litres per capita per day. Out of this total, 60% is used in households, 30% in industry and trade, and 10% for communal needs.Water is used for agriculture, aquaculture, transport and tourism, but also in industry – for cooling, transport and washing. Almost all products need water during the production process. For example, 148 cubic metres of water are used in the production of one car. Seven cubic metres of water are used in the production of one barrel of oil, and 236 cubic metres of water are nee-ded to produce a ton of steel. Twenty two percent (22%) of total global water consumption is utilized for industrial needs.

Regarding climatic, hydrological and hydrogeological characteristics in relation to the small number of inhabi-tants, Croatia may view its future water supply with more optimism than most of the world. With 15,000 cubic metres of rainwater per capita per year, i.e. more than 7,000 cubic metres of renewable reserves of groundwater per capita per year; and over 30,000 cubic metres (again per capita per year) of water that come to Croatia in rivers from neighbouring countries, these statistics guarantee there should not be a water crisis in Croatia. Water should, nonetheless, be treated with due respect and used conscientiously in order to ensure this optimism.

GOOD NEWS Croatia has a systematic quality monitoring programme for surface water and springs which is carried out in 454 measuring stations. Groundwater quality is generally good throughout the country.

23,000 samples of drinking water from public waterworks is tested in lab-oratories in Croatia each year, and over 90% is deemed to be suitable for human consumption. Epidemics of diseases that spread through drinking water are extremely rare and their numbers are constantly decreasing.

In the City of Zagreb area and in karst areas, natural water quality is so good that it is only disinfected before being released into waterworks system. The increase of bottled water production in Croatia is mainly the result of the world market demand where Croatian water is becoming a recognizable export product.

„The water is clear, I like drinking it and I couldn’t live without it.“ Adrijana, 2nd grade

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HOW TO SAVE WATERThe possibilities of reducing water consumption in households are numero-us. However, many devices that increase the efficiency of water consumption are not widely used because they are expensive. These devices are: auto-matic taps which may save up to 50% of water and energy; toilet tanks with six-litre and three-litre flush; water saving devices that are attached to old appliances which may reduce water consumption by around 40%...

Significant savings may be accomplished by reusing waste water to irrigate fields, golf courses and sports grounds, where pathogen ingredients from waste water may even be useful. This is a better solution than discharging waste water into sensitive water resources, particularly into coastal water. Waste water reuse and desalinization of seawater is on the increase in the European Union countries.

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MOST WATER IS FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET

In households, water is mainly consumed for: - toilet flushing 36% - cooking 31% - washing 28% - drinking 5%

In order to maintain a quality of life, home hygiene and personal health, 40-50 litres per person per day are needed.

In order to produce... 1 kilogram of grain or wheat, 100 litres of water are needed 1 ton of bread 2,100 – 4,200 litres of water are needed 1 litre of beer – 20 litres of water are needed 1 litre petrol – 180 litres of water are needed 1 ton of paper – more than 236,000 litres of water are needed 1 ton of synthetic fibres – around 2,000,000 litres of water are needed

HOW WE CONSUME DRINKING WATERIn industrially developed countries, daily consumption of drinking water per capita ranges from 120 litres to almost 300 litres. The USA is the lea-der in water consumption with the average American consuming 295 li-tres of water per day. In comparison, the average German consumes 128 litres. Most water usage in househol-ds is for flushing toilets (33%) and bathing/showering (20-32%). Only 3% is used for drinking and cooking.

„When I am bored, I throw breadcrumbs into the Gacka and feed fish.“ Marija, 3rd grade

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Water is the elemental ingredient of life on Earth. It is the ‘pot’ we all drink from. This ‘pot’ provides water for around seven billion people, for plants and animals. It is almost impossible to think of a human activity that does not include water. Today we measure progress by inventing substitutes for what nature has already given us. The only thing that cannot be substituted is water. What is all the fuss about? Watching from Space, it seems that we should be worried about the land. There is more water than land – around 70% of the Earth’s surface is water. The catch lies in the fact that only three percent of all water is potable. However, two out of this three percent is trapped in polar ice or in inaccessible underground sources. There is only one percent of water that is available in the form of rivers, lakes and springs.This one percent is the water we drink. The percentage seems relatively small but, globally speaking, there should be enough water for everyone. Access to drinking water is a basic human need and right.So, why do we even mention it...

...WATER CRISIS IN THE WORLD?Do you sometimes feel that we live in the world of the absurd? Sometimes you are right. While technology advances with the speed of light and huge amounts of money are spent to conquer space and to search for water on other planets, more than a billion people on Earth do not have access to drinking water and 2.6 billion live without basic sanitary conditions. This is a self destructive situation for a world that likes to brag about its progress. In the upcoming years, the problem of water inaccessibility will be dealt with on the global level. Huge amounts of money will have to be spent on efficient water management. Even then, it will be difficult to improve the cu-rrent situation around the world where 33% of the population does not have access to drinking water and 50% does not have basic sanitary conditions.And it could get worse.

EVERY DROP MATTERS!...more than a billion people know this wellIf every one of us would invest the maximum of our potentials, more than half of the world’s problems would be solved.Mahatma Ghandi

PRESENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

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According to the UN prognosis, “water stress“ could affect five billion people by 2025. As with food, the water supply crisis is overwhelmin-gly the crisis of the poor. Out of a bi-llion people who do not have access to drinking water, more than 660 million live on less than two dollars a day, with more than 385 million living on less than one dollar a day.

According to the 2006 UN Develo-pment Programme Report entitled Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis, “Across much of the developing world, unclean water is an immeasurably greater threat to human security, social discrimination, life and health, than all violent conflicts in the world together! Yet, unlike wars and natural disasters, this global crisis does not galvanize concerted international action!“The global water crisis is not the result of a lack of water. It is not the consequence of insufficient financing or inadequate technology although they are important factors in water supply. The water crisis is

exclusively the result of bad water management on the global level. A paradox created by bad water ma-nagement is evidenced by the fact that citizens of developing countries pay ten times more for water than citizens of developed western coun-tries. Conferences and conventions on water and water supply crises have been organized on the global level. To date, there have been no real initiatives which have reduced or changed the vulnerability of the poor caused by the lack of water.

„These are crayfish from the Gacka River. I wish there were many more of them because they are beautiful and interesting.“ Josip, I st grade

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VULNERABILITY OF WATER ECOSYSTEMNature’s regenerative power is getting tired due to the ever-increasing abuse by society. Consequently, water also has become a more vulnerable natural resource. Global population growth, intensified water consumption, deve-lopment of infrastructure, changes in soil quality, the mass use of pesticides, and the increase of wastewater all endanger the ecosystem functions neces-sary to maintain the quality of drinking water. We pay each other for goods and services but we pay nature nothing. Nature gives us everything for free. All the better for us, since we would, according to EU experts, go bankrupt very soon. ‘Value of services’ that nature (particu-larly swamps and forests) provides regarding purification of polluted water is more than 26,000 billion Euros per year. This is almost double the value of all economic activity on the global level. Through rivers and watercourses, nature collects and brings water to people. Apart from drinking it, freshwater ecosystems are used in electricity production, transportation, recreation and tourism. These ecosystems control floods and droughts, hold sediments and nutrients and provide habitats to diverse plants and animals. The freshwater ecosystem has always been important as a source of food and profit particularly in rural areas of developing countries. Estimating its value is impossible. Its value is priceless.

„Crayfish are almost extinct in the River. They should be saved.“ Tomislav, 1st grade

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Although they are not to be blamed, ecosystems are faced with an unjust battle. Their evolution is too slow to adapt to the abrupt and brutal changes that disrupt the functions of water purification and regulation. Since the beginning of the 20th century, half of the swamp habitats have disappeared globally speaking, These habitats are most important for biodiversity and for their role in water purification. It is only in the past thirty years, that thirty one percent (31%) of freshwater species of flora and fauna have become extinct. But, the list of threatened ones is becoming longer. Due to the construction of dams, irrigation and the diversion of river courses, there are fewer rivers that finish their natural course by ending up in the sea. In Europe such rivers are very rare. Because of long-lasting uncontrolled irrigation, the Aral Sea has almost disappeared from the face of the Earth!

These trends can only be stopped through joint initiatives – through the responsible behaviour of agriculture, industry, tourism and households. All individuals must contribute to the decrease in water and natural water systems usage and to pollution. By reducing everyday unnecessary water consumption, by using fewer pesticides and by discharging treated water from industrial plants and sewage system into water courses, we can give natural processes a chance to do their jobs – to purify the water and to main-tain ecosystem biodiversity.

„Crayfish are almost extinct in the River. They should be saved.“ Tomislav, 1st grade

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CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXPANSION OF DESERTSAlthough the issue of climate change is often discussed, the important issue of our global water problem is not. In the past one hundred years, global warming has been caused primarily by the combustion of oil derivatives, coal and wood and the use of artificial fertilizers that contain nitrogen. This has resulted in the rise of the sea level which represents a threat to islands and low coastal areas. Floods and droughts caused by changes in rain cycles and temperature variations are a greater threat than any other natural disaster.

The number of ‘ecological refugees’ in the world is constantly rising. Massi-ve water pollution, floods and droughts cause major migrations of people. According to the UNHCR data, there were around 25 million ‘ecological refugees’ at the end of the 20th century partly also due to the lack of drinking water and water pollution. It is estimated that there will be 200 million eco-logical refugees by the mid 21st century due to the rising sea level drinking polluted water and the inaccessibility of a clean water supply.

The expansion of deserts, or desertification caused by the degradation of land due to climate variations and human activities, affects around one four-th of the total land surface – mostly the dry and sensitive eco-systems. Apart from affecting land, desertification also affects groundwater. Around 110 countries around the world are at risk of desertification. It is not only the pro-blem of the poor African and Asian countries but it also affects seventy four percent (74%) of dry areas in North America and several European countries. There is no doubt – we are in the middle of a water crisis, a crisis that has to be dealt with both urgently and on the global level. The future will not forgi-ve our blunders but fortunately, there is still time to fix them. The number of inhabitants of our planet is constantly increasing and so is the need for water – for food and drinking and for energy and industry needs. According to some calculations, global water consumption should almost double by 2045 unless we change the way we manage it.

We must start with the individual’s attitude and the way we treat water. We must start here and now. Because... every drop matters.

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My Beautiful Gacka

Our Gacka has blond hair. Her eyes are pearls, And her teeth are pebbles. Her face shines brightly in The sun. Her arms are tall Poplar trees that reach proudly for the sky. Her blue body Stands firmly on legs of willows. My Gacka loves us and embraces us.

Marta Brala, 4th grade

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United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experi-ence and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.Short extracts from this publication may be reproduced unaltered without autho-risation, on condition that the source is indicated.The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of UNDP.