status of assessment (transboundary rivers discharging to the oceans, lakes or desert sinks as final...
TRANSCRIPT
Assessments of transboundary water bodies in the UNECE region
Dr. Rainer E. Enderlein,consultant
Work to be undertaken
Preparation of an assessments of “European” transboundary water bodies (rivers, lakes, groundwaters) as a contribution to the sixth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” in 2007.
The assessment should cover ALL major transboundary waters and not address some of them, as it was done in the past.
TRANSBOUNDARY WATERCOURSE, EUROPE
TRANSBOUNDARY WATERCOURSE, EUROPE
Status of assessment (Transboundary rivers discharging to the oceans, lakes or desert sinks as
final recipients, only)
Final recipients
1st order rivers Assessment done
Assessment in preparation
Pacific Ocean 3 0
Artic Sea 8 1 7
Caspian Sea 10 5
Aral Sea 3 3 ---
Desert sink 9 3
Status of assessment (Transboundary rivers discharging to the oceans, lakes or desert sinks as
final recipients, only)
Final recipient
1st order rivers Assessment done
Assessment in preparation
Baltic Sea 27 0 9
Black Sea 15 5 1
Med. Sea 14 0 3
Atlantic Ocean
23 0 3
Status of assessment of transboundary lakes
Category of lakes
Lakes Assessment
done
Assessment in preparation
Transboundary lakes
23 15 3
National lakes/reservoirswith agreements
2 0 1
National lakes in transboundary basins
3 0 0
Transboundary reservoirs
10 0 7
Aral Sea, Caspian Sea
2 1 1
Lessons learned
Water-quantity aspects
Water use by sectors
Western Central
Central
EECCA
NordicWestern Southern
Southern
Agriculture
Urban
Industry
Energy
Lessons learned
Water-quantity aspects
Much more attention should be paid to water use issues
Flow characterization by yearly maximum and minimum values is insufficient for rivers in arid and semi-arid climates
Lessons learned
Pressure factors
Diversity of challenges
Oil pollution is just another problem
Accidents on Songhua river (Harbin, Cina, 2005) in the Amur basin
Lessons learned
Pressure factors
A much more systematic approach is needed based on the UN classification of economic activities
Pressure factors
• Crop and animal production
• Mining and quarrying
Mining of metal ores
Extraction of crude petroleum
Pressure factors
• ManufacturingManufacture of refined petroleum products Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products Manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products Manufacture of paper and paper products
Other manufacturing industries
Pressure factors
• Electricity supply
Hydropower generation
Thermal power stations
Nuclear power plants
• Sewerage and waste management
Sewerage
Disposal activities
Pressure factors
• Transportation and storage
Land transport
Transport via pipelines
• Tour operator activities
Assessment of transboundary lakes
Status and trends
Transboundary lakes
Eutrophication is the worst phenomenon concerning transboundary lakes.
It is ever increasing, except in areas, where wastewater treatment has been effectively implemented, small improvements are visible.
Water pollution of the Balkash is ever increasing as urbanisation and industrialisation in the area grow rapidly. The main pollutants are copper and zinc and oil products.
Water pollution of the Balkash is ever increasing as urbanisation and industrialisation in the area grow rapidly. The main pollutants are copper and zinc and oil products.
The lake surface is shrinking because of over-use of water.
Extinction of species in the lake due to the shrinking of the lake surface as well as over-fishing activities are alarming, too.
Amu Darya and Syr Darya deltas
Only joint and stringent measures by China and Kazakhstan will prevent lake Balkash from following the fate of the Aral Sea
Reservoirs were not yet dealt with
Lake Emosson (CH)
Narva reservoir Iron Gates
Assessment of transboundary rivers
Pyanj (AF, TJ)
On many transboundary rivers, there is little or no monitoring. Even water levels are seldom measured.
Thus, assessments rely on expert judgements.
Status and trends
Transboundary rivers
Some 20% of all rivers (including most of the transboundary rivers and their tributaries) in the Caucasus and Central Asia are in high and good status.
However, some of these water bodies show already signs of increasing pollution or are potentially threatened by mining and ore processing.
Status and trends
Transboundary rivers
The majority of the rivers included in the present assessment fall into the category “water bodies with moderate
pollution” (national water-quality classes III and IV).
Status and trends
Transboundary rivers
“Polluted water bodies” are:
1. Transboundary rivers, which take up their pollution load in lowland areas with intensive agriculture
2. Transboundary rivers, which take up their pollution load in foothills with intensive industrial (including mining) or agricultural water use
Status and trends
Transboundary rivers
“Polluted water bodies” are also:
3. Rivers originating in the Ural mountains (Russian Federation) and discharging into the Ural River 4. River Ob in the Russian Federation
Status and trends
Transboundary rivers
Geochemical processes have been repeatedly seen as an issue of concern in some rivers
Deforestation, soil erosion and degradation of pastures will continue to be a problem for the proper functioning of water-related ecosystems and lead to higher risks of natural disasters
Status and trends
Transboundary rivers
Rise in air temperatures and contamination of rainwater are the major causes of the significant melting of glaciers, resulting in noteworthy changes of the rivers’ hydrological and ecological regimes
Water shortage and degradation of aquatic ecosystems are likely to continue to adversely affect economic development
Amu Darya
In the end, the assessment should culminate in a set of measures to further prevent degratation of watercourses and their living resources and achieve – in the long run – good status….
Amu Darya
Veleka (BG, TR)
We need a political message for the Belgrade Ministerial Confernce
Policy measures
Priorities for EECCA
Municipal sewage treatment
Non-point pollution in agriculture and livestock breeding
Point source control at new industrial installations
Safe storage, handling, transportation
“Cleaning” of catchment areas
Policy measures
Priorities for EECCA
Rational use of water (industry, agriculture, water losses in supply networks)
Sustainable flood management
Adaptation strategies climate change
Assessment of transboundary groundwaters
Assessment of transboundary groundwaters
1st phase:
Transboundary aquifers in South-Eastern Europe
Assessment of transboundary groundwaters
1st phase (cont’d):
Transboundary aquifers in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Source: WHYMAP mapping applications