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Development of the Mirna River Basin Management Plan

Name of Client

EVD, Agency for International Business and Co-operation, Unit for International Public Co-operation, The Hague, The Netherlands

Origin of Funding

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Croatia; Croatian Waters; Water Management Department for the Istrian Littoral Basin

Dates (Start/End)

April 2007 – December 2008

Name of Partners

Ameco Environmental Services, Utrecht; TAUW BV, Deventer, The Netherlands; Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment (RIZA); Government Service for Land and Water Management (DLG)

Description of Project

The overall objective of this project is to assist the government of Croatia in fulfilling their obligations in order to become a full member of the European Union. The main purpose of the project is to ensure that Croatian Waters is capable to implement the EU Water Framework Directive in the Istrian-Littoral River Basin District.

Activities

  • Basic training on the content of the chapter and the requirements based on the guidance documents and the international developments.
  • Collection of data, processing of data, field visits, preparation of texts in close cooperation with beneficiaries.
  • Expert meetings on texts and findings.

Results

  • Strengthened capacity of Croatian Waters and other relevant parties to apply the Guidance Documents for implementation of the Water Framework Directive;
  • Draft River Basin Management Plan for the Mirna River Basin, including a ‘road map’ to formulate the definitive plan;
  • A dissemination plan for other river basins in the Istrian-Littoral River Basin District formulated and (partly) implemented

Type of Services Provided

The project focuses on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Mirna River basin. The WFD is designed to:

  • Develop integrated and coherent water policies;
  • Provide a safety net to identify water issues, which are not yet adequately addressed and which require action to remedy the situation;
  • Establish a sound basis for the collection and analysis of a large amount of information on the state of the aquatic environment to provide the essential information upon which the competent authority can develop sensible and sustainable policies;
  • Provide for transparency based on the publication and dissemination of information and public consultation.

The WFD requires its implementation based on a River Basin Management Plans (RBMP's). For each river basin the WFD requires:

  • An assessment of the characteristics of the basin;
  • The establishment of a programme of measures to achieve the objectives of the Directive;
  • The summarizing of the above in a RBMP;
  • A public consultation of the plan.