Clean water is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable development of the Baltic Sea Region. The EU-project MOMENT will - based on existing experiences from EU, HELCOM, the research society, national authorities and other - develop local and regional methods for effective management of water with special focus on decreased outlets of nutrients and hazardous substances from small and diffuse sources.
Recent Events
Feasibility study: biogas production using sludge from small scale sewage plants in the municipality of Ronneby
This feasibility study is part of Ronneby municipality’s participation in the project MOMENT. The study is moreover partially funded by LOVA, support from the Regional County Administration of Blekinge for local water management projects.
The objectives are to establish the status of private small scale sewage plants and carry out a feasibility study on the potential biogas production with sludge from these sewage plants. The study area is situated along the coast in the southwest part of Ronneby municipality. The study is conducted as a combined sewer inventory and literature study on biogas. Read more about the report here »
Water management in forests
The MOMENT UP project (upgrade of the MOMENT project) in the municipality of Torsås has started. Wednesday the 14th of September a meeting was held with about 40 participants. Among others, different municipalities, partners in the MOMENT project, representatives from the Södra forest owner association, the farmers association LRF and other water councils were present.
The focus of the meeting was the possibility of managing water in forests. A specialist in the field, Lennart Henriksson was hired in as a consultant from the company Natur och Människa AB. He talked about the biological diversity in forest streams and presented the content of the new book he wrote for the Södra association “Water in the forest.” There is actually a lot of nice brochures and information available for downloading on the WWF website.
Lennart Henriksson paid a lot of attention to the fact that:
• Water quality is managed in the whole catchment area, from source till river mouth: what happens upstream, has an impact downstream
• The surrounding land has an impact on the water quality and should therefore be incorporated in the water management
• Wetlands are natural water treatment plants
• The small rivers and drainage ditches are actually very important for the ecosystem
During the discussions, 3 main issues were highlighted:
1. What can we do for water quality in the forest?
What can I do without financial support?
What can I do with financial support?
2. what should the municipality and other authorities do for water management?
Representatives from Södra and the Regional Administrative Board Länsstyrelsen explained more about opportunities for financial support, legislative tools and restrictions for the private owned forest management that wants to take into account water management.
in the near future, a pilot project area has to be found in the municipality where Lennart Henriksson will develop a site with inspiration for others. The results of the discussions and the presentation of this demo site will be presented in a small brochure that focuses on the local conditions for Torsås.
ALONG THE MINIJA RIVER
The administration of Klaipeda district municipality and Minija River Water Users Partnership organized a study visit along the Minija river sub-basin territories the 12th of August. The excursion was led by lector Antanas Kontautas from Klaipeda University. Among else, the participants were introduced with other similar projects related with water management issues.
The excursion included a visit at the ruins of Gargzdai dam, which during the 19th century incorporated a mill and sawmill, and later it became a power station. Small effluents like this were disastrous to river fish. Later, when all such equipment was closed, fish populations slowly began to recover. During the excursion stops were also made at Minija riverbed near Plinija mount and Didovas lake in the Telsiai district.
During the study visit a discussion “How to reconcile the industrial use of water in a sustainable way“ were held. The participants debated how to restore what was destroyed or damaged and what new objects should be planned in the shores of Minija River.
Eglė Juozapavičiūtė
Assistent pilot area coordinator for Minija River
First annual Water Users Partnership meeting in pilot area Snärje Stream
The Water Users Partnership (WUP) in pilot area Snärje Stream had its first annual meeting the 21st of March 2011. 24 stakeholders had taken the opportunity to show their interest in the WUP by attending the meeting in the old school of Fagerhult.
At the meeting a permanent board was elected, which now consists of landowners, Kalmar municipality, Nybro municipality and local environmental NGOs. As Chairman of the board ms Anna Thore, Mayor in Kalmar municipality, was elected and as vice chairman mr Sune Axelsson, representing a coastal environment group, was elected. Ms Pernilla Landin from Kalmar municipality will be the coordinator of the WUP. The present stakeholders approved the WUP statutes.
Snärje Stream, located in the southeast of Sweden, belongs to the Southern Baltic Sea Basin District. Its drainage area is both large (731 km2) and diverse, although forests and agricultural land dominate the landscape. To get commitment among all stakeholders it is important to discuss matters which concerns them and which they can have an impact on. Consequently, the WUP has been divided into four working groups representing smaller parts of the pilot area. During the meeting it was decided to start an additional working group, making them five, for the coastal zone.
At the meeting ms Pernilla Landin informed about the activities that have taken place during the past year. There have been board meetings and three different meetings for the public with the purpose to attract new members to the WUP. Among else, issues concerning coastal fishery and flooding have been discussed. Pernilla also mentioned that five persons from the WUP visited Lithuania at MOMENT´s exchange meeting and water forum.
Future events
To further promote the WUP, events such as “river side walks” will be held where interested stakeholders learn more about the water and how to improve its quality. One of the most important tasks will be to form a program of measures dealing with the local challenges of high nutrient loads and the release of hazardous substances. The coastal municipalities in Kalmar County have applied for national funds for two different projects. The aim of the first one is to increase the amounts of pike, perch and trout by e.g. new playgrounds and thereby reconstruct a healthy ecosystem. The aim of the other project is to reduce nutrient loads to the coastal water. This will be done by several different measures within a few specified sub catchments in Kalmar County. Both projects will be implemented in cooperation with scientists, different organisations, landowners and locals if funds are granted. The WUP will be an important part in the projects.
Anna Carnelius
Coordinator in pilot area Snärje Stream
Water Users Partnership establishment in Minija River!
MOMENT’s forth opening of its Water Users Partnerships (WUP) was concluded in Gargzdai the 3rd of Febuary 2011. Bad weather and heavy snow fall did not stop up to 40 participants to gather and take part in Minija Rivers’ official Water Users Partnership opening. The participants were welcomed by Klaipeda District Mayor Vaclovas Dackauskas and were presented to the project MOMENT’s aims and objectives by Head of the Strategic planning and investments department Valdas Puckoriuos.
Meeting organizers welcomed participants to Minija River’s official WUP opening
The Minija river basin is by furthest the largest and most extensive of the pilot areas within MOMENT. The more than 2200 km2 river basin incorporates 7 municipalities and a diverse set of water users. With its natural meandering and stunning sceneries the river is also one of Lithuania’s most beautiful, making it popular for tourist excursion and fishing. Therefore, there lies a big challenge in making the WUP to a homogeneous group of water users that can cooperate and deal with the challenges of maintaining and improving the river’s quality and popularity.
Problems that need to be addressed
During the meeting there were several comments that pointed out sources of problems within the river’s catchment area. Professor Arturas Razinkovas-Baziukas from Klaipeda University informed that the environmental conditions in the Minija River highly depend on the weather conditions during the winter season. High intensive rainfall or rapid melting of snow leads to huge discharges of both nutrients and hazardous substances from hard surfaces and farmland. Hence only 10 percent of all storm water within the river basin is purified.
Dalia Zukiene, representing the already established Akmena-Dane WUP, emphasized the need to point out all water users within the catchment area and stress the need for them to take part in the WUP as active members. Many water users might otherwise not feel that they are significant and have enough to contribute with into the WUP work. Truly, nothing could be more wrong as the WUP relies on a broad representation of local stakeholders so that its objective of a bottom-up approach can be met. The need to address these issues and raise public awareness is therefore essential for the rivers status of remaining one of Lithuania’s most popular water sites. The Water Users Partnership will need to play a key role if these challenges are to be tackled in the nearest future.
Tobias Facchini, Project Manager
Walking together towards a better water future
The municipality of Torsås and its WUP for Bruatorpsån-Grisbäcken-Brömsebäcken organised a walk along the river Grisbäcken together with the farmers organisation LRF and the coastal environment protection organisation Kustmiljögruppen. The purpose of this meeting was above all to promote and come out with their local water management work.
This year, a special group within the WUP started discussing potentials and problems in the catchment area of Grisbäcken. The members of this group are representatives from an environmental organisation, the farmers organisation and officials from the municipality. Before starting to develop water management strategies and concrete measures, this group aimed for a last input moment from private persons. By discussing and talking about different problems in the river, showing some of the most beautiful places and also listening to the people who actually work and live in the catchment area, the working group got a better picture of those things that need to be taken up in the strategy. In order to work towards visions and ideas, they will try to come with concrete ideas and projects in order to realise the management that has a local support and goal. It was too often decided in offices and different administrative levels far away from the local conditions how water management had to be organised.
More than 40 people were present on this beautiful Saturday afternoon and after an introduction at a constructed wetland, the group travelled to several places in the catchment area, visiting for example a site were a high habitat quality is found. Then the group travelled to two other places were a fish spawning ground and a wetland will be constructed. Moreover, Stefan Brorsson, a representative from the regional county administration of Kalmar, talked about their project about catching nutrients “greppa näringen” were advise and information is given to farmers and he invited all to participate in a pilot project to work in group sessions for reducing nutrient leakage by introducing easy and simple measures.
Throughout the day, expert Marcus Arnesson dedicated much attention to fish and measures in order to improve fish habitat. Because the ecological quality is important for the status classification of the river, it is important to realise technical measures and water quality improvement programmes. Therefore, it can be said that “working for a better fish environment captures most of the challenges and problems faced in the catchment area”.
The day ended with a coffee break and some fruitful discussions between participants. It was nice to be out a couple of hours with a group of people that share the same interest: a sustainable and locally supported water management.
Stan Weyns, Coordinator for pilot area Bruatorp River
The 3rd ERB Water Forum in Klaipeda the 29th and 30th September
Participants representing more than 30 different organizations from 5 countries had gathered the 29th and 30th of October at the 3rd ERB Water Forum in Klaipeda. The Water Forum, which was arranged by the MOMENT project, focused on issues concerning outlets of nutrients and hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea. Among else Mr Leonid Korovin, chairman of HELCOM LAND, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the countries around the Baltic Sea. The participants could listen to several interesting speakers that all stressed the need of action to achieve normal levels of nutrients and hazardous substances. During the Water Forum’s second day, three other projects with similar objectives, ARTWEI, Baltic Agreement and Waterpraxis, presented there work and strategies for a healthier Baltic Sea. View their presentations in the right column.
Boat cruise
The first day ended with an appreciated boat cruise around Klaipeda Seaport and the Curonian Lagoon. The attendees were told about its history and plans for future work. Among else, it was told that an additional harbor area is planned making it one of the Baltic Sea’s most important and largest harbors.
MOMENT UP approved!
The MOMENT UP (Upgrade) has been recommended approval by the South Baltic programme Steering Committee. Additional concrete pilot area measures will be added to the MOMENT project that will further enhance its impacts on the socio-economic development of the Baltic Sea region. The concept of managing water through Water Users Partnerships will be spread to the Kaliningrad region within the pilot area Primorskaya River. MOMENT UP allows for one additional Exchange meeting to take place in the Kaliningrad region and a possibility to spread its ideas to a broader Russian public.
In Lithuania the pilot area Akmena-Dane will implement stormwater treatment investments in Kretinga town to stop untreated surface runoff to reach the River Akmena-Dane. Stormwater accounts for 20% of the total volume of all wastewater (both municipal and industrial) discharged into the Akmena-Dane River Basin from Kretinga town. The amount of pollutants discharged with surface runoff is also significant. Furthermore, an awareness campaign informing the public about negative impacts of phosphates coming from detergents will be put into practice. The main objectives are:
1. To inform population on negative impacts of phosphorus contained in laundry and dishwashing detergents on water bodies.
2. To raise people’s awareness of restriction on the use of detergents containing phosphorus.
3. To encourage protection of the natural environment, bodies of water from household pollution.
4. To achieve restriction on household use of phosphate-based detergents.
In pilot area Snarje Stream techniques for increasing water depths and water sanitation in Kalmar town will be implemented. The main aim is to test, within a limited area, different possible techniques to remove sediments polluted with especially phosphorus and hazardous substances. The basic idea is to use known techniques in a new and innovative way to achieve sustainable solutions.
The pilot area Bruatorp River will investigate, discuss and communicate the potential of water quantity management in the Grisstream catchment area without putting an extra claim on farmland and farming activities. The main idea is to preserve some of the excess water during the spring to later in the summer when it can instead be used as irrigation when the conditions are dry. As a result the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus will become more efficient and not threaten to reach the nearby water courses and eventually the Baltic Sea.
Pilot Area Primorskaya River
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, SIDA, granted 298 000 SEK for implementing a parallel Russian project, MOMENT-Pri to the EU funded project MOMENT. In the MOMENT-Pri project it will be possible to implement Component 3 from MOMENT also in a Russian pilot area, i.e. develop methods for modern water management using the method of Water Users Partnerships. It will also enhance representatives from Russia to take part in MOMENT activities.
Russian partners gathered around Primorskaya signpost
The pilot area, Primorskaya River, is located on the northwest of the Kaliningrad Oblast and has its outflow to the Vistula Lagoon. It flows through three districts; Baltyisk Municipal District, Divnoe Rural Municipality and Primorsk Town Municipality, which together with the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology form the Russian partnership.
Tobias Facchini
