Overview of the Sava Commission activities International Roundtable on Protection and Sustainable Use of Trans-boundary Waters in South East Europe, 15-16 December 2011, Zagreb, Croatia

1. International Roundtable on
Transboundary Waters Management
Extreme phenomena – Floods
p
Overview of the Sava Commission activities
Dragan Zeljko, ISRBC
Deputy Secretary for integrated RBM and water planning

2. Overview
• Legal basis for action (Framework Agreement on the Sava River Basin
(FASRB) and the Protocol on flood protection)
• Activities / Projects of the Sava Commission
• Concluding remarks
g
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 2

3. FASRB
• Signed in 2002, ratified in 2004
g ,
• Parties to the FASRB: Sl, HR, BA, RS
• Objective:
Transboundary cooperation
T b d i
for sustainable development of the
region
g
• Specific goals:
– To establish an international regime of navigation
– To establish sustainable water management
– To prevent/limit hazards (floods, droughts, ice and accidents) and
reduce/eliminate their negative consequences
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 3

4. Sava Commission
• FASRB implementation coordinated by the Sava Commission
• Broadest scope of work among European river commissions
• Coordination of:
– Development of joint / integrated plans for the Sava RB
– Establishment of integrated systems for the SRB
– Preparation of development programs for the Sava RB
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 4

5. Protocol on flood protection to the FASRB
P l fl d i h
• Signed in 2010 - Ratification ongoing (BA√)
• Protocol regulates the issues of sustainable flood protection in the Sava
RB caused by:
(a) natural phenomena such as high flows of rivers, as well as ice jamming,
(b) artificial impacts
• the Parties agree to cooperate on:
(a) Preparation of the Program for development of the FRMP in the Sava RB;
(b) Undertaking of Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment;
( )
(c) Preparation of Flood Maps;
p p ;
(d) Development of Flood Risk Management Plan in the Sava RB;
(e) Establishment of the Flood Forecasting, Warning and Alarm System;
(f) E change of information significant for sustainable flood protection;
Exchange info mation fo s stainable p otection
(g) Implementation of all measures and activities of mutual interest,
originating from planning documents or activities from items (a) to (f)
above or other mutually agreed measures and activities.
b th t ll d d ti iti
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 5

6. Flood Management
• Sava Flood Action Plan (2009)
– Example of cooperation on basin-
subbasin level
– First elaboration of measures
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 6

7. Flood Management
• Linking FRM and the climate change assessment in the Sava RB
– Setting the basic elements of the Sava FRMP by
• Preparing the overview of already completed or ongoing activities regarding
flood risk management planning in the Sava River Basin, the Danube River
Basin and UNECE region;
• Identify and assess existing legislation, strategies and plans related to FRM
planning and climate change adaptation (transboundary and national);
l d l h d ( b d d l)
• Assessing data and information needs for preparation of joint Sava FRMP;
• Preparing an initial flood vulnerability assessment of the Sava RB;
• Preliminary identification of possible adaptation measures;
• Preparing a draft Program for preparation of the first Sava FRMP;
– Financed by UNECE
– Implementing period: 2010-2012
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 7

8. Flood Management
• Flood forecasting,warning and alarm system for the Sava RB
– Initiatated in 2003
– Cooperation of relevant national institutions including HM services
– Estimated costs: 2,2 mil EUR (without equipment)
– Funding: not allocated yet (contacts with WMO)
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 8

9. Flood Management
• Hydrological model of the Sava RB and the hydraulic model of the Sava r.
– Initial models prepared in cooperation between USACE and Sava Commission
– Proposal for the 2nd phase prepared
– Expected commencement in 2012
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 9

10. Flood Management
• Hydrological model of the Sava RB and the hydraulic model of the Sava r.
– Dec2009 unsteady model results (Mapping)
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 10

11. Hydro-meteorological Issues
• Advances in the exchange of hydro-
meteorological information
• Hydrological Yearbook of the Sava
River Basin (the first since 1986)
• Planned projects (2012 – 2015)
– Hydrological Study for the Sava
River Basin (th first since 1976)
Ri B i (the fi t i
– Est. Costs: 1,0 mil EUR
– Funding: not alocated yet
g y
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 11

12. Climate change impacts
• Water and Climate Change Adaptation Plan (WATCAP) for the Sava RB
– Financed and implemented by WB
– Expected finish in 2012
– Project components:
– Historic Climate Trend Analysis (Task 1)
– Characterization of future climate scenarios (Task 2)
– Hydrologic Model Including Data Gathering and Scenario Modeling (Task 3)
– Guidance Notes (Task 4) for specific sectors incl. Flood management
– WATCAP
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 12

13. River Basin Management
• Preparation of the Sava RBM Plan
(EU WFD)
– Sava River Basin Analysis Report
with Annex II: Flood management in the
Sava RB
– Plan drafted, public consultation to start in
December 2011
– Adoption expected by the end of
2012
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 13

14. Concluding remarks
• Advatages of cooperation in the Sava Commission:
– Good platform to solve regional/basin problems
– Exchange of information/experiences
– Possibility f d
P ibili of development of integrated systems
l fi d
– ...
• Chalenges / possible obstacles:
– Differences between the Parties in the process of EU accession
and related obligations
– Financing of priority projects/strategic studies
• The enhancement of the fund-raising efforts possible through strengthening
g p g g g
the ties and cooperation among, and with, the relevant national bodies
– Intersectoral cooperation in the countries
International Roundtable on Transboundary Waters Management
Zagreb, December 15-16, 2011 14

15. Contact Information
International Sava River Basin Commission
Kneza Branimira 29/II
10000 Zagreb
Croatia
www.savacommission.org
15