Good Practices and lessons learned within the EPIRB Project

This project is funded by
the European Union
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF
INTERNATIONAL RIVER BASINS PROJECT
EUROPEAID/131360/C/SER/MULTI
This project is implemented by a Consortium led by Hulla and Co. Human Dynamics KG
Zurab Jincharadze,
EPIRB Deputy Team Leader/KE2
EUWI+ National Representative
Good Practices and Lessons Learned within the EPIRP
Project in Georgia
EUWI+ Workshop on Determination of Transitional and Coastal Water
Bodies in the Pilot Area of Georgia
5 June 2018
Tbilisi, Georgia

the European Union
 European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan (2006)
 EU Association Agreement (2014)
Based on the Water Act other legal documents are
prepared to transpose and implement the EU water
policy into the national system.
Legislation principles for Water Management in Georgia

the European Union
This project is implemented by a Consortium led by Hulla and Co. Human Dynamics KGThis project is implemented by a Consortium led by Hulla and Co. Human Dynamics KG
The EU project "Environmental Protection of International
River Basins" (EPIRB) provided Georgia to learn:
 How to develop the River Basin Management Plan (in
Adjaristskali/Chorokhi pilot);
 How to enlarge the surface water monitoring
programme and ecological status classification system;
 How to share more effectively information on water
resources with stakeholders and involving public
participation in the water policy implementation
process.

the European Union
Georgian Pilot: Chorokhi-Ajaristkali Basin District
Total area: about 2,480 km2
Chorokhi (incl. Machakhelistkali),
Adjaristkhali (incl. Chvanistkali,
Skhalta, Chirukhistkali),
Korolistkali, Chakvistkali, Kintrishi,
Achkva catchments

the European Union
The River Basin Management Plan (RBMP)
The whole RBMP cycle was followed in the pilot river basin and
such approach will be used in other river basins in Georgia.
Some of the activities were done the first time in Georgia as:
 Pressure and impact analysis;
 Typology of surface water bodies based on the EU WFD;
 Selection of reference condition locations;
 Monitoring programmes (both surface and ground water);
 Programme of measures.

the European Union
 The Draft Chorokhi-Adjaristskali RBMP was developed
as a process of cooperation between the project and the
key beneficiary institutions
 The draft RBMP was discussed with the basin
stakeholders at Public Consultation meeting held in
June 2014, March 2015 and August 2016 with active
participation of key project beneficiaries, other national
stakeholders, government institutions, local self-
governance, NGOs, academia, TV and media
 The PC meetings generated number of comments and
suggestions that were taken into account and reflected in
the final RBMP
Project Implementation in Georgia

the European Union
 Surface Waters Monitoring Programme was developed
by a team of EPIRB Experts in coordination with the
local stakeholders. The Programme is designed as a
guidance to assist the beneficiaries for implementation of
the six-year monitoring cycle in the Chorokhi-Ajaristskali
Basin District
 Groundwater Monitoring Guidelines for the the Chorokhi-
Ajaristskali Basin District was drafted by the project Key
GW Expert
 Draft National Monitoring Strategy towards EU WFD
compliant monitoring of surface water bodies in Georgia
was developed by the project. The document contains a
detailed description of WFD requirements and current
status and needs for its implementation in Georgia

the European Union
 Act 2.4: Joint field surveys to cover the gaps: SW & GW
- The 3rd Groundwater Joint Field Survey was held on 27-30
April 2015 in the pilot basin. Up to 10 samples were
collected from springs and wells for control checking of
chemical status of GWBs. In addition, five control samples
were analysed in Lithuania for Arsenic concentration;
- The 3rd JFS for Surface Water was conducted in June 15-19,
2015 to assess Ecological Status of the type specific
‘reference sites’, as well as to examine physico-chemical,
biological and hydromorphological elements of surface
water bodies identified as ‘possibly at risk’ .
- SW samples were collected from 25 locations. In addition
3 sites were screened for extent of the ‘Priority Substances
and Other Certain Pollutants’ in water and sediments at
the Black Sea coast proximity, around Batumi
Implementation Phase: Activity-2

the European Union
JFS-3: Chrorokhi-Adjaristskali, GWs

the European Union
JFS-3: Chrorokhi-Adjaristskali,
SWs

the European Union
Draft National Strategy on EU WFD Compliant Monitoring

the European Union
 Practical training programme for field survey and
assessment, with more emphasis on hydromorphological
and physico-chemical Risk Assessment, developed and
held in Telavi, Georgia for the Caucasus countries
 Hands-on training course in hydro-biological sampling,
including sampling methodology, techniques and
laboratory analysis of macro-invertebrate fauna and
macrophytes was developed and held in Tbilisi, Georgia
for the Caucasus countries
 The training course was conducted in the National
Environmental Agency (NEA) and included theoretical
workshop, as well as field sampling on the Bazaleti Lake
and the Aragvi River, following a lab identification
exercise

the European Union
 Training course on the methodology and process of
delineation and typological classification of surface
water bodies, by using GIS tools was prepared and
held in Tbilisi, Georgia for all the project countries
 Objective of the training was to introduce: i) EU WFD
principles for identification, delineation and
typological classification of surface water bodies; ii)
relationships between the abiotic descriptors and
biological indicators for delineation; and ii) practical
ways of using GIS tools for proper delineation of
surface water body types
 Representatives of designated beneficiary institutions
from six EPIRB countries, including hydrologists and
GIS/IT practitioners participated in the training

the European Union
 Marine biological monitoring training of sampling
and identification of macroinvertebrates and
macrophytes (seaweeds and seagrasses) in coastal
waters was prepared and held in Batumi, Georgia
 The monitoring training consisted of:
‐ Field work (sample/data collection, preliminary
processing and taxonomic identification as
required)
‐ Laboratory-based sample processing (sorting,
identification, etc.)
‐ Use of biological indexes in analysing results
 The field part of the training was followed by the in
class WFD/MSFD implementation training

the European Union
Next steps and expectations
 Experience and results from the pilot river basin should be transfer
into the form to be applied for the whole Georgia (specific
hydrological and climate conditions).
 Assistance of the experts from the EU Member States in the
development of the legislation is crucial point to transpose and
implement the EU Water Policy in Georgia.
 NEA staff should be trained in the EU Member State institutions with
similar conditions as in Georgia.
 Facilities and methodologies for the NEA laboratory (responsible for
the national monitoring programme in Georgia) should be delivered
(new and modern equipment for specific pollutants).

the European Union
Next steps and expectations
 Support for the implementation of selected activities defined by the
Chorokhi-Ajaristskali RBMP Program of Measures
 Support for the development of the RBMP for 1 or 2 new river
basin (preferebly transboundary, i.e. Alazani-Iori, Khrami-Debed)
 Trainings for the new established River Basin Management Units
of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources
Protection
17

the European Union
1. Prefeasibility study for rehabilitation of hydrological and water
quality monitoring network in the pilot basin: 5,000 EUR
2. Assistance in drafting secondary legislation for the new Water
Code of Georgia, including development of normative acts to
support implementation of EU WFD in Georgia: 19,500 EUR
3. Design, construct and launch automated hydrological
monitoring and flood risk assessment stations in the Chorokhi-
Ajaristkali pilot basin: 54,486 EUR
4. Economic Instruments and Revenue Generation Mechanisms
for Efficient Water Resources Management: 10,000 EUR
5. Establishment of Groundwater Springs Monitoring Network in
the Chorokhi-Ajaristskali pilot basin: 11,000 EUR
As part of the RBMP implementation process, EPIRB have selected and implemented Pilot
Projects in Georgia from identified RBMP Programme of Measures (PoMs). These pilots have
been agreed with the key project beneficiaries: MENRP, NEA, Ajara Environmental Directorate:
Selected Pilot Projects

the European Union
 The pilot project was designed to assist the key beneficiary to implement
selected measures from the overall RBMP Programme of Measures
(PoM), as defined under the Water Framework Directive. In particular, to
development of a secondary legislation in support of the new Water Law
of Georgia
 Objectives of the pilot project were to: i) elaboration of normative acts
for support of introducing River Basin Management in Georgia, and ii)
harmonization of Georgian legislation, regulating water resources, with
the EU legislation (Annex XXVI of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement)
 The following normative acts, prioritized for implementation of the new
Water Law and EU WFD, have been developed and submitted to the key
project beneficiary in Georgia (MENRP):
Pilot-2: Secondary Legislation for New Water Code

the European Union
1. Decree of the Government of Georgia on the “Procedures for
Elaboration, Review and Approval of River Basin Management Plans”
(Section III, Chapter 13, article 43, 1 e) - RBMPs
2. Decree of the Government of Georgia on the “Creation of Basin
Management Consultation and Coordination Councils and Approval of
Typical Charter” (Section III, Chapter 13, article 43, 3a) - Basin Councils
3. Decree of the Government of Georgia on the “Approval of the
Boundaries of Basin Territorial Entities of River Basin Management”
(Section III, Chapter 13, article 43, 1 f) - Basin Territorial Units
4. Decree of the Government of Georgia on the “Approval of Procedures
for Identifying Water Bodies and Establishing Boundaries” (Section III,
Chapter 13, article 43, 1 b) - Delineation of Water Bodies

the European Union

the European Union
 This project was designed to assist the key Georgian
beneficiaries for establishing WFD compliant
automated Hydrological Monitoring Network and
strengthening their capacity for data collection, analysis
and processing in the Chorokhi-Adjaristkali pilot basin
 Design, construction and maintenance of automated
hydrological monitoring stations at pre-selected
locations was accomplished though the sub-contract
signed with a national consulting company ELKO, LLC
 The final launching, testing and integration of installed
automated stations to the NEA telemetry system, as
well as official hand over of the equipment to the
beneficiary was conducted on September 4, 2015.
Pilot-3: Hydrological Monitoring Stations

the European Union
Selection of locations for the proposed monitoring network
was done through the Pilot Project 1 - a small study for site
survey and assessment of historical data. The following
locations were selected and construction and installation
were done for four (x4) basic hydrology and two (x2)
advanced gauges for hydrology and flood risk assessment:
1.Chorokhi River at village Erge (basic hydrology)
2.Ajaristskali River at village Maghlakoni (basic hydrology)
3.Machakhela River at village Ajarisaghmarti (basic hydrology)
4.Kintrishi River at village Kokhi (basic hydrogy)
5.Adjaristskali River at town Keda (flood risk assessment)
6.Adjaristskali River at town Shuakhevi (flood risk assessment)
Selection of Hydrological Monitoring Locations
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the European Union

the European Union
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Good Practices and lessons learned within the EPIRB Project

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