Review and recommendations for the design and implementation of a GEF funded project in the Bug & Nemen basins. The focus is on the conjunctive management for the interface between land, water and biodiversity through applying the principles of eco-hydrogeology

1. Project Preparation Grant (PPG)
Inception Meeting
PROJECT
“Fostering multi-sector cooperation over
conjunctive surface and groundwater management
in the Bug and Neman Transboundary River Basins
and the underlying aquifer systems”
16-17 May 2018
Willing Hotel, Minsk (Belarus)
Shammy Puri, Chair, IAH Commission on
Transboundary Aquifers

2. Bug and Neman Project
Application of eco hydrogeology &
testing conjunctive use
Scope related to Component
1 & 3
• Application of eco
hydrogeology to address
imbalances
• Testing of conjunctive use
options to balance nexus conflicts
• Pilot projects & policy measures
Comment by STAP:
• “the plan to use
ecohydrology and
hydrogeology in
Component 3 is welcome
• but it should be more
specific about:
• concepts, techniques,
modelling approaches, etc.
• And, for which aspects of
the integrated surface and
groundwater system”

3. Bug and Neman Project
Several base references

4. Bug and Neman Project
Aquifers & dependent aquatic
systems

5. Bug and Neman Project
The aquifers / river basins
As shown in the
IGRAC inventory
They appear to be
“connected ? /
unconnected” to
the underlying
geology

6. Bug and Neman Project
The Bug-Nemen underlying geology

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Rivers and aquifer systems do not
often “match”
Extract of the
WHYMAP series

8. Bug and Neman Project
The “Bug” basin – underlying
geology

9. Bug and Neman Project
Local & regional flows

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The “Nemen” basin – undelying
geological structure

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The Baltic Artesian Basin

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The CO2 storage capacity estimated at the regional scale
• Preliminary recognition of CO2 sequestration as an
option of emission reduction.
• Presented the estimation ofC02 storage capacity for
aquifers of Lower Cretaceous, Lower Jurassic and Lower
Triassic of Polish Lowland.
• The Lower Jurassic deposits exhibit the greatest C02
storage capacity
• the smallest capacity was estimated for the Lower
Cretaceous deposits.

13. Bug and Neman Project
Ecosystem services

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Conjunctive use options

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Some points to note:
More technical discussion during the working
groups:
• Need to engage with “multi sectors” …
• Discuss potential pilots – Deep Baltic basin ?,
Discharge from coal mines ?, treatment of lakes
in the Polesie?
•

17. Bug and Neman Project
Thank you for your attention!

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Nemen basin – groundwater
“bodies” & g’wat monitoring
points

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20. Bug and Neman Project
Woda przeznaczona do zaopatrzenia ludnoœci
oraz na potrzeby gospodarcze i przemys³owe
w rejonie Bia³egostoku pozyskiwana jest z dwóch
ujêæ po³o¿onych w dolinie Supraœli eksploa-
tuj¹cych piêtro czwartorzêdowe.
£¹czne zasoby dyspozycyjne omawianego obszaru
wynosz¹ 4029 m 3 /h.
Zasoby wód podziemnych rejonu Bia³egostoku
bêd¹ jeszcze przez wiele lat jedynym Ÿród³em
zaopatrzenia miasta. Mo¿liwe to bêdzie przy ich
racjonalnym wykorzystaniu oraz przy zdecydo-
wanym przeciwdzia³aniu ich zanieczyszczaniu. Ju¿
w latach 90. zauwa¿ono (Madejski i in.,
1994), ¿e w miesi¹cach letnich ujêcia komunalne
pracuj¹ na granicy swoich mo¿liwoœci technicz-
nych.

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Geological
classification
Lithology Groundwater
occurrence
Hydrogeological
classification
Aquifer systems
Quaternary Fluvial and
glacial sands,
gravels and
loams
Groundwater in
the sandier,
permeable
horizons
Quaternary
transboundary
aquifers (local
extent)
Tertiary Sands, gravels
and loans
Groundwater in
the sandier
portions
Tertiary
transboundary
aquifers
Mesozoic
Transboundary
Aquifer system
Cretaceous Limestone,
marls, chalk
Extensive
groundwater in
the upper
horizons
Cretaceous
transboundary
aquifer (regional
extent)
(MTAS)
Pre
Cretaceous
Sandstone,
limestone
local occurrence
in Krzna basin
Jurassic local
aquifer
Pre
Mesozoic
Crystaline
Basement
Complex
No groundwater

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Bug river basin
49%
23%
27%
39 000 km2

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The Bug river starts with the springs situated at
311 m above sea level in Wiercho-
bu¿ village in Podole. Wierchobu¿ is located at
the foot of a massive hill rising up
to 420 m above sea level in the northern edge
of a vast Kotlina Kot³owska. Water
flows out from the fissures in the Tertiary
limestones creating a large stream.

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• ● natural discharge from relatively deep groundwater flow systems rising to form distinctive
springs
• with associated (often unique) aquatic ecosystems
• ● wetland ecosystems related to the discharge of shallow (and sometimes perched)
groundwater flow
• systems as seepages in land surface depressions
• ● groundwater discharge from extensive aquifers providing (in part perennial and elsewhere
ephemeral)
• dry-weather flow in the upper reaches of river systems which represent aquatic ecosystems
• ● discharge of groundwater flow systems to coastal lagoons, which is critical in diluting
salinity from
• marine influences and providing unique habitats
• ● some extensive semi-arid and humid terrestrial ecosystems without standing water, but
with very
• deep-rooted phreatophytic vegetation extracting moisture directly from the water-table.

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Information about SUMTAS project:
• formulated according to GEF requirements:
Focal area: International Waters
Operational Program: OP-10 (Contaminant –Based)
Strategic Priority: IW-3: Innovative Demonstrations for
Reducing Contaminants and Addressing Water Scarcity
• key focus:
link between regional transboundary aquifers
and wetlands/lakes

35. Bug and Neman Project
GEF-
SUMTAS
JFIT – Biosphere Reserve
ERDF/TACIS CBC
Monitoring/Education
Areas of the projects
PL-BY-UA
Water Policy

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