1.2 - INTERREG IIIB Alpine Space Programme

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environment and cultural heritage
Lead partner
Bayerisches Staatsministerium
für Umwelt, Gesundheit
und Verbraucherschutz
Other partners
Land Kärnten
Land Salzburg
Land Steiermark
Land Tirol
Provincia A. di Bolzano
Comune di Budoia
GRAIE
MOP ARSO
EAWAG
Project website
www.flussraumagenda.de
Contact person
Stefan Thums
Tel +49 (0)89 9214 00
Fax +49 (0)89 9214 4302
flussraumagenda
@alpenforschung.de
Duration
05.2003 – 04.2006
Total budget in EUR
3.314.985
ERDF in EUR
1.406.400
Lead partner
Project partner
D
A
A
A
A
I
I
F
SI
CH
3.3
River Basin Agenda
River Basin Agenda Alpine Space
River basin management, flood protection and sustainable development of the Alpine river basins.
Aim
Increasing pressure to utilise resources and an increasing potential
for damage in the river valleys of the Alpine area have
occasioned water management authorities, municipal decision
makers and scientists from six Alpine countries to jointly
consider new strategies for lasting flood protection. The River
Basin Agenda is intended to provide impetus and new ideas,
and to implement river basin management in accordance with
the proposed model in a more intensive and more deliberate
manner, in order to solve problems at issue within the area of
conflict between flood protection, aquatic ecology and spatial
development.
Activities
Water management experts have been working on strategic
contributions for “river basin management”. Pilot measures
have been implemented in 11 “model river basins” as case
studies for the development and testing of new methods and
strategies in river basin management. These river basins
were Drôme (F), Rhône (F, CH), Tiroler Achen (D)/Grossache
(A), Saalach (D, A), Mur (A, SI), Raab (A), Upper Eisack and
Lower Ahr (I), Artugna (I), Möll (A) and Gurk (A). What they
all shared in common were scarce space, manifold and in
part contradictory utilisation interests and a high pressure to
utilise resources. The model river basins provided valuable
experience and new approaches in the search for joint futureoriented
strategies at the point of intersection between flood
protection and spatial planning. The intermediate development
status was discussed at three transnational conferences
(“river basin dialogue”). One constant central theme was the
availability of spatial resources.
Outcomes and results
Building on the three conferences and the sharing of experience
by the partners at regular working meetings, the conceptual
frameworks, models and detailed studies developed in the
individual model river basins were compiled in comprehensive
publications. Thereby, the model for a river basin manage-
ment plan was developed for the Alpine Space as the result
of the pilot projects, the sharing of experience and the discussions
of the River Basin Agenda. It is intended to be a stimulus
and orientation for future region-specific developments in
the area of sustainable water management planning in Alpine
Space. The publications are addressed both to experts and to
interested members of the public and are intended to carry on
the transfer of knowledge even beyond the term of the project.
Furthermore, a touring exhibition consisting of 15 posters with
statements of principle on the issue of river basin management
and a presentation of the model river basins and several
flyers have been generated and disseminated. Moreover, the
results of the River Basin Agenda represent an important contribution
for the implementation of the EU Water Framework
Directive and on the issue of water in the setting of the Alpine
Convention. It can also be expected that river basin management
will in future be more closely synchronised with Agenda
21 processes, to which the River Basin Agenda is providing
innovative input. The various measures in the model river basins
have furthermore improved flood protection and prediction,
combined ecologic requirements with economic valorisation
of the river basins and contributed to a better awareness
of the population for river basin management needs.