Bratislava, 09.06.2022
The wetlands in the protected area of the Dunajské luhy await a major restoration. It will be brought by the project “Improving the condition of selected wetlands in the left-hand branch system of the Danube River”. The participants are VODOHOSPODÁRSKA VÝSTAVBA, STATE ENTERPRISE (VV) as the main project partner, SLOVENSKÝ VODOHOSPODÁRSKY PODNIK, state enterprise (SVP), as project partner and the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic as the programme administrator of the SK-Climate programme.
The water managers received a grant for the restoration of the wetlands from the Norway Grants in the amount of EUR 429 244, and the project has been co-financed by the State Budget of the Slovak Republic in the amount of 15%.
The implementation of the environmental activity was symbolically kicked off at the opening ceremony of the project with the participation of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway in the Slovak Republic H.E. Terje Theodor Nervik, Director General of the VV Mr. Vladimír Kollár and Director of the Danube River Basin of the SVP Mr. Ladislav Glinda.
Besides the main representatives of the project partners and the Norway Grants provider, the opening ceremony was also attended by representatives of the VÚVH (Research Institute of Water Management), the developer of the Study of the conceptual plan for the revitalization of the river system, representatives from the ŠOP SR (State nature protection of the Slovak Republic) Protected Landscape Area CHKO Dunajské luhy, the Association of Bratislava Boating Clubs, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic and others.
At the meeting were presented basic information about the project, its objectives and activities that will lead to their fulfilment. Furthermore variants of specific technical solutions were presented, which will not only contribute to better irrigation of the surrounding wetlands biotopes, but will also create conditions for boaters and, of course, for aquatic fauna and flora.
Based on the suggestions of the Association of Bratislava Boating Clubs from the technical meeting (May 3rd, 2022, VV, s. e.), the solution has been enriched with a new “boating” alternative.
Mr. Vladimír Mišík, representative of the Bratislava boaters, highlighted the active effort of both state enterprises for inter-sectoral cooperation in order to incorporate the requirements of all stakeholders into the technical solution.
The project will significantly contribute to the improvement of the wetland condition in the areas of the Baka, Bodíky and Gabčíkovo river branches and to the restoration of the natural wetlands biotopes of the floodplain forest in the left-hand branch system of the Danube River. The implementation of the measures will also contribute to the improvement of the water regime in the river branches, thereby suitable conditions for native plant and animal species will be created. The technical measures will also have a positive impact on water retention in the wetland area. At the same time, the infiltration capacity of the area will be restored, which will have a direct impact on groundwater recharge in the area of interest.
An important activity of the project is the reconstruction of the existing lines of dams G and H and the creation of new spillways that will be able to carry the planned flow providing the required dynamics of water flow in the affected area.
If you want to know more about programmes and projects financed by the Norway Grants in Slovakia, visit www.norwaygrants.sk
