Training for Integrated Water Resources Management and Climate Change Adaptation in B&H

Investor: UNDP B&H

Implementation period: 2019

Consortium: Institute for Water Management (IWM), Sarajevo – Consortium Leader, Institute for Water Management (IWM), Bijeljina, and ‘Enova’ Sarajevo

The project ‘Integrated Water Resources Management and Climate Change Adaptation in Bosnia and Herzegovina’ consisted of training in three workshops. The first workshop was held in Neum, 17-19 June 2019. The second was held in Vlasic 7-9 October 2019, while the last workshop was held in the Netherlands (Amsterdam/The Hague) in the period 20-22 November 2019.

Training workshops were organized for representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Entity Ministries of Water Management, representatives of the Sava River Basin Agency, the Adriatic Sea Basin Agency, the PI ‘Vode Srpske’, the Federal and Republic Hydrometeorological Institute, and representatives of the Water Management Department of the Brcko District Government.

The following subjects were covered at the first workshop:

1. 1. 1. Correlations between individual directives related to integrated water management: WFD (2000/60/EC) link with the integrated water management aspect; Flood risks assessment and management of (2007/60/EC);
      2. Implementation of the provisions of the Water Framework Directive
         1. Objectives (Article 4): how to interpret them and how to implement them; Water management instruments:

• • • • • Water classification (advantages and limitations);
        • Water licences, deadlines and transition periods in licences, limitations of administrative procedure;
        • Article 4.7 of the Water Framework Directive;
          1. 1. 1. Combined approach (Article 10), interpretation and implementation (Water Framework Directive with accompanying directives, Urban Wastewater Directive, Nitrates Directive – Code on emission limit values, Regulations on criteria for water bodies intended for recreation) which includes: who is obliged to apply the combined approach, methodologies for application, determination of relevant parameters of recipient and effluent, possible exemptions from application and definition of conditions for exemptions, deadlines for application of the combined approach;
                2. Strategic environmental assessment of the plan (including the impact on the state of a water body) and Assessment of the impact of the project on the environment (including the impact on the state of the water body). This includes: documents that are required to carry out a strategic environmental assessment and/or environmental impact assessment, requirements and criteria for assessment, transboundary impacts and implementation of transboundary projects, the main positive and negative environmental impacts of water projects, environmental protection measures and the monitoring programme of the state of the environment that must be taken into account before and during the implementation of works by main types of water projects;
                3. River basin management plans (WFD Article 13): Basic information on purpose and content; different elaboration levels in B&H; experience in applying management plans; significant issues;
                4. Economic analyses (applicability of CBA, cost recovery and cost efficiency principles, interpretation of water charges), including: financial discount rate; approaches to empirical assessment of conversion factors; shadow price; tariff setting, polluter pays principle and affordability; willingness to pay approach; project performance indicators; probabilistic risk assessment; other assessment tools;
                5. Monitoring.

The second workshop was dedicated to the Flood Risk Management Directive and it covered the following:

1. 1. 1. 1. Monitoring the implementation of the river basin management plans and relevant strategic documents;
         2. Directive 2007/60 / EC on the assessment and management of flood risk: definition of flood risk, methodology for determining flood risk in B&H, content, maps and data, analyses, extent and level of detail of the key document of the Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP), case study: development of the FRMP for the Vrbas River Basin in the RS;
         3. Analysis of preliminary technical designs and cost estimation and technical-economic and economic analyses, case study: Management Plan for the Vrbas River Basin in the RS;
         4. Analysis of the environmental impact and protection, case study: Flood Risk Management Plan for the Vrbas River Basin in the RS;

• • • • • • Applying the CBA on flood defence projects: flood risk analysis as a basis for the CBA; Can CBA help us to define acceptable flood risk; Identification of flood defence projects in terms of CBA; Physical elements and activities; Responsible entity for project implementation; Analysis of options as a basis for CBA; Introduction of immeasurable impacts in analysis (fuzzy sets); Financial analysis; Economic analysis; Risk assessment and sensitivity analysis; Qualitative risk analysis; Implementation schedule;

1. 1. 1. 1. Defining acceptable flood risk and the relationship between flood risk management objectives and acceptable flood risk;
         2. Climate change and adaptation

 

A visit to the Netherlands was organized as part of the project (Netherlands Water Partnership with its headquarters in The Hague). The purpose of the study trip was to acquaint the representatives of the competent institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina with good practices in water management in the Netherlands, and mutual interaction to see possible solutions that could be implemented in our country. Through a series of presentations by various lecturers, the participants were shown various measures and examples of quality water management and solutions with an emphasis on flood control. The aim of this visit was to transfer as much experience and knowledge in future professional challenges and solutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the presented examples and practices.