Ukraine has presented the first part of the Vistula river basin management plan (RBMP), which will help implement integrated water resources management on a basin basis.
The plan was developed by a team of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the State Water Agency and the Blue Rivers Environmental Consulting project together with experts, including specialists from the Basin Administration for Water Resources of the Western Bug and Xiang rivers, reports Ministry of Natural Resources on Telegram.
The material noted that the Vistula river basin covers 2% of the territory of Ukraine and is represented by the river basins of the Western Bug and Xian. These are 19 lakes and 137 rivers with a length of more than 10 km.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources continues to actively implement European standards in water management. Last year, together with international projects, we developed the first parts of the Dnieper, Dniester and Don RBMPs. Now we will present the first part of the management plan for the Vistula basin,” said First Deputy Minister for the protection of the environment and natural resources Ruslan Grechanyk.
He added that 5 more such documents would also be created for management of major river basins.
"By creating them, we are fulfilling Ukraine's obligations in terms of harmonizing our water policy with the EU Water Framework Directive and are writing a roadmap to improve the quality of Ukraine's surface and groundwater," said Grechanyk.
The Vistula RBMP will be improved and elaborated as it does not currently cover all sections.
The document contains information about:
- characteristics of surface and ground waters;
- anthropogenic impact on surface and groundwater and their condition;
- areas to be protected;
- results of studies of surface and ground waters and their mapping;
- economic analysis of water use;
- measures to reduce water pollution.
"After the approval of the river basin management plan by the Government in 2024, it will become the main document in the basin of the Western Bug and Xiang for 2025-2030," the Ministry of Natural Resources explained.
As EcoPolitic before, Ukraine joined the implementation of international project "LIFE WILDisland", to restore natural islands, floodplains and improve the hydrological regime of the Danube.
