Project summary

The overall objective of this project is to introduce a set of comprehensive measures that will help restore Strumica River Basin’s socio-ecological functions and its overall resilience against the complex pressures resulting from human activities and global changes. Aligned with the key principles of the EU Water Framework and Floods Directives and the underlying concept of Integrated Water Resources Management, this project aims at addressing the main types of pressures in the Basin (point source and diffuse pollution, as well as hydro-morphological modifications), maximizing at the same time the possibilities for mitigating flooding risk.

Activities:

This six-years project aims to bring significant positive environmental effects, but it will also support livelihoods by introducing better resource management practices and increasing the resilience of communities to water-related risks.

Results:

1. Reduced pressures on water bodies and enhanced resilience of the Strumica River Basin to the flooding hazards;

2. Strengthened municipal capacities for environmental permitting by introducing the principles of integrated pollution prevention and control;

3. Support to the municipalities in identifying the most feasible wastewater management approaches;

4. Piloting small-scale decentralized wastewater treatment system in selected rural communities;

5. Reduced use of agrochemicals and modified irrigation practices to reduce agricultural runoff and to ensure more sustainable use of water resources;

6. Basin-scale analysis of flood risk and identification of feasible short- and long-term (systemic) flood risk mitigation options;

7. Optimized operating regimes of the existing reservoirs and other water structures and introduced flood early warning system;

8. Strengthened legal and regulatory environment for integrated flood risk management.