Conservation of Mura banks, Slovenia

General

National Id:

Slovenia_01

Site name:

Pomurje

Summary:

The BIOMURA project was particularly focused on conservation of four habitat types, listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive. It consists in the connection of the main channel of the Mura River in the east of Slovenia with side channels, provision of conditions for the adequate water level at the intake of water into side branches (intake at average and low flows), local widening of the channel and sustainable maintenance of alluvial forests and side channels. These measures were targeted to improve and protect riparian habitats and endangered species. Funded by LIFE program, Ministry of Environment and Spatial planning of Slovenia, Institute for water of Republic of Slovenia and partners.

The in-depth description of the case study:

cs-si-01-final_version.pdf

NUTS Code:

Bratislavský kraj

RBD code:

SI_RBD_1

Transboundary:

Data provider:

REC

Source(s):

BIOMURA

BIOMURA - Conservation of biodiversity of the Mura river in Slovenia

Case study: Biomura LIFE06NAT/SI/000066

NWRM(s) implemented in the case study:

Wetland restoration and management

Reconnection of oxbow lakes and similar features

Natural bank stabilisation

Longitude:

16.17805

Latitude:

46.59138

Site information

Climate zone:

cool temperate moist

Mean rainfall:

800

Mean rainfall unit:

mm/year

Average temperature:

Mean runoff:

350

Mean runoff unit:

450 - 600 mm

Average runoff coefficient:

0,119999997317791

Type:

Case Study Info

Light or indepth?:

In-depth

Monitoring maintenance

Monitoring impacts effects:

Monitoring parameters:

Number of birds, amphibians and fishes

Performance

Performance impact estimation method:

Catchment outlet

Performance impact estimation information:

Monitoring after many prior field inspections

Biophysical impacts

Information on retained water:

N/A info

Information on increased water storage:

Increase in the volume of retained water due to the connectivity between the main river and side channels and introduction of higher river morphological structure in the river bed (erosion banks, gravel bars, river islands) and flood forest.

Information on runoff reduction:

N/A info

Water quality overall improvements:

N/A info

Information on Water quality overall improvements:

N/A info

Soil quality overall soil improvements:

N/A info

Information on Soil quality overall soil improvements:

N/A info

Lessons, risks, implications...

Key lessons:

A good knowledge and coordination of the task of each stakeholder is essential for completing the project without serious problems

Success factor(s):

Type	Role	Comments
Successful coordination between authorities	main factor
Attitude of relevant stakeholders	main factor	Good organization between stakeholders and assigned activities

Financing:

Type	Comments
EU-funds: LIFE+	European Commision LIFE Nature 2006 program
National funds	RS Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning
Other	Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia
Private funds	Partners

Barrier:

Type	Role	Comments
Existing technical standards	main barrier	Small delay due to one permission of contruction in the stone riffle implementation.

Driver:

Type	Role	Comments
Legal obligations	main driver	Habitats Directive and Birds Directive

Financing share:

Share type	Share	Comments
European funds	49,7000007629395
National funds	34,2200012207031
Private funds	16,7099990844727

Socio-economic

Direct benefits information:

Conservation of natural values and biodiversity will sustain if not enhance ground and surface water regimes in their dynamic character and connectivity.

Ancillary benefits information:

Wetland ecosystem services such are fish stocks, groundwater for human consumption, wood stocks and biomass will become even more important for local and regional community. Restoration and rehabilitation works in the project area are offering job opportunities for local people and providing long-term opportunities for creation of trails, observation facilities, information center, education points and paths. Development of a sustainable tourism is an option and source of local employment and income increase in the Pomurje region in the future. The project has also become a strong counterpart to the idea of electricity production on the Mura River upstream.

Costs investment:

1975519

Costs investment information:

Total budget

Costs land acquisition:

61800

Costs land acquisition unit:

€ (total value)

Costs total:

1991567

Costs total information:

Costs incurred from the start date to 31/10/2011

Economic costs other annual:

9000

Ecosystem improved biodiversity:

Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity:

Higher number of anphibians after the work, hiher density of bird species in willow stands

Ecosystem provisioning services:

Information on Ecosystem provisioning services:

Ecosystem services such are fish stocks, groundwater for human consumption, wood stocks and biomass will become even more important for local and regional community

Ecosystem water supply:

Ecosystem impact climate regulation:

Not relevant for the specific application

Policy, general governance and design targets

Policy description:

Ecological deterioration and risk of flooding in Morava river. There are no dams on Slovenian river section.

Policy pressure:

Policy requirement directive:

Policy impact:

Policy wider plan:

Policy area:

Policy target:

Target purpose
Groundwater Recharge
Improved Biodiversity

Design & implementations

Application scale:

Field Scale

Installation date:

2011-10

Lifespan:

Performance timescale:

5 - 10 years

Area (ha):

4024

Size:

8,30000019073486

Size unit:

Design capacity description:

Conservation status of 1.200 ha of floodplain forests, 1.500 m of side channels and 5.000 m2 of oxbows will be reached and forest areas around 2 ha of oxbow lakesand along 5.000 m of side channels improved

Constraints:

The biggest threat to this project is the project of hydropower stations construction on Mura river which is pushed by the investor Dravske elektrarne. In case of the future implementation of these power plants our best practice BIOMURA wills potentially be endangered or even destroyed and during the construction the water level was often too high, the work was interrupted for a few times.

Favourable preconditions:

Former wetland with a high biodiversity value

Inflow volume:

110

Inflow volume unit:

m3/sec

Public consultation:

Contractural arrangements:

Design contractual arrangement:

Arrangement type	Role	Responsibility	Name	Comments
			Agreement with the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning

Design consultation activity:

Activity stage	Name	Key issues	Comments
	Workshops		3 local (15th May 2007 in Ljutomer, 30th November 2009 in Mota and 17th November 2010 in Doklezovje) and 2 regional (4th June 2007 in Muska Sobota and 12th October 2011 in Mota)
	Biomura newsletter		10 Issues were published, 5 leaflets, DVD
	Information Centre		Information centre with educational trail opened and 7 information pan

Design land use change:

Design authority:

Authority type	Role	Name	Comments
Regional / sub-national water authority	Other	Regional Development Agency Mura (PRA Mura)	Responsible of some information actions
Private property owners	Other	Ingeeniring for Waters (IZVO)	Supervision in restoration
Private property owners	Implementation	Mura Water Management company (Mura VGP)
	Initiation of the measure	Institute for water of the Republic of Slovenia
	Other	Institute of the Republic of slovenia for Nature Protection (ZRSVN)	Professional national Institution
	Other	Prleska Development Agency (PRA giz)	Responsible of some information actions
	Other	Society of Bird Research and nature conservation (DPPVN)	Participation and support of some information actions
	Other	World Wide Fund for Nature Austria (WWF Austria)	World Wide Conservation Organization; 'Participation and support of some information actions

Last updated: 18 Jun 2015 | Top

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