General
National Id
Romania_ 09
Site name
Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park
Summary
The project's objective was to improve the conservation status of aquatic bird species in Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park, Galati County, Romania, through a series of strategic interventions involving scientific inventory, monitoring activities, sites restoration, raising awareness activities, implementation of the park management plan and designating four Special Protected Area - Romanian Natura 2000 sites. Partners were the University of Bucharest, Romanian ornithological society and Romsilva-Galati Forestry.
Light or indepth?
Light
NUTS Code
Sud-Est
RBD code
RO1000
Transboundary
0
Data provider
Bogdan Barbu, REC ROImola Koszta, REC
Source(s)
NWRM(s) implemented in the case study
Longitude
28.147222
Latitude
45.7775
Site information
Climate zone
cool temperate dry
Mean rainfall
500
Mean rainfall unit
mm/year
Average temperature
11
Type
Case Study Info
Vegetation class
The aquatic vegetation; palustrian vegetation;The specific vegetation for the area of Vlascuta Lake is represented by the water flora itself made up by: reed, mace reed, sedge, shave rush, duckweed, water milfoil, white water lilies and many other characteristic species.
Monitoring maintenance
Monitoring impacts effects
1
Monitoring parameters
Monitoring of birds populations status: 1. Establishing a birds species monitoring program; 2. Establishing the facilities for the birds watching monitoring; Assessing the bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides in birds.
Design & implementations
Application scale
River
Installation date
2010-10
Age
4
Performance timescale
Immediate
Area (ha)
41,7999992370605
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
41,7999992370605
Favourable preconditions
Wetlands belong to the category of ecologically fragile areas, their dynamic being influenced mainly by the qualitative and quantitative characteristic of the water in the hydrographical basin in which they extend. For this reason, the conservation measures promoted in these spaces must be doubled by a strict control of the anthropic activities / arrangements using water for different purposes or as a medium of discharging some wastes.
Public consultation
1
Design contractual arrangement
| Arrangement type | Responsibility | Role | Comments | Name |
|---|
Design consultation activity
| Activity stage | Key issues | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Implementation phase
|
These include information dissemination, consultation of every village in the area, and active participation and education with local educational material to be produced. The project takes into account that there is a relatively high illiteracy in the area and will address stakeholders in wide variety of ways, including picture books, nature trails, six annual environment days with expeditions into the area, children's exhibitions, and bird watching towers
|
Awareness raising activities
|
Design land use change
| Land use change type |
|---|
Design authority
| Authority type | Role | Responsibility | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lessons, risks, implications...
Key lessons
The restored area is one of the showcase for the redevelopment and broadening of natural habitats for fish, birds and further species that may contribute to the expansion of the Natura 2000 network. Through the results of the works at Vlascuta Lake, the water level is maintained so the habitats are protected as in drought period so in the floods ones.
Success factor(s)
| Success factor type | Success factor role | Comments |
|---|---|---|
|
Attitude of decision makers
|
main factor
|
Financing
| Financing type | Comments |
|---|---|
|
EU-funds: LIFE+
|
The European Commission - LIFE Nature
|
|
National funds
|
The Ministry of Environment and the Sustainable Development
|
|
Local funds
|
Galati County Council
|
Driver
| Driver type | Driver role | Comments |
|---|---|---|
|
Organisation committed to it
|
main driver
|
Financing share
| Financing share type | Share | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
Policy, general governance and design targets
Policy description
Within the perimeter of the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park, it was the area Vlascuta Lake, who needed ecological reconstruction works, because it was situated on a floodable land and the clogging phenomenon is rapid and advanced. All these are also due to the fact that the basin of the Prut River underwent, during the last 70 years, many hydrotechnical and hydrological works. These works consisted in the building of dams and draining on a large surface of the wetland. The Lower Prut Floodplain underwent the most radical alteration by the draining of the main part of Brates Lake. In the case of Vlascuta Lake, the ecological reconstruction works were quite necessary, since the canal for the access of the water from the Prut River was partially clogged, and the water evacuation canal from Vlascuta Lake was almost completely clogged.
Quantified objectives
The access channel was de-clogged on a length of 366 m, and the evacuation canal, on a length of 176 m.The reconstruction works for the two canals supposed the following main operations: tracing; execution of diggings; execution of constructions and accessories.
For the maintaining of the optimal water level in Vlascuta Lake, respectively in the moment when the level of the Prut River decreases as compared to the level of the lake water, two dams were erected on the two canals. These dams have the normal position closed.
In the moment when the level of the minor bed of the Prut River rises above the level of the access canal bottom, the water of Vlascuta Lake will be refreshed, by means of the manoeuvres of the two dams.For the access from a bank to another of the canals, and also in order to allow for the closing/opening manoeuvres of the dams, a passenger bridge was provided in front of them.
For the maintaining of the optimal water level in Vlascuta Lake, respectively in the moment when the level of the Prut River decreases as compared to the level of the lake water, two dams were erected on the two canals. These dams have the normal position closed.
In the moment when the level of the minor bed of the Prut River rises above the level of the access canal bottom, the water of Vlascuta Lake will be refreshed, by means of the manoeuvres of the two dams.For the access from a bank to another of the canals, and also in order to allow for the closing/opening manoeuvres of the dams, a passenger bridge was provided in front of them.
Part of wider plan
1
Policy target
| Target purpose |
|---|
|
Increase Water Storage
|
|
Improved Biodiversity
|
|
Groundwater Recharge
|
Policy pressure
| Pressure directive | Relevant pressure |
|---|
Policy area
| Policy area type | Policy area focus | Name | Comments |
|---|
Policy impact
| Impact directive | Relevant impact |
|---|
Policy wider plan
| Wider plan type | Wider plan focus | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
|
National
|
Environment & Biodiversity
|
Lower Danube Green Corridor programme
|
Policy requirement directive
| Requirement directive | Specification |
|---|
Socio-economic
Direct benefits information
Better conditions for the birds population; increasing the number for aquatic bird species (especially those listed in Annex I of Birds Directive, Bern Convention and in ORNIS lists); improve the trophic state and saprobity of the target aquatic systems; allowing the water oxygenation of the lakes through the input of the fresh water from the Prut River; including the monitoring birds protocols in the adaptive Management Plan of Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park;
Ancillary benefits information
Supply the potential of fisheries resources; using the potential of providing services for tourism and recreation
Costs total
824710
Ecosystem improved biodiversity
1
Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity
Restoration of aquatic birds sites in the natural protected area located in Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Patk - Vlascuta Lake