Reconstruction of the existing floodgate in confluence of a dying bypass channel with Ziarovnicky stream in Slovakia, and ensuring supplying of wetlands by water during the dry period and in case of flood events to facilitate the elimination of flood impact on this territory. It was financed by the Global Environmental Fund and carried out by the Global Water Partnership Slovensko (GWPS) and local authorities.
The Körös stream catchment lies in a droughts stricken region of Hungary, it is a heavily modified water body. There are nutrient overload in the stream and in the ground water as well both from point and diffuse sources that are both agricultural and urban. Meanwhile recurring water logging periods cause temporary flood problems for the settlement and the agricultural areas during early spring and in case of torrential rains.
The water...
This measure is located near the village of Gravenvoeren in eastern Belgium. It was a low-cost project to retain mudstreams/erosion consequences by the building of a horizontal dyke/dams at the bottom in the valley, which will retain the water longer in the valley, so reducing runoff and sediment transport to the villages downstream. Additionally they changed crop growing from corn to grasslands to help reduce erosion.
The project sought to apply an eco-remediation methodology at the landfill site of Dobrava, in the agricultural lowland of Pannonia (Municipality of Ormoz)
Slovenia. The project aimed to demonstrate a successful “green technology” to reduce the environmental impact of landfill sites through a closed hydrological
and pollution cycle to complement and exceed existing legislation in the promotion of sustainable landfilling...
This case study is located in Switzerland, in the city of Chênes Bourgerie. It presents one of the natural water retention measures that can be implemented in urban areas to reduce runoff and flood risks. A retention pond is implemented on a plot to retain about 450m3 of water, which contribute to retain water at the watershed scale (279m3 for 3,1ha). The pond also provides a "natural" area which can be used as recreative area for...
The purpose of this project was the establishment of appropriate conditions for protection and conservation of animal and plant species and their habitats on Lake Cerknica, in Slovenia. It simultaneously sought to promote an even development of local agriculture, forestry, fishing, tourism, recreation and education in accordance with natural values. The project was funded by LIFE program and Notranjska Regional Park was responsible of the...
In the framework of a research programme, no tillage field trials have been installed in lower Austria. They showed a significant reduction of runoff, as well as a reduced loss of nutrients. In addition, reduced or no tillage leads to less loss of soil, and an increased content of organic carbon in the soil.
Urban constructions carried out by JVProjektvh which include the removal or sinking of existing curbs, lowering or adjustment of the surface, transfer of storm water from the area of street inlets to decentralized devices, taking apart gutters and street inlets within green areas.
Hermance is a French/swiss transboundary river. From 2006, in the frame of a transboundary river management program, the SYMASOL has been implementing restoration measures along river in order to decrease flood risk downstream, supported amongst other by Geneva Canton. The river mouth have been widenned, the river has been remeandered, 2,3km of the river have been renaturated and vegetation have been planted back on banks. The Mermes...
Kretinga is located 12 km east of the popular Baltic Sea resort town of Palanga, and about 25 km north of Lithuania's 3rd largest city and principal seaport, Klaipėda. The Stormwater Special Plan developed introduces a new approach towards more sustainable stormwater solution from an environmental perspective. This type of ecologically adapted stormwater investments have been implemented in Lithuania for the first time. If they function...
Cover Crops and No-Tillage in an Olive Grove (Andalusia, Spain).
"La Conchuela" is commercial olive orchard (Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain) in which alternative soil management practices (no-tillage and green cover) to reduce soil erosion and runoff have been studied during 7 years. This case study shows how the use of a cover crop can be a simple, feasible soil and water conservation practice in olive groves on rolling lands in...
This scheme is currently under development as part of a large residential scheme at Leidsche Rijn, near Utrecht in the Netherlands. The scheme is ambitious in terms of its water management and extensive use of SuDS. It aims to prevent discharges from the site as far as possible (through storage and infiltration) as well as to reduce inputs of poor-quality water from elsewhere. Management of existing and new water bodies on the site will be...
Green Borders - WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) started in January 2009, along the Danube river in Romania and Bulgaria, the LIFE Nature project "Transboundary conservation of the Phalacrocorax pygmaeus and Aythya nyroca in Romanian and Bulgarian key sites" to ensure living conditions for the two species by: nesting and feeding areas, reconstruction; implementing the best practices for fisheries management, developing alternatives...
Next to the Ill river in Alsace, France, a project has been initiated which combines classical flood protection (e.g. dyke construction) with natural water retention measures (e.g. riparian buffers). The project aims at reducing peak flows, increasing water storage, controling erosion and improving biodiversity. It has been initiated by the Alsace Region.
The Sutlansko Lake area is a wetland with a high biological diversity. The Vonarje reservoir was initially built for drinking water supply and flood protection. The reservoir was drained due to difficulties encountered to manage its water quality. Now it operates as a dry retention basin for flood protection. At the bottom of the reservoir, wetland ecosystems developed. For this reason, the area of the reservoir on the Slovene side has been...
The main objective of the project is to conserve the biodiversity, the natural habitats, the wild species of flora and fauna and to assure an efficient management of protected natural areas, in particular, management of the ecological network Natura 2000 through reconstruction of Comana Wetland within Giurgiu County.
There are three measures applied in the national park area primarily for nature rehabilitation, but all measures have water retention aspects. (1) Creating ponds in the forest where run off from forestry roads are collected. The main goal is to create safe breeding ground for reptiles instead of temporary sumps on the roads. (2) Re-vegetating shelterbelts (groves, wetlands) in agricultural land where 50 years ago these landscape elements were...
Ecological flooding has been introduced in a polder area next to the Rhine, near Altenheim in Germany. This measure improved the ecological functionality of the area, and created at the same time valuable space for recreation. Issues of forest management, a rising groundwater level and an increased mosquito population had to be dealt with.
Restoration of the length of the Borova stream, increased by 6.3 km a shallow meandering stream bed, where sections of speedily running water alternated with sections of a slow stream were created, financed by the Ministry of Environment of Czech Republic.
Kuresoo bog restoration action is an example in Estonia where it will be possible to assess the impact of hydrological regime restoration to Sphagnum mossgroth and effectiveness of different damming technologies. Even though there were studies made for the area and restoration then in practice it turned out that additionally to wooden dams also peat dykes were built as wooden dams did not rise the water lever equally. The measures were...
The Nagyszéksós-tó project aimed safeguarding natural and recreational functions of the Nagyszéksós lake protected area through the improved retention of water from excess water periods 1.2 million m3 and the provision of surplus water from the nearby village's water treatment plan giving extra treatment through a newly developed wetland area. The other goals of the project are the improved infiltration to the groundwater and restored...
"The Salt of Life Project", funded by LIFE+ program of EU, aims to restore and secure long-term preservation of the Atanasovsko Lake, in the eastern coast of Bulgaria, improving habitats conditions of the roosting and breeding sites by dykes and barriers repairs.
The Landscape Revitalization Program is a main tool for solving ecosystem problems but also flood and drought risks included improvements in rainwater retention, primarily, in the territory where rainwater falls or in damaged parts on the landscape. The program restore landscape retention ability by different water retention elements.