Due to major developments over the past two centuries, the Eau Morte Valley (a tributary of Annecy Lake) has a hydrosedimentary dysfunction with incised areas and areas with sediment excesses and an alluvial marsh disconnected from flooding. To reduce the impacts of the river's floods on uses, and to prevent the risk of urban areas flooding, a functional restoration programme for the valley has been developed by the federation of...
This case study is located in the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It describes how green roofs have been implemented on the roof of a hospital (0.55 ha) in order to decrease flood risks in urban areas. Indeed, this green roof is designed to retain about 30.25 m3/day water in the soil and plants and prevents it from running off. Compared to a traditionnal roof, the green roof retains about 60% of the water quantity that would run off otherwise....
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...
DANUBE FORESTS, coordinated by BROZ - Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development and funded by LIFE program, preserves the remaining natural floodplain forests in the Slovak part of the Danube inland delta and introduce sound and sustainable forest management practices to the area.
The project LivingFountains, carried out in Slovenia, funding from the European Regional Development Fund and national funds, envisages the restoration and arrangement of 32 water wells and ponds as monuments of cultural heritage.
Reconstruction of the Lepiku channel that is a part of the drainage system, which starts from the new residential area next to the Tallinn Botanic Garden and includes wetlands, detention ponds, ditches and channels and debouches into Pirita river. The aim was to improve the quality of the storm water that flows into the Pirita river. The river Pirita is a part of Natura 2000 site and flows into the Baltic Sea. The length of the...
Within an Austrian LIFE Nature project, gravel banks have been established along the Danube in the Wachau, and dried site-arms have been reconnected. The measures aimed at improving biodiversity through providing spawning habitats, as well as controling erosion and run-off. As a particularity, the gravel used in the project stemmed from maintenance works for the shipping channel of the Danube. The project has been initiated and implemented by...
The Bas Rhin department is sensitive to muddy water flows occuring during Spring and early summer storms, which impact farmers and villages located downstream of agricultural plots. In order to reduce this risk, the Agriculture Chamber and the local authorities are working together to develop ways of combating these phenomena, which are harmful to downstream areas. Within this partnership framework, a diagnosis of the erosion and mudslides...
The measures implemented at two river within the city of Hamburg (Germany) included the restoration of rivers and ponds (N1), the revitalization of flowing waters (N5), natural bank stabilization (N10), and channels and rills (U5). They targeted the National Biodiversity Strategy of Germany as well as the achievement of a good ecological status as defined by the WFD. For the identification of locations for possible measures the general public...
Restoration in Czech Republic of a raised bog almost completely destroyed by industrial peat mining and establishment of wetland communities and peat-forming vegetation with possible return of relict peat-bog species. Sumava National Park and local authorities helped in the performance financed with national funds.
WWF Danube Carpathina program, together with local people from Mindya village in the region of Veliko Turnovo, restored the connection of Veselina River, a tributary of Yantra, with its former meander near the village.
The Liberty Island is located in South-Hungary northward from Mohács at the left side of the Danube. Its length is about 3 km, its width is 150-200 meters, and its territory is 47 ha. The island and the side-arm belong to the Danube-Drava National Park and are part of the Natura 2000 network. The island is a strictly protected nature conservation area. Along the side branch, on the left side of the Danube, the local water service company has...
Baixo Vouga Lagunar (BVL) bocage landscape (Portugal)
This is a traditional practice in the Baixo Vouga Lagunar Area (Aveiro District, Vouga River Estuary, Portugal), since 19th century in order to protect BVL from the tidal floods. Baixo Vouga Lagunar represents a man-shaped landscape working in a dependent relationship between agricultural activities, wildlife and water regulation. BVL includes three main landscape units: bocage (...
The Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic carried out the retoration of Cerny Potok stream which was based on common principles of stream restoration. The main aim of the restoration was to decrease the volume of the restored stream-beds especially by reducing their depth. Modifications within the channelized stream-bed were not sufficient, therefore new stream-beds were proposed and constructed. They were reconnected with the...
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...
Kamanos Strict Nature Reserve is the largest raised bog (2,434ha) in the northern Lithuania region (a farming region) with ridge-pool complexes, numerous small lakes (over 120 pools each less than 2ha in area) and surrounding wet forests. In 65 ha of selected bogs and meadows restored with18.5km of ditches dammed Kamanos Strict Nature Reserve. The measures were implemented in the frame of larger UNDP-GEF project in 2004-2010.
Dotnuvėlė river basin covers 192.7 km2. Four reservoirs are situated in the area: near Mantviliškis, Akademija, Dotnuva and near Kėdainiai. The Dotnuvėlė basin is in the Central Lowlands of Lithuania, which is rich in moist soils. Agricultural areas account for 69.2%, forests and other natural areas for 24.5%, artificial surfaces - 5.8%, and water bodies make up only 0.5%. State river monitoring is carried out for this river. The ecological...
The River Tolka runs through Dublin, Ireland. A series of measures was applied to the urban sections of the river to slow flood flows, reduce pollution and support wildlife. These included the establishment of retention ponds to manage runoff storage; bank engineering to slow flows and prevent erosion; and planting trees along the river to slow runoff. Two phases of retention pond construction have been carried out, the latter as part of a...
In the framework of the large-scale nature conservation project "Lenzener Elbtalaue", a dyke along the river Elbe (in Germany) has been relocated. This created a new retention area with a diverse floodplain, including alluvial forests, half-open pasture landscapes and other typical habitats of lowland floodplains. With 420 ha it is the biggest application of this type of measure in Germany so far. The project successfully combines...
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...
The WETLIFE project aimed at reversal of negative changes in Amalva and Žuvintas mires. Restoration of hydrological conditions necessary for regeneration of mire habitats was the main key to reaching the aim. Additionally, the project had a goal to facilitate a shift in agricultural practices on peatlands in order to improve conditions for biodiversity and reduce rate of peat mineralization with all related environmental consequences. Finally...
The study site is the sub catchment of Tetves, is considered a priority area in terms of water protection. The size of the study site is 68 km2. 49% of the total catchment area is forest, 39% is arable land, 1% orchards, 1% vineyard, 1% is grassland and 2% is urban.
The study site is sensitive to nutrient and nitrate loss. Extreme weather events, the presence of loose parent material and a lack of best management practices in some part...
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...