Description
Description (EN): Project’s background:
One of the major water protection problems is progressive eutrophication of Gulf of Riga (GoR), caused, inter alia, by nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) discharge by rivers to GoR, both on Estonian and Latvian side.
In Latvia, concentrations of nitrogen compounds are monitored in five largest rivers of Latvia discharging into the GuR: Daugava, Lielupe, Gauja, Salaca, and Irbe. In Estonia, the river Pärnu has the largest catchment area amongst the rivers discharging to the GoR in Estonia. In addition to Pärnu, there are also other smaller rivers influencing the nitrogen load of GoR.
Actual total nitrogen loads to the GoR from the territory of Latvia varies from 36 000 to 88 000 tons per year, and from ca 13 000 to 20 000 tons per year from the territory of Estonia.
The HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission, the governing body of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, known as the Helsinki Convention; see also http://www.helcom.fi) Baltic Sea Action Plan proposed the nutrient reduction scheme, including Maximum Allowable Inputs of nutrients and Country-Allocated Reduction Targets to reduce nutrient inputs. The water quality standards are set on national level and every member state is responsible for evaluation of the possibilities for further decrease of riverine nutrient load where it would be more realistic and cost-effective. It requires respective analysis and evaluation of the maximum allowable loads of pollutants.
Objectives:
The objective of the project is twofold:
- to develop, test and promote a novel methodology for Estimation of Daily Allowable Maximum Loads (DAML) of pollutants in order to decrease nutrient load to the GoR;
- to involve interested parties in selected pilot areas (incl. the rivers Pärnu in Estonia and Salaca in Latvia and their tributaries) in order to reach agreements on new /more effective measures for achievement of the pollution reduction targets for these areas of the GoR.
Results of development and testing DAML will be used to trigger new and innovative cooperation arrangements among the main land users who are the cause of excessive nutrients. Within such cooperation arrangements it will be possible to engage all the main actors in the river basin to contribute to the nutrient reduction and implementation of measures. It will also allow for the environmental authorities to provide financial support to environmental protection measures in a more cost effective way by targeting the main pollution sources to achieve the highest nutrient reduction.
Cross-border nature:
In 2018 at the HELCOM ministerial meeting it was acknowledged that countries should come up with more effective (targeted) measures to reduce nutrient loads, particularly by focusing on diffuse sources. Maximum allowable inputs of nutrients must be taken into account and decided that river basin authorities should be more involved in achieving the environmental objectives related to the nutrients. Both Estonian and Latvian authorities are obliged to regularly report to HELCOM on the progress in reducing nutrient inputs and demonstrate the expected effect of implemented measures in terms of decrease in nutrient discharges.
In order to keep track on the progress in achieving the maximum allowable inputs countries must be capable of calculating maximum allowable nutrient discharges from catchments to the sea (i.e. to GoR also).
The development and testing of river basin based DAML in Estonia and Latvia is a challenge that requires involvement of best experts from Estonia and Latvia from the national institutions and academic-research organisations. Also, Estonia and Latvia need to join forces in order to plan thoroughly and conduct effectively the networking for bridging farmers, owners of factories, business associations, environmental protection NGOs, municipalities, national agencies and other players in the field.
Main activities:
The Project consists of the following logically connected and sequencing WPs:
WP T1 Development and testing of DAML, incl.
- To develop novel methodology for assessment of required and possible reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus riverine loads and for achieving of the quality criteria set for the rivers, lakes and the coastal sea.
- To test the developed methodology on selected pilot areas, which are influencing GoR in Latvia and Estonia.
- Analysis in the watershed to define significant pollution sources of nutrient load that helps to prepare specific mitigation measures for nutrient reduction.
WP T2 Involving local stakeholders for setting pollution reduction targets, incl.
- To involve interested parties in selected pilot areas and introduce the methodology and analysis results to stakeholders
- To foster agreements between stakeholders in pilot areas on new measures/more effective measures to achieve the pollution reduction targets for Estonia and Latvia and maximum allowable inputs of nutrients to the Estonian and Latvian marine areas of the GoR.
Read more Achievements (EN): Outcomes:
WP T1 - Development and testing of DAML: A novel methodology developed and tested for estimation of Daily Allowable Maximum Loads (DAML) of pollutants in order to decrease nutrient load to the GoR.
WP T2 - Involving local stakeholders for setting pollution reduction targets: Project Partners organised:
- in LV, 5 workshops;
- in EE, 3 workshops + participated in 4 public discussion events about the draft of Western Estonia River Basin Management Plan 2022-2027.
In LV, a small-scale water treatment plant in Daksti was constructed.
Information materials were produced, to be disseminated after Project completion also.
Read more
Website: https://old.estlat.eu/
Expected Results (EN): Cooperation intensity between institutions in the management of water bodies and coastal areas
Expected Outputs (EN): Project will include a very close and active co-operation between Estonian and Latvian governmental institutions for the development of integrated nitrogen management system for the Gulf of Riga. In particular, Estonian Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia will participate actively. In a similar way, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre are contributing to the Project. In addition to governmental institutions, a number of academic and research organisations will be involved, incl. among others, in Estonia - Ministry of Rural Affairs, Estonian Environmental Board, Estonian Environment Agency, Estonian Environmental Investment Centre, Estonian Agricultural Board, Tartu University, etc; in Latvia - Ministry of Agriculture, Latvian Rural Support Service, State Environmental Service, Agency “Real Estates of Ministry of Agriculture", Latvia University, etc.
With regard to stakeholders of pilot areas, the project will involve actively the farms, factories, local municipalities, business associations, environmental protection NGOs and other interested-relevant organisations in the Project, esp. in WP T2 “Involving local stakeholders for setting pollution reduction targets”. For stakeholder involvement, Project Partners will co-operate actively with umbrella organisations in the field, incl. Estonian Fund for Nature, Environmental Forum of Latvia, NGO Farmers parliament, etc.
Read more
Thematic information
Specific Objective:
Increased awareness of energy saving, sorting waste and re-use, and the more efficient management of common water resources
Thematic Objective:
(06) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by:
Investment Priority:
(06f) promoting innovative technologies to improve environmental protection and resource efficiency in the waste sector, water sector and with regard to soil, or to reduce air pollution
Partners (4)
Lead Partner:
Eesti Keskkonnaministeerium
Department:
Marine Environment Department
Address:
Narva Road 7a, 15172 Tallinn, Estonia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.envir.ee
Total budget:
EUR 46 328.88
ERDF budget:
EUR 39 379.55
-
Valmieras Novada Pašvaldība
-
Name:
Valmieras Novada Pašvaldība
Address:
Lāčplēša street 2, LV-4201 Valmiera parish, Latvia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.valmierasnovads.lv
Total budget:
EUR 28 010.36
ERDF budget:
EUR 23 808.81
-
Latvijas Vides, ģeoloģijas un meteoroloģijas centrs
-
Name:
Latvijas Vides, ģeoloģijas un meteoroloģijas centrs
Department:
Information Analysis Department
Address:
Maskavas iela 165, LV-1019 Riga, Latvia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.lvgmc.lv
Total budget:
EUR 82 742.18
ERDF budget:
EUR 70 330.85
-
Tallinna Tehnikaülikool
-
Name:
Tallinna Tehnikaülikool
Department:
Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture
Address:
Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Legal status:
public
Website:
http://www.taltech.ee
Total budget:
EUR 83 506.01
ERDF budget:
EUR 70 980.11
