This document summarizes a project on natural small water retention measures. The project was led by Tomasz Okruszko and involved partners from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The main objectives were to develop guidelines and case studies on natural small water retention measures for drought mitigation, flood protection, and biodiversity conservation. The guidelines provide definitions and examples of different natural retention techniques. Case studies from the partner countries demonstrate best practices and lessons learned. The project developed a GIS-based methodology to identify suitable areas for natural retention measures. Potential follow-up activities are also discussed.

1. www.gwpcee.org
Natural Small Water
Retention Measures
Anja Potokar
Tomasz Okruszko, János Fehér, János Tamás, Judit Gáspár,
Ignacy Kardel, Waldemar Mioduszewski, Vladimir Mosný,
Daria Istenič

2. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20152 www.gwpcee.org
• Activity leader: Tomasz Okruszko
• Partners:
• HUNGARY: University of Debrecen and GWP HU
• POLAND: GWP PL and WULS
• SLOVAKIA: Hycomp
• SLOVENIA: Limnos
• Duration: April 2013 – March 2015
• Main challenges:
• Implementation of N(S)WRM as part of IWRM on the country, CEE and European scale
• Enrichment of the NWRM approach
• Objectives:
• GUIDELINE
• CASE STUDIES
Basic information

3. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20153 www.gwpcee.org
• Preparation of the template for gathering experience
• Practical and legal experience from Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary
• Workshop to summarize the experiences and make future planning
• GIS based methodology for the catchment comparison developed in Poland
• Literature search of effectiveness indices for flood protection, drought and
biodiversity. Fitting the natural retention measures to IRBMP, FPMP and DMP
• Workshop (or Skype) for choice of the indices which can be used in different
landscape setting and climatic conditions under constrained data access
• Development of template and best examples from Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and
Hungary
• Workshop (or Skype) for choice of the best example
• Extended draft of Guidelines ready
• Tuning workshop
Implementation process

4. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20154 www.gwpcee.org
• Main output:
GUIDELINE
NATURAL SMALL WATER RETENTION MEASURES COMBINING DROUGHT
MITIGATION, FLOOD PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
enriched by
case studies from the countries involved in the activity
Final output

5. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20155 www.gwpcee.org
Final output(s)
1. Introduction
1.1. Preliminary remarks
1.2. Why do we have to increase water retention of river basins?
2. Technical and non-technical measures to increase the water retention
2.1. What is natural small water retention? Definitions
2.2. The retention on agricultural areas
2.3. Landscape retention
2.4. Technical retention
3. How to choose the catchment for the retention measures?
3.1. General remarks
3.2. The methodology of catchment selection
4. How can we evaluate the results in the terms of flood protection, drought mitigation and biodiversity increase?
4.1. Evaluation of natural small water retention measures
4.2. Analytical methods
4.3. The best of natural small water retention measures
5. How can we incorporate the natural water retention measures in the RBMP, FPMP and DMP?
6. Experiences and critical analysis from implemented projects in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia including
best examples on combined effects and involvement of stakeholders
7. Conclusions – what is the best action plan

6. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20156 www.gwpcee.org
• Developed idea of GIS based analysis for identifying the
areas which are most suitable for the NSWRMs
• The aim of this analysis was to increase flexibility of the
spatial planning (defining of the area, not the certain
location) and evaluation of the investments taking into
account the environmental needs
• NSWRM activity can be viewed as single project, regional
activity or national program
Added value

7. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20157 www.gwpcee.org
• Implementation of the idea of NSWRM = „very difficult“
• Small retention development programs must be located in
the sectorial strategies (plans) of the development of
particular areas of the national economy
• It is advisable to develop the Master Plan showing the main
lines of action
Lessons learned and transferability

8. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20158 www.gwpcee.org
• Presented outcomes at:
• EUROPE INBO 2014 on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive,
• European River Restoration Conference - ERRC 2014,
• Greener Agriculture for a Bluer Baltic Sea Conference - GABBS 2014.
• There are following activities which may be developed in potential follow-up
project:
• Technical guidelines on the N(s)WRM where different measures would get the technical
and ecological background and “how to do?” questions would be answered.
• The GIS based analytical tool could be developed toward DSS for the planners.
• Demonstration sites (existing or on-going projects) in the CEE could be developed by
adding the hydrological end ecological monitoring and putting them “on-line” for the
global audience.
• Analytical study on key quantitative indices for checking the effectiveness of combined
N(s)WRM in RBM planning.
Follow up

9. IDMP CEE Final Workshop; 21-22 April, 2015, Bucharest, RomaniaApril 20159 www.gwpcee.org
Thank you!