1. TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION EXPERIENCES IN THE VISTULA LAGOON BASIN GAINED DURING MANTRA-EAST RESEARCH PROJECT 1) MAŁGORZATA BIELECKA – (gosia_bk@ibwpan.gda.pl) 2) ANDRZEJ LEWANDOWSKI – (alewand@sprintnet.pl) 3) PIOTR MARGOŃSKI – (pmargon@mir.gdynia.pl) 4) PER STÅLNACKE – (per.stalnacke@niva.no) 1) Institute of Hydroengineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Gdańsk, Poland 2) GEOMOR - Geoscience and Marine Research & Consulting Co. Ltd, Gdansk, Poland 3) Sea Fisheries Institute, Gdynia, Poland 4) Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Norway Integrated Strategies for the Management of Transboundary Waters on the Eastern European fringe

2. LOCATION OF THE VISTULA LAGOON

3. Salinity: 0.1 - 4.5 PSU Water volume: 2.3 km 3 Avr. retention time: 6 months THE VISTULA LAGOON AND ITS DRAINAGE BASIN Area: 838 km 2 Russia 56% Poland 44%) Length: 90 km Width: 10-19 km Avr. depth: 2.7 m Largest rivers within the drainage area: Pregola, Prokhladnaya, Elbląg, Pasłęka, Nogat, Bauda Connection with the Gulf of Gdańsk: narrow, dredged channel near Baltiysk (Russia) Total drainage area: 23,871 km 2

4. Water quality Eutrophication Sediment quality Salinization result of nutrient inputs from rivers and point sources along Vistula Lagoon 1.nutrient inputs 2.small depth 3.wind driven mixing High turbidity water exchange with the Gulf of Gdansk Over fishing human factor ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

5. ISSUES WITH WATER MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE RWMB GEOMOR IMWM HYDRKACOMRESMI EI IBWSFI POLANDRUSSIA ShirshovAtlantNIRO  Different structures in both countries – too many institutions involved in water management process, restructured often, lack of funds

6.  No common strategy.  No common strategy for the Vistula Lagoon water management and protection. Internal plans also not very well developed.  Polish Water Managers will have to face WFD  Polish Water Managers will have to face WFD requirements while Russian do not have to. .  However they declared a will to follow the WFD.  Numerical models for ecological status assessment installed  Numerical models for ecological status assessment installed at water managers institutions – serious problems with specifying at which institution (especially in Kaliningrad) ISSUES WITH WATER MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

7.  Data availability in terms of possible exchange  Data availability in terms of possible exchange between both sides and partners – different internal regulations and legislation required special agreements between institutions in order to use data in the project  Data availability in terms of sampling stations location, measured parameters, frequency, periods of measurements  Data availability in terms of sampling stations location, measured parameters, frequency, periods of measurements (no winter measurements) - uncertainties  Data accuracy and comparability  Data accuracy and comparability (different analytical methods; different accuracy; not only between countries but also between laboratories) - uncertainties  Coordinated monitoring  Coordinated monitoring – does not exist; spatial distributions in whole Lagoon not available for the same time period (not even day or week) ISSUES WITH DATA COLLECTION

8.  Measurements carried out by different institutions  Measurements carried out by different institutions (those responsible for state monitoring and scientific institutions):  Difficult information exchange  Difficult information exchange between them, however a common data base exists in Kaliningrad  No dissemination of information on different projects  No dissemination of information on different projects carried out for the Vistula Lagoon and its basin (attempt during Gdansk Workshop) ISSUES WITH DATA COLLECTION Poland:Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Environmental Inspections in Olsztyn and Gdansk, Sea Fisheries Institute, Maritime Institute, others; Russia:Kaliningrad Center of Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Kaliningrad Marine Specialized Inspection, Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, AtlantNIRO

9. HYDROLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DATA COLLECTION Stations of regular monitoring of hydrological and meteorological parameters performed by IMWM (Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Poland) and HYDROMET (Kaliningrad Center of Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring). Stations of seasonal monitoring of water salinity (EI – data from Environmental Inspection in Olsztyn, Poland; IO RAS – data from the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

10. WATER DISCHARGES TO THE VISTULA LAGOON  No measurements of discharges  Water quality parameters not measured in all rivers NOT ALL RIVERS ARE MONITORED

11.  Comparison of calculation results with use of 2D and 3D models against monitoring data indicates that both models reproduce water levels and salinity distributions in the lagoon quite accurately.  There is no distinctive indication that there are areas where usage of 3D model would be more justified.  For solving large scale problems in the lagoon 2D model is absolutely satisfactory.  However, for analysis of small scale hydrodynamic and transport processes in Baltiysk Strait and navigation channel areas, the application of the 3D model would be more justified. MODELLING EXPERIENCES Comparison 2D environmental prediction 2D model 3D environmental prediction 3D model Hydrological and environmental data

12. POSSIBILITY OF DATA USAGE FROM OPERATIONAL MODELS  The Vistula Lagoon is a transboundary basin shared by two countries: Poland and Russia.  To calibrate and run the models data are needed from both countries. There is no common data base. Data exchange is difficult and not always possible. How to deal with these problems?

13. use the same modelling system cooperate and build common data base A use the same modelling system or different use own data and use operational modelling system to fill in the gaps B if there is no cooperation Assessment of WQ status of the Lagoon Scenarios of WQ changes POSSIBILITY OF DATA USAGE FROM OPERATIONAL MODELS

14. OPTION B  2 OPERATIONAL MODELS may be used to fill in the gaps: HIROMB for HD conditions and HIRLAM for meteo;  BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE ACCESS TO THE MODELS

15. THE VISTULA LAGOON HIGHLIGHTS Light availability is a very important factor governing the primary production in the Lagoon Light availability is a very important factor governing the primary production in the Lagoon - depends on the amounts of suspended matter, which concentrations are very high, several times higher than values observed in rivers. The Vistula Lagoon is, in general, limited by nitrogen The Vistula Lagoon is, in general, limited by nitrogen. Model simulations indicated that the limiting factors for phytoplankton growth in the Vistula Lagoon were inorganic phosphorus in short periods in spring and inorganic nitrogen in summer and early autumn.  Nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria may annihilate efforts of nitrogen load reduction, if phosphorus concentrations in summer are not reduced  Nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria may annihilate efforts of nitrogen load reduction, if phosphorus concentrations in summer are not reduced. Reduction of phosphate concentrations in summer is needed, in addition to nitrogen reduction, if summer phytoplankton blooms are to be suppressed. There is little retention of phosphorus in the Lagoon. There is little retention of phosphorus in the Lagoon. Nitrogen retention is more substantial.

16.  The Vistula Lagoon ecosystem may quickly react to changes in nutrient loads  The Vistula Lagoon ecosystem may quickly react to changes in nutrient loads. Due to short freshwater residence time (ca. 7 months) the Vistula Lagoon ecosystem may quickly react to changes in nutrient loads. According to the model simulations, the pelagic system may stabilize at new levels within 2 years. The present ecological status of the lagoon may be estimated as “moderate”. The present ecological status of the lagoon may be estimated as “moderate”.  Modelling may be a valuable tool for ecological status assessment  Modelling may be a valuable tool for ecological status assessment. To assess reference conditions modelling may be applied (Delft3D WAQ model). “Good” to “high” status in the Lagoon may be reached “Good” to “high” status in the Lagoon may be reached. It is possible to reach the “good” to “high” status when the Optimal Target Development scenario is applied, which assumes Good Agricultural Code in the Vistula Lagoon drainage basin and point sources pollution reduction. THE VISTULA LAGOON HIGHLIGHTS

17. REDUCTION OF NUTRIENT LOADS from Point Sources Polish Part - modernizationRussian Part - construction of WWTP (with biological treatment with denitrification and P removal as a target)

18. DIFFUSE SOURCES agriculture and other: Proper fertilization of fields (less mineral more natural) Proper storage of manure, urine, slurry Education of farmers in good agricultural practices (financial support: cheap loans, etc.) ATMOSPHERE Reduction of N emissions SEDIMENT / WATER INTERACTIONS Studies necessary REDUCTION OF NUTRIENT

19. 1. Necessity to set up of a common Polish/Russian monitoring program of the Vistula Lagoon, Baltiysk strait and discharging rivers, as well as conduct frequent intercalibrations of measurements !!! Including following parameters: PRACTICAL PROJECT RESULTS RELATED TO WATER MANAGEMENT Meteorological,Meteorological, Hydrological including measurements of velocities in the lagoon at several depths, water levels, river discharges Hydrological including measurements of velocities in the lagoon at several depths, water levels, river discharges Water quality in lagoon and rivers, Water quality in lagoon and rivers, Biological in lagoon and rivers, Biological in lagoon and rivers, Sediment in lagoon Sediment in lagoon 2. Establishment of a common Polish/Russian data base Including parameters collected during monitoring program

20. 3. Usage of the same modelling tools Easier to compare, better information and experiences exchange, used for scenarios and water management planning 4. Usage of operational models complementary to actually measured data Both countries have access to HIROMB and HIRLAM operational models, therefore they are proposed to be used in case data from one country is not available to the other country or in emergency. 5. Active and to some extent resored transboundary cooperation between water managers and scientific instructions PRACTICAL PROJECT RESULTS RELATED TO WATER MANAGEMENT

21. During the project it was noticed that dissemination of information on different activities and projects carried out for the Vistula Lagoon and its basin is very poor. Apparently some activities within different running and proposed projects were overlapping since there was no knowledge about the ongoing projects and cooperation between them. FOLLOW UP PROJECTS GENERATED

22. THANK YOU !