EIP Water – Smart Rivers Network (AG 224) Newsletter #2 - Nov. 2016

The Smart Rivers Network Action Group promotes mult i-stakeholder river contracts for application in Eastern and Central Eu ropean countries with methods and tools to overcome administrative limita tions. The Smart Rivers Network Action Group intends to contribute to the diffusion of participative governance in the management of European hydrologic basins through the activation of a cooperative network. Public agreements and covenants on water have demonstrated to be very useful participatory tools to promote the involvement of the local communities in making decisions on river basin management. These processes have taken various forms, often in compliance with national policies, and the most widespread tool is the River Contract, currently used in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain.

Smart Rivers International Conference Ferrara, Eson da Expo on September 23 rd 2016

The Smart Rivers Action Group organised the first "Smart River International Conference” as part of the Esonda Expo in Ferrara, Italy on September 23rd 2016. The aim of the conference was to promote an exchange of experiences between different countries toward a new participatory governance in the perspective of a revision and update of the European Directive 2000/60/CE. The conference included input from a number of Smart Rivers Members and feedback on the joint Italian-Moldovan river contract initiative.

Mr Massimo Bastiani (Italian National River Contracts), Mr Gianni Tebaldi (Consorzio di Bonafica della Pianura di Ferarra) and Ms Michela Miletto (World Water Assessment Programme, UNESCO)

Newsletter produced by EIP Water - Smart Rivers Network AG224 All photos provided by Smart Rivers AG Members.

For further information please contact: Paul Chapman: europe@lewisham.gov.uk

The SMA.RI.GO Project Smart river governance: experiences in the mirror from Italy to Moldova.

Co-financed by the CEI Know-how Exchange Programme the project aims at fostering the exchange from Italy to Moldova on the application of European directives on water quality and flood management. It also provides insight on models of intervention and prevention, of structural and non-structural participation and the integration of people for protection from hydrological risk, including use of the new "River Contracts" tool.

The Italian partner delegation visited Moldova during October 2016. The main seminar on the management of the rivers and on the Italian model of contracts of river was held in Apelei Moldova with the Ministry of Environment and many other private and public stakeholders. The team visited the Stanca Costesti dam on the river Prut, itself on the border with Romania. The dam is a USSR construction from 1973 ‐ 1978 holding 1.3 billion cubic meters of water. A RIVER SMART protocol of collaboration has been signed, for both the Prut and also the Botna river, paving the way for formal collaboration between Moldovan and Romanian local water authorities. The TV Moldova coverage of the final conclusions can be seen here and further information is available on the EIP Water Website. (Source: Smart Rivers Network Action Group, TV Moldova)

Delegates of the Moldovan / Italian SMA.RI.GO Project on a visit.

Alex Tabacaru, Endro Martini and Massimo Bastiani

Newsletter produced by EIP Water - Smart Rivers Network AG224 All photos provided by Smart Rivers AG Members.

For further information please contact: Paul Chapman: europe@lewisham.gov.uk

Who are the SMART Rivers Network members?

The SMART Rivers Network is made up of 38 partners in 15 European countries – both EU and non-EU States.

One of our newest members operate in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Caroline Crozet explains the work undertaken by Rivières des 4 Vallées:

The Syndicat Rivières des 4 Vallées is a public institution bringing together communities and groups of communities; it has a technical and an administrative department. Being united in an association allows these communities to combine human, technical and financial resources to work for a balanced and sustainable water

management (in particular rivers and wetlands) at a coherent scale: the drainage basin.

R4V Skills and Competences:

• Definition and organisation of management and planning tools for a balanced and sustainable water management (“Contrat de rivière”, farming and environmental program)

• Flooding management • Organization, restoration,

maintenance of riverbanks, riparian plants, channels

• Pollution management in surface and subterranean waters

• Wetland and ponds management • Education to water management

The Syndicat Rivières des 4 Vallées takes actions on the territory of its 29 community members. The association board made of elected representatives deliberates to define projects and priorities and allows the institution to take action. • Total area: 460km² • Water system: 4 main rivers (Gère (picture above), Vega, Gervonde-

Ambalon-Vésonne, Sevenne) covering 200km • Population: 81,566 inhabitants in 30 Communities • 3 Groups of communities: (ViennAgglo, Bièvre Isère Communauté, Collines

du Nord Dauphiné)

Staff of the Rivières des 4 Vallées

Newsletter produced by EIP Water - Smart Rivers Network AG224 All photos provided by Smart Rivers AG Members.

For further information please contact: Paul Chapman: europe@lewisham.gov.uk

5 Key Points from the SMART Rivers Network Conferen ce

The Smart Rivers Network Communications Officer Paul Chapman reflects on the SMART Rivers Network Action Group conference held in Ferrara, Italy in September: 1. ‘It won’t take much’ to

make substantial steps towards safe-guarding water supply and water quality. But, the implication is that if we do not act the impact could be catastrophic.

2. Rivers and water do not fit into the national and administrative boundaries that we often work to – this, by necessity, requires cross border and inter agency working.

3. Given the complexities, it is encouraging to see that something is happening at many different levels; international, national, regional, sub-regional, local and micro-local.

4. There are lots of differing water interests approaching from different angles but heading in the same direction. Therefore our aim should be discovering how different sectors can work together to complement each other.

5. Cooperation projects are key for the SMART Rivers Network. The Network provides a base for this work and a rationale for future funding, meetings and events.

The Action Group is building its online presence and you can follow Smart Rivers on Twitter; look for @smartrivers1.

STOP PRESS: On 9 th November 2016 the Smart Rivers Network Action Group were represented at the COP22 UN Climate Chan ge Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco with presentations at the Italia n Pavilion. Watch out for updates in the next newsletter.