Living
Rivers
Water is Life.
We work together to make Slovakia’s rivers and streams healthier.
Sustainable water management is a new challenge that requires an integrated approach.
The Living Rivers project will support the implementation of the 3rd River Basin Management Plan – the Danube River Basin Management Plan (2021–2027) in Slovakia by carrying out measures in the Danube, Hron, Ipoly, and Belá River basins.
The project supports achieving the ecological objectives of the Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive. Its aim is to ensure good ecological status or good ecological potential of waters in 10 water bodies and to improve a total of 344 km of watercourses through hydromorphological measures, appropriate management of protected areas, and restoration of floodplain forests and non-forested habitats. The project will also remove barriers to fish migration and implement active measures to restore their habitats, support natural reproduction, and strengthen populations of native species.
The proposed activities are based on expertise in several scientific disciplines, such as hydrology, hydraulics, morphology, biology, water quality, and water engineering, and require integrated management and collaborative governance. The project therefore involves 11 project partners and envisages cooperation between several stakeholders and interest groups at local, regional and international level.
The Living Rivers project contributes to the implementation of the 3rd Water Plan – the River Basin Management Plan for the Danube River Basin District (2021–2027) in Slovakia by carrying out measures in the catchment areas of the Danube, Hron, Ipoly and Belá rivers.
Project Goals
- Restoring longitudinal connectivity in selected water bodies by removing or reconstructing barriers, restoring sediment transport continuity including sediment management, and improving the hydraulic, morphological, and ecological functions of existing in-channel structures (such as barriers and groynes).
- Restoring lateral connectivity between the main river channel and its floodplains by reconnecting side arms and rehabilitating natural riverbanks, as well as restoring wetlands and standing waters as natural retention areas directly influencing groundwater retention. This will lead to increased habitat diversity within the river channel and its floodplains, and improve conditions for lateral fish migration and spawning. Additionally, it will enhance the hydrological regime and flow dynamics of the target rivers.
- Restoring degraded natural ecosystems and native fish populations: – Improving natural reproduction of native, endangered, and vulnerable fish species – Restoring wild populations of native protected rheophilic fish (including sturgeons) using in situ methods – Adopting new techniques for studying early fish life stages and adapting them for the conditions of the Danube River in Slovakia.
