WP4: Act. 4.2 Preparation of Drava River Framework – Agreement on common vision, goals and measures Act. 4.3 Implementation of Pilot Actions on the Drava River Corridor

STAKEHOLDER AGREEMENT for the Pilot Area Upper Drava – Carinthia from Oberdrauburg to Molzbichl short version

Prepared by: Susanne Mühlmann Stephan Schober Marian Unterlercher Alexander Zinke

Regional Government of Carinthia, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Department 8 - Environment, Water and Nature Protection Water Management, [email protected] [email protected]; [email protected] [email protected]

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ...... 3 1.1. Steps of the pilot project ...... 3 1.2. Austrian Drava Pilot Area process scheme ...... 5 1.3. Stakeholder involvement ...... 5 3. Stakeholder Agreement – a common vision for the future ...... 6 4. Outputs of the pilot project ...... 7

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1. INTRODUCTION

Based on the ideas of SEE River and the Drava River Framework, an interdisciplinary concept of measures was elaborated for the Austrian Pilot Area in Carinthia between Oberdrauburg and Molzbichl. The concept of measures, which is valid for the next decades, and the goals for the Drava are supported by all relevant stakeholders from the region.

1.1. Steps of the pilot project

In Austria since 1990, River Development Schemes (GEK; formerly water management con- cepts) are a well proven planning tool to  improve flood protection on major rivers and  at the same time conserve or restore the ecological conditions and  simultaneously implement measures for recreation uses.

Along the Drava, especially in the district Spittal a. d. Drau, a number of successful projects have been executed over the last 20 years concerning river management (restoration, flood protection, nature conservation, recreation, etc.). Stakeholder involvement was always an important part of these projects. The projects LIFE I (Floodplain‐Forest Link of the Upper Drava River Valley) and LIFE II (Life Vein Upper Drava River) projects are the most important ones. Basis of most of the implemented measures was the River Development Schemes (GEK) Up- per Drava, which was elaborated in 1991.

Within the SEE RIVER Project the instrument GEK Upper Drava and the implemented measures since 1991 were evaluated, the effects of each single measure and also the com- bined effect of all measures on the development of the Drava were checked. Also the in- strument GEK itself was evaluated, as well as the interaction under the EU directives and the stakeholder involvement and their satisfaction with the executed works at the Drava were important tasks to be evaluated. Planning instruments such as the National Water Development Plan (RBMP of the Water Framework Directive) and the Flood Risk Management Plan (EU Flood Directive) have to be harmonized with the integrative thinking of the GEK. Major result of the pilot project is an integrative concept of about 125 different measures – worked out by different stakeholders (authorities, technicians and ecologists) within the

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frame of the SEE RIVER Project and coordinated with the EU directives. Based on this overall concept, measures for the improvement of flood safety were formulated. Possible solutions which bring additional benefits, for example improving the ecological state or upgrading of the Drava as a recreational area, were incorporated with a view of gaining maximum ac- ceptance and support in the region and especially in the river corridor.

The general description of »River Development Schemes« comprises the following steps:

 Preliminary study: In the interest of doing an efficient planning, existing data are examined and reviewed. The results are structural guidelines for the subsequent work.

 Analyses of the actual situation involve the abiotic, biotic and anthropological components that are important for the situation of the relevant water body. Depending on the circumstances they are coupled with the delineation of hazard zones.

 The mission statement for a particular water body aims at coordinating the sectoral and specific goals. In a process consisting of several steps, stakeholders define common and coordinated goals and related conditions.

 The Catalogue of Measures describes individual future measures in the planning area and defines priorities. On the basis of the mission statement, authorities and communities select the most suited measure(s) for the relevant section. This also includes measures for the minimisation of the residual risk to account for those floods that are more severe than those occurring statistically every 100 years, as well as measures for informing the public.

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1.2. Austrian Drava Pilot Area process scheme

1.3. Stakeholder involvement

During the project– at the evaluation process, at the definition of the new Leitbild and at the development of the concept of measures – the steps were discussed in the course of 4 stakeholder workshops with the relevant stakeholders (f.e. water mangagement, nature conservation, tourism, agriculture, etc.). In the future, when particular measures will be planned in detail and implemented, more stakeholderworkshops will be held.

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3. STAKEHOLDER AGREEMENT – A COMMON VISION FOR THE FUTURE

For more than 20 years, measures are being imple- District is one of these pilot regions. Over the last two mented on the Upper Drava, that allow for the region years, the River Development Scheme, being over 20 a sustainable development. Together with local part- years old, has been evaluated and a new interdiscipli- ners and representatives from river engineering, nary catalogue of measures has been worked out for nature conservation, agriculture and tourism, a lot the pilot region from Oberdrauburg up to the motor- has been achieved for the safety of the people living way bridge at Molzbichl. in the Drava valley as well as for the river and its liv ing environment. This successful work shall also be We, the representatives from the pilot region, want to set a strong signal for the joint implementation of the co ntinued in the future. new River Development Scheme and have therefore In the frame of the SEE River Project pilot areas have formulated the following Agreement that we jointly been chosen on the Drava and on five other rivers in undersign: South -eastern Europe. The Upper Drava in the Spittal

We support the efforts to attain flood safety for the re gion. Measures for keeping all inundation spaces free shall be implemented as well as locally needed protec- ______tion measures (such as at Oberdrauburg or Berg). Norbert Sereinig, Flood Protection Management

Measures executed over the last years have shown that river bed widenings contribute to a stabilisation of the river bed and trigger the development of valuable ______habitats for fauna and flora both in the water and on Herbert Mandler, Flood Protection Manage- land. An intact Drava river results also in an upgrading ment, Sub-dept. Spittal/D. of the living space of the Drava Valley People. We are committed to further pursue the river restoration strat- egy and to support future endeavours, such as by con- ______tributing to the question of how to secure the needed Thomas Friedl, Ecology of Waters spaces.

Already today, the Drava is a valuable recreation and ______relaxation area in the valley floor. There are a number Eckart Mandler, Tourism of successful measures which re-opened access to the river banks for local people. We are committed to use this potential also in the future and to further develop ______it together with the population. Werner Petutschnig, Nature Conservation

The goal of the integrated implementation of the EU water and conservation policy is effectuated in Austria in the National Water Management Plan (based on the ______EU Water Framework Directive), in the Flood Risk Karl Tillian, Agriculture Carinthia, Dst. Villach

Management Plan (based on the EU Flood Directive) and in the Natura2000 management plans. By pursuing the afore-mentioned objectives we adhere to the goal ______of the integrated implementation of the EU water and Josef Warum, Agriculture Carinthia, Dst. Villach – conservation policy in the pilot region. Land Consolidation

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4. OUTPUTS OF THE PILOT PROJECT

During the project several reports and maps were produced which are collected in a project box (printed version) and are also available as pdf documents. Most of the reports were elaborated in German language:

01 AUSTRIAN Drava River Corridor Analysis Report (WP4-1) – in English 02 GEK Drau II Evaluierung – Bericht – in German (evaluation - report) 03 GEK Drau II Evaluierung – Steckbriefe – in German (characteristics of the river stretches - report) 04 GEK Drau II Maßnahmenkonzept – Bericht – in German (concept of measures - report) 05 GEK Drau II Maßnahmenübersicht – Karte 1:50,000 – in German (map of the measures) 06 GEK Drau II Maßnahmenübersicht – Karte 1:25,000 Teil Ost – in German (map of the measures in the eastern part) 07 GEK Drau II Maßnahmenübersicht – Karte 1:25,000 Teil West – in German (map of the measures in the western part) 08 GEK Drau II Stakeholderbeteiligung – Protokolle – in German (stakeholder involvement – minutes of the local events) 09 GEK Drau II DRADA Drau-Daten-Archiv – Inhalt – in German (content of the database DRADA)

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