BALTIC SEA ENVIRONMENT PRO-CEEDINGS No. 46 SUMMARIES OF THE PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDIES Prepared for the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme 0 ,· .v • • • • • • • BALTIC MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMISSION - HELSINKI COMMISSION - BALTIC SEA ENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 46 SUMMARIES OF THE PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDIES Prepared for the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme 1. ST.PETERSBURG, STJIETERSBURG REGION, KARELIA AND ESTONIA 2. WESTERN COAST OF ESTONIA 3. THE GULF OF .RIGA AND DAIJGAVA RIVER BASIN 4. UTHUANIAN COAST AND THE NEMUNAS RIVER BASIN 5. lfAUNINGRAD REGION AND THE PREGEL RIVER BASIN 6. VISTUlA RIVER BASIN AND BAl. TIC COAST OF POLAND 7; ·ODERfODRA RIVER BASIN 8. NORTH GERMAN BAl. TIC COAST BALTIC MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMISSION Plot .ted ot EDC, Hels in ki for-- HE-LCOM TF 18 J un 93 - HELSINKI COMMISSION - 1993 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE 1 A. BACKGROUND DOCUMENT FOR THE BALTIC SEA 3 ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION, 1992 B. THE PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDIES 33 1. St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Region, Karelia and 37 Estonia 2. Western Coast of Estonia 49 3. The Gulf of Riga and the Daugava River Basin 59 4. Lithuanian Coast and the Nemunas River Basin 65 5. Kaliningrad Region and the Pregel River Basin 75 6. Vistula River Basin and Baltic Coast of Poland 83 7. Oder/Odra River Basin 111 8. North German Baltic Coast 125 For bibliographic purposes this document should be cited as: c. THE TOPICAL AREA STUDIES 135 HELCOM, 1993 Summaries of the Pre-Feasibility Studies 1. The Topical Area Study for Agricultural Runoff 137 Prepared for the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme 2. Wetlands - Vital Ecosystems for Nature and Societies 147 Balt. Sea Environ. Proc. No. 46 in the Baltic Sea Region Information included in this publication or extracts thereof is free for citing on the condition that the complete D. REFERENCES 155 reference of the publication is given as stated above. ' Copyright 1993 by the Baltic Marine Environment LIST OFBALTIC SEA ENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS 159 Protection Commission - Helsinki Commission - ISSN 0357-2994 Helsinki - Painatuskeskus Oy 432491U PREFACE In the elaboration of the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme pre-feasibility studies and consultant reports were prepared on a number of priority areas. This publication contains summaries of eight pre-feasibility studies, the topical area ,study for agricultural runoff and the study on wetlands. The international financial institutions (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Nordic Investment Bank and the World Bank) and the Commission of the European Communities acted as executing agencies within the HELCOM ad hoc high level Task Force for the preparation of the studies. A reference list of the pre-feasibility studies and topical area studies is attached to this publication. The strategy and principles for a long-term programme to restore the ecological balance of the Baltic Sea (the Baltic Sea Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme) was adopted by the Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, held in Helsinki on 9 April 1992, published in the BSEP No. 48. The Summary of the Programme, as in Conference Document No. 512 of the above mentioned Diplomatic Conference "Background Document for the Baltic Sea Environmental Declaration, 1992", is also included in this publication. 1 A. BACKGROUND DOCUMENT FOR THE BALTIC SEA ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION, 1992 2 3 DIPLOMATIC CONFERENCE ON THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT OF THE BALTIC SEA AREA BACKGROUND DOCUMENT FOR THE BALTIC SEA ENVffiONMENTAL DECLARATION, 1992 Helsinki, Finland 9 April 1992 I. INTRODUCTION 1 The Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Conference Document No. 5/2 Baltic Sea Area is invited to adopt the draft Baltic Sea Environmental Declaration, 1992, endorsing the strategic approach and principles of the Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme (Preliminary version) which was developed to respond to the Baltic Sea Agenda Item 5 Declaration adopted at .the level of Prime Ministers at the Baltic Sea Environment Conference in Ronneby, Sweden on September 3, 1990. 2 At Ronneby, the Ministers established the long-term objective of ensuring the ecological restoration of the Baltic Sea and the preservation of its ecological balance. The BACKGROUND DOCUMENT FOR THE Programme addresses these issues by identifying problems and priority actions in all the BALTIC SEA ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION, 1992 countries within the Baltic Sea catchment area (Fig.1). II. OVERVIEW 3 The multi-year Programme encompasses both preventive actions to promote sustainable use of the Baltic environment, and curative actions to rectify the legacy of environmental degradation from point and non-point source pollution. In addition to these investments, the Programme will support development of appropriate environmental policies and legislation, promote the use of economic incentives to encourage environmentally sound actions, strengthen institutional capacity and human resources, and increase the local capacity to finance environmental measures. 4 The Programme has been designed to support implementation of the Helsinki Convention and HELCOM Recommendations. Priorities include investment and non­ investment actions to address the need to control both non-point source pollution and point source pollution. The Programme identifies actions needed to control pollution at 132 "hot spots" (Fig. 2). Of these 47 have been designated "priority hot spots". The latter are a Conference Secretariat primary focus of the first phase of the investment programme. Helsinki Commission III. BACKGROUND. 5 The Programme has been elaborated by the ad hoc high level Task Force established within the framework of the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM TF). The in cooperation with members of HELCOM TF are all the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention Ministry l'ur Fot·cign Affairs of Finland and Ministry of the Environment of Finland 4 5 (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Poland, Russia, and Sweden), the Czech and Slovak lower layers of these areas, decomposition of organic material leads to anoxic conditions Federal Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and the Commission of European Communities rendering these layers virtually lifeless. The size of the bottom areas with impaired (CEC), as well as four multilateral financial institutions - the European Bank for conditions for life varies from year to year. In some years as much as Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (BIB), the Nordic 100 000 km\ or one fourth of the whole Baltic Sea, approaches "dead bottom" conditions. Investment Bank (NIB), and the World Bank. The International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission participated as an observer. Greenpeace International, World Wide Fund for 10 Th~ Human Contrib~tion. The natural vulnerability is seriously aggravated by Nature (WWF) and the Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) have had an opportunity to comment ~nthro~og~mc causes of environmental change and degradation. Municipalities and on the draft pre-feasibility studies and the draft Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action 111dustnes 111 the catchment area discharge pollutants directly to the numerous rivers that feed Programme. into the Baltic Sea, and to the many estuaries, bays and gulfs. Rivers act as large-scale c?llectors and c~riers of wastewater from diverse sources within their drainage basins and 6 The Task Force used a variety of studies and sources of information to develop the d1scharge them 111to wetlands, coastal lagoons and the Baltic Sea. The inadequate treatment Programme. These included national plans prepared by the States, who are Contracting of municipal sewage in the eastern and southern and southwestern parts of the catchment Parties to the Helsinki Convention, as well as by the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, area is compounded by lack of pre-treatment of industrial wastewaters that are discharged Latvia, Lithuania and Norway which were reviewed by the Task Force. Pre-feasibility to the municipal sewage systems. In addition, many pollutants are transported to the Baltic studies were undertaken of environmental issues, the sources and magnitude of pollution Sea through the atmosphere. Finally, agricultural practices, including intensive livestock loads, and options for pollution control and improved environmental management throughout husbandry, are a major contributor to the high nutrient load on the Baltic Sea. the Baltic Sea catchment area. Special studies were also made of agricultural runoff, wetlands, and the impact of emissions into the atmosphere. Preparation of the pre-feasibility 11 The Contrib!-ltion of Large Nutrient Loads. Eutrophication is a problem of studies included holding public hearings at a number of locations in the eastern and southern special conce.rn. Eutrophication is caused by excessive growth of biomass stimulated by the portions of the region. It should be noted, however, that some of the studies launched by large influx of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds which come from agricultural and the Task Force have not yet been completed in technical detail. The pre-feasibility studies forestry runoff, atmospheric transport, as well as discharges from municipalities and and special studies were financed by grants totalling about 5 million ECU from the industries. The decay of this