Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System Country Report Albania November 2012 I Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System Contents HYDROGEOLOGICAL OVERVIEW 5 1.1 Project tasks and the role of WG 1.2 General on karst term, distribution, 6 1.3 Historical review of karst researches 10 II CHAPTER 2 Physiographic and climate 11 2.1 Geographical position and boundaries 11 2.2 Vegetation and land cover 13 2.3 Rainfall regime 15 2.4 Air temperature 16 2.5 Other climate elements 17 III CHAPTER 3 HYDROLOGY 19 3.1. Hydrographic network 19 3.2 Streamflow regime 21 3.3 Controlling stream flow – dam and reservoirs 22 3.4 Electricity production 24 IV. CHAPTER 4 GEOLOGICAL PATTERN 29 4.1 Overview of the geological structure of Albania 29 4.2 The geological position of Albania 29 4.3 The structural zones north of the Shkodra-Peja transversal and their 32 connections with the Dinarides 4.4. Litostratigraphic units 33 4.5. Geomorphology and karstification 42 V. CHAPTER Karstification process 45 5.1. A brief outlook of the karst and its development in Albania 45 5.2. Caves in karstic formations 46 5.3.Surficial karstic features 47 5.4. Potholes and caves 47 VI. CHAPTER Hydrogeology Aquifer systems 49 6.1. The karstic waters in Albania 49 6.2. Groundwaters 49 6.3.Tracing tests results 51 6.4. Regional groundwater direction 51 6.5. Groundwater bodies 51 VII. CHAPTER 7 Hydrogeological resources in Albania 55 7.1. Groundwater basins 55 7.2. Brief description of hydrogeological conditions Vjosa Basin 55 7.3.Brief description of hydrogeological conditions Seman Basin 58 7.4 Brief description of hydrogeological conditions Shkumbini Basin 59 7.5 Brief description of hydrogeological conditions Ishmi - Erzen Basin 60 7.6. Brief description of hydrogeological conditions Mati Basin 65 7.7 Brief description of hydrogeological conditions Drini Basin 71 VIII. CHAPTER 8 Karst aquifer characterization 78 8.1. Aquifer permeability 78 8.2. Aquifer recharge 78 8.3. Aquifer discharge (springs distribution) 78 8.4. Spring flow regime 81 8.5. Groundwater quality 82 2 I Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System IX. CHAPTER 9 Groundwater utilization and demands 84 9.1. Tapping structures and control of groundwater flow 85 9.2. Main waterworks 85 9.3. Smaller water users (industrial sector and rural settlements) 89 9.4. Agricultural sector 90 9.5. Mineral and thermal water use 94 9.6. Groundwater treatment 94 9.7. Water demands and sustainability 95 X. CHAPTER 10 Groundwater reserves assessment 97 10.1. Methodology 97 10.2. Ecological flow 100 10.3. Groundwater reserves and availability 100 XI. CHAPTER 11 Aquifer vulnerability and protection 103 11.1. Aquifer vulnerability 103 11.2. Groundwater protection zones 103 11.3. Impact of climate changes on groundwater resources 105 XII. CHAPTER 12 Transboundary aquifers 107 12.1. Identification and status 107 12.2. Possible disputes in groundwater management 107 XIII. CHAPTER 13 Towards optimization of intakes and 109 sustainable use (incl. monitoring status) 13.1 Requirements of the EU water framework directive and groundwater direct 110 ive for groundwater monitoring 13.2 WFD recommendations for groundwater monitoring 111 XIV Reference 123 XV Annexes 148 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC OVERVIEW 158-189 Part 1- Environment and Socio Economic Aspects at National level 1. Socioeconomics 1.1 Administrative boundaries 1.2 Population and demography 1.3 Agriculture, industry and other sectors 1.4 Tourism 1.5 Roads 2. Environment 2.1 Water use 2.2 Land use 2.3 Solid waste, waste water treatment and waste disposal 2.4 Protected areas Part 2-Environment and Socio Economic Aspect at TBA level Cijevna 1. Domestic water use 2. Agriculture and animal husbandry 3. Industry FIGURES 3 I Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND POLICY 190 - 224 1. Introduction 2. Updated report on legal, institutional and policy framework in Albania 3. Questionnaire on GW management issues 4. National SWOT analysis 5. Bilateral agreements for management of TB GW STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS 225-249 1. Introduction 1.1 Stakeholders Analysis in the framework of the DIKTAS project 1.2 Methodology 2 Analysis 2.1 Stakeholder Analysis 2..1.1 Albania On-line Survey Results 2.1.2 Tirana National Consultation Meeting Results 2.1.3 Results from Interviews 2.1.4 Conclusions for Albania 2.2. Perceived Significant Issues Analysis 2.2.1 Perceived Significant Issues in Albania 2.2.1.1 Issues 2.2.1.3 Other Significant Issues 2.2.1.4 Hot Spots Annex 1- Perceived Significant Issues in Albania per method used Results from On-line Survey Results from Tirana National Consultation Meeting Results from Interviews 4 I Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System HYDROGEOLOGICAL OVERVIEW CHAPTER 1 CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON GROUND WATER RESOURCES 1. INTRODUCTION DIKTAS is a project initiated by the aquifer-sharing states and supported by Global Environment Facility (GEF) to improve understanding of transboundary groundwater resources of the Dinaric region and to facilitate their equitable and sustainable utilization, including the protection of unique karst groundwater dependent ecosystems. The core DIKTAS project partners are four GEF fund- recipient countries of the Dinaric region, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro. Several other countries (in the Dinaric region and beyond) and international organizations have also joined this challenging project. DIKTAS is a full-size GEF regional project, implemented by UNDP and executed by UNESCO- IHP. Many other countries and international organizations have joined to the Diktas project challenging and provide a valuable contribution to the realization of its objectives. This project is addressing the issue of a sustainable management of groundwater and karst ecosystems. It is the first time introduced the universally proven principles of integrated management in fresh water of a karst groundwater aquifer of this type and size. There is a collaborative effort aimed at: - To facilitate the use of transboundary sustainable water resources of the Dinaric karst aquifer - To protect ecosystems dependent on underground waters those uniquely characterize the Dinaric karst region of the Balkan Peninsula. The project aims, in its own views, to identify the progress and perceptions about water management issues that apply to transboundary karst aquifers. It needs the opinion of all participants involved in order to help to design a groundwater management in the project area. The project is built according to the following model, giving us in its first part so-called - situations analyse: 1 - Context in which applied and implemented as well as global importance of the project 2 - Concerns, causes and socio-economic base and analysis of the barriers encountered 3 - The problems which we referred 4 - Analysis of stakeholders in the project area. In the second half according to the project - Strategy - stays its strategy which takes into account: 1 - Political context and institutional sector 2 - Rationalization and political conformity 3 - Objectives and goals of the project, results and achievements / activities 4 - Indicators of project, risks and assumptions I Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst Transboundary Aquifer System 5 - Justification of growth of benefits at local, national and world level 6 - The sustainability of the project 7 - Replication of the project during its development stages. The third part takes into consideration project management in different stages of its progress while the fourth is that of monitoring. In the fifth and last part of the legal context is presented according to the project development. Albania through its experts participated in the four working groups consolidated as part of the project. It has contributed in the context of analysis of potential users of project results or interested groups that will effectively help in the successful implementation of the project. From the other hand an abundant database is created regarding the water resources and the other activities related to them. 1.1 Project tasks and the role of WG Karst studies have been a part of the UNESCO Science Sector programmes (International Geoscience Programme, IGCP and International Hydrological Programme, IHP) since last three decades.Since 1972 UNESCO has coordinated and conducted a Global Study of Karst Aquifers and Water Resources and supported an array of international activities in the field of Karst Hydrogeology and Karst Water Resources Management in the region. Through these activities the UNESCO was instrumental in increasing global understanding of karst hydrogeology and water resources challenges. The Project is organised in four components, wherein the following fields of activities are foreseen: Component (1) 1. Improving the understanding of the resource and of its environmental status. 2. Scientists and experts of the participating countries develop a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis; countries agree on baseline conditions and adopt environmental status indicators. 3. Information database, including harmonized morphologic and thematic base maps, is prepared and adopted as basis for joint actions. 4. Countries select sites for possible pilot demonstrations, based on agreed upon criteria. Component (2) 1. Establishing cooperation mechanisms among countries sharing the