United Nations Development Programme Countries: Albania, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro PROJECT DOCUMENT1 Project Title: Enabling transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the extended Drin River Basin UNDP Strategic Plan Outcome #2: Citizen expectations for voice, development, the rule of law “Changing With the and accountability are met by stronger systems of democratic governance World” (2014 – 2017): Expected CPAP Output (s) Output 2.5 - Legal and regulatory frameworks, policies and institutions enabled to ensure the conservation, sustainable use, and access and benefit sharing of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems, in line with international conventions and national legislation - Indicator 2.5.2. Number of countries implementing national and local plans for Integrated Water Resources Management Implementing Partner: GWP, GWP-MED Brief Description The project goal is to foster the joint management of the shared water resources of the extended transboundary Drin River Basin, including coordination mechanisms among the various sub-basin commissions and committees (Lakes Prespa, Ohrid and Skadar). It is expected that this will be achieved by (i) building consensus among countries on key transboundary concerns and drivers of change, including climate variability and change, reached through joint fact finding; (ii) facilitating the agreement on a shared vision and on a program of priority actions deemed necessary to achieve the vision; (iii) strengthening technical and institutional capacities. Programme Period: 2012-2016 Total resources required USD 226,329,721 Total allocated resources: USD 226,329,721 Atlas Award ID: 00082116 Regular (UNDP) USD 5,314,221 Project ID: 00091169 GEF USD 4,500,000 PIMS # 4482 Government USD 52,804,000 Start date: September 2014 End Date September 2018 In-kind contributions USD 163,618,000 Cash contributions USD 93,500 Management Arrangements IGO Execution PAC Meeting Date 5 Feb 2015 Agreed by (Government): 1 For UNDP supported GEF funded projects as this includes GEF-specific requirements Agreed by the Government of Albania: Date/Month/Year Agreed by the Government of FYR Macedonia: Date/Month/Year Agreed by the Government of Montenegro: Date/Month/Year Agreed by (UNDP): Date/Month/Year Agreed by Implementing Partner: Date/Month/Year List of Acronyms ADA Austrian Development Agency CAC Command and Control CARDS Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilization CETI Center for Ecotoxicological Research (Montenegro) CLC Land Cover Classification CORINE Coordination of Information on the Environment DCG Drin Core Group EAR European Agency for Reconstruction EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EEA European Environment Agency EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIB European Investment Bank ENR Ezerani Nature Reserve EU European Union EUWI European Union Water Initiative FMO Fisheries Management Organization FYR The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Macedonia GDP Gross Domestic Product General Directorate of Water Supply and Wastewater (Albania - a public institution GDWW under the MPWTT) GEF Global Environment Facility GIZ Germany agency for International Cooperation GWP-Med Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean IBA Important Bird Areas (European Important Bird Area Programme) IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICPDR International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River ICT Information and Communication Tools ICZM Integrated Coastal Zone Management IDA International Development Association IHP International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO INSTAT Albanian National Statistics Institute IPA Important Plant Areas IPA Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (European Union) IPPC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (Directive of the European Union) IUCN World Conservation Union IW International Waters IW:LEARN International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management KAP Kombinat Aluminijuma Podgorica (Aluminum Plant in Podgorica) KfW Kreditanstalt Fόr Wiederaufbau (German Development Bank) LOCP Lake Ohrid Conservation Project LOMB Lake Ohrid Management Board LOWC Lake Ohrid Watershed Committee Lake Skadar-Shkoder Integrated Ecosystem Management Project (supported by LSIEMP GEF) LSNP Lake Skadar National Park MAFCP Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Consumer Protection (Albania) MAFWE Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy (FYR Macedonia) MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Montenegro) MDGs Millennium Development Goals MED EUWI Mediterranean Component of the European Union Water Initiative MedWet The Mediterranean Wetlands Initiative MEFWA Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration (Albania) MEPP Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning (FYR Macedonia) METE Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy (Albania) MH Ministry of Health MI Ministry of Interior (Albania) MIAPA Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Administration (Montenegro) Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable MIO-ECSDE Development MoU Memorandum of Understanding MPWT Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (Albania) MSDT Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism (Montenegro) MTCYS Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports (Albania) NCSD National Council for Sustainable Development (Montenegro) NGO Non-governmental Organization NIVA Norwegian Institute for Water Research NSSD National Strategy of Sustainable Development NSWR National Strategy on Water Resources NWC National Water Council (Albania) ODA Official Development Aid OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe PA Protected Area PAHs Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons PBAs Prime Butterfly Areas PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyls PENP Public Enterprise for National Parks (Montenegro) PENP Public Enterprise National Parks (Montenegro) PPCC Prespa Park Coordination Committee PPG Project Preparation Grant PPMC Prespa Park Management Committee PPP Purchasing power parity RBA River Basin Agencies RBC River Basin Council RBD River Basin District RBM River Basin Management Plan REAs Regional Environmental Agencies (Albania) REC Regional Environment Centre REReP Regional Environment Reconstruction Programme SAA Stabilization and Association Agreement SAP Strategic Action Plan SAp Stabilization and Association Process SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SECO Swiss Cooperation SEE South Eastern Europe SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SLMNR Shkoder Lake Managed Natural Reserve SLNP Skadar Lake National Park SME Small and Medium Enterprises SNV Netherlands Development Organization SWSSC Shkoder Water Supply and Sewerage Company” TAC National Territorial Adjustment Council (Albania) TDA Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis TP Total Phosphorus Targeted Information Exchange Network on Transboundary Waters in South Eastern TWIEN-SEE Europe TWRM Transboundary Water Resources Management UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization USAID United States Agency for International Development WB World Bank WFD Water Framework Directive (of the European Union) WRM Water Resources Management Table of Contents 1. SITUATION ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................................... 9 Physical Characteristics ................................................................................................................................ 9 Prespa and Ohrid: Two Ancient Lakes ........................................................................................................ 9 Drin River ............................................................................................................................................. 10 Lake Skadar/Shkoder ............................................................................................................................. 11 Buna/Bojana River and Delta .................................................................................................................. 11 The Issues of concern ................................................................................................................................. 12 1. Water Balance ................................................................................................................................ 12 2. Sediment Balance ........................................................................................................................... 14 3. Water Quality ................................................................................................................................. 15 4. Other issues.................................................................................................................................... 18 2. STRATEGY ....................................................................................................................................... 22 2.1 Consistency with country and/or regional priorities and country ownership of the project. ............................ 22 Albania ................................................................................................................................................