Implementation period: 14.09.2007 – 31.12.2010

Project budget: 2.200.000 Lei

Financing program:

PNCDI II /PROGRAM 4  “PARTNERSHIPS IN PRIORITY AREAS” 2007-2013

Program management unit: CNMP/MEC

Project No /Acronym: 1912 /MORFDD

Project Leader /consortium: DDNI Tulcea/GEOECOMAR Bucharest; POLITEHNICA University Bucharest; INHGA Bucharest

Project Director: Dr. Eng. Eugenia CIOACĂ

Project description:

MORFDD Project has developed a new technology for investigating the environmental situation by evaluating morphohydrographic changes produced as result of fluvial processes: erosion and alluvial sedimentation.

The case study of the project is the environmental system Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (DDBR). This is one of the main components of Danube Delta-Black Sea geosystem. It consists of the Danube Delta territory, Razim-Sinoe lake complex and the coastal marine waters up to 20 m deepth.

In the MORFDD Project there were identified and quantified areas with active fluvial processes within, using Delft 3D program.
Project objectives:

Identification of areas from the DDBR hydrographic network with active fluvial processes; assessment of the morphohydrographic modification; the construction of georeferenced databases regarding the hydro-morphological and morphological regime for the entire study area.

The georeferenced databases, built in this project, are processed in specialized programs: ArcGIS /ArcMap and the hydraulic /mathematical model Delft3D. Both programs have constituted the adequate support in visualization and evaluation of the morphological modifications in  hydrographic network of the DDBR.

The mathematical model Delft3D is a product of Hydraulic Systems, DELTARES, Delft, The Netherlands. It is a software specialized in the numerical modeling of morphohydrographic modification and water quality and solve the hydrodynamics equations for the non-permanent flow and morphological processes in rivers, lakes and  coastal areas, in a system of tri-dimensional coordinates (XYZ).

Both in ArcGIS and in Delft 3D, the input are geo-spatial data (XYZ) and they reyult in numerical /digital maps and morphohydrographic profiles of channels and lakes, morphological configuration of hydrographical units. They  show a spatial distribution of the morphohydrographic modification, as well as their size (erosion depths and/or alluvial sedimentary deposits). Studies and land measurements have been carried out in the framework of this project using equipment and computing technics of high performance, compatible with GIS.

Results:

The project result is a scientific basis for knowledge of an environmental system functions, from morfohydrografical point of view as scientific base in the decision-making process regarding the ecological reconstruction and wild species protection and conservation within wetlands and protected areas from DDBR.

( CC6451 / P07337 5 – European Investment Bank Luxemburg) Budget: 221 810 Euro

Partners: Project coordination:  Danube Delta National Institute (DDNI), Tulcea, Romania www.ddni.ro

Sub-contractors: University of Belgrade, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research (IMSI) Belgrade, Serbia, www.imsi.rs;  National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Sofia, Bulgaria, http://www.nmnhs.com;

External scientific adviser & monitor : Finn Økland – NINA Trondheim; EIB Assignment Manager: Stephen Hart & Aimilia Pistrika;

EIB Contract Manager: Luc McCoy

Project description:

ADCP velocity measurements and 3D bathymetric surveys, conducted by DDNI team d/s Iron Gate 2, have been shown as essential for understanding the behaviour of fish approaching the dam.

DDNI team has developed and experimented floats and anchoring systems which will enable installing submerged acoustic telemetry receivers in the difficult hydraulic conditions d/s Iron Gate dams.

Capturing, tagging and successfully recording movements of large sturgeons and three other migratory fish species by Bulgarian and Serbian partners have demonstrated that they acquired the knowledge and skill needed to contribute efficiently in the next / larger project on fish behaviour in relation to Iron gates dams and reservoirs.

Genetic analysis and size of sturgeons recorded during year 2014 and 2015 arriving at Iron Gate 2 have revealed that these individuals belong to groupings spawning in the Serbian and Bulgarian reach of the river d/s Iron Gates, being born after the construction of the dam, in year 1974. Very large sturgeons, born before 1974 u/s the Iron Gate dams, are arriving there at longer time intervals and have not yet been captured and tagged by the pilot and preparatory projects conducted during 2013 – 2015.

Detailed tests, conducted during June 2015, jointly by Romanian and Serbian staff under the guidance of Norwegian expert, with acoustic and radio telemetry equipment from three different companies have shown that, due to extremely difficult hydraulic conditions d/s Iron Gate dams, radio telemetry cannot be used for tracking movement of bottom swimming fish (sturgeons, cat fish, common barbel), while a combination of 3D acoustic positioning and novel signal strength recording acoustic receivers will achieve the resolution required for understanding movements of fish and positioning of entrance(s) of fish passages.

A preliminary location of the entrance to the fish passage needed on the left / Romanian bank d/s the main Iron Gate 2 dam has been proposed based on behaviour and preferences of three migratory fish species (beluga sturgeons, common barbel and European catfish), which were tagged and tracked in this project, corroborated with underwater relief information from the bathymetric survey conducted by this project in March 2015.

Results of this preparatory project and a monitoring strategy of sturgeon behaviour in relation to design and construction of fish passages at Iron Gate dams have been presented and discussed during the World Fish Passage Conference 2015 held in The Netherlands in June 2015.

Objectives and outcomes of this project were presented to the national fisheries authorities in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia, to other stakeholders, including the Iron Gate / Djerdap HPP operators and local communities in Romania and Serbia.

To share the experience and knowledge accumulated during this preparatory project an international workshop with experts of 9 countries was organized in Tulcea and two correlated project proposals related to fish passages at Iron Gate dams were drafted.

An Expression of Interest on the on a larger LDR and MDR project proposal to further study the hydraulic conditions and detailed fish behaviour for re-establishing longitudinal connectivity at Iron Gate dams, locate and map critical habitats for sturgeons and their functioning in the Lower and the Middle Danube River was submitted in early Dec. 2015 by a consortium of 8 institutes and universities from all countries of the region (SK, HU, HR, RS, BG, RO, UA), the WWF DCP Office in Romania, the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture and the Romanian Ministry of Environment, as supporting partners.