Integrated water management in Lithuania (LIFE SIP Vanduo)

The Project will implement the National Water Sector Plan, ensuring elimination or mitigation of significant impacts of prevailing pressures and contributing to achieving good status of surface and
marine waters in line with the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

To enhance efficiency of water resource management, the Project will increase competences and consolidate experts from environmental institutions, research and NGOs. The methods of assessing the status of surface water bodies will be improved by collecting additional data and conducting scientifically based expertise. The tools and methodology for improvement of pressures and impacts analysis will be elaborated and environmental objectives for all water bodies will be set based on ecosystem services approach and cost-benefit analyses.

The Project will develop, test and demonstrate measures to address all pressures deteriorating surface waters: improved nutrient management on farms, control mechanisms for reducing negative impact of hydroelectric power plants, restoration of damaged river morphology, biomanipulation to restore good ecological status of lakes, natural water retention measures to reduce urban pollution, advanced wastewater treatment technology for reducing loads of micropollutants, innovative remote sensing techniques for identification of illegal pollution, and integrated water resources management showcase for a pilot catchment.

The Project will ensure transfer of the developed solutions to other risk water bodies throughout all four river basin districts (RBD) of Lithuania by creating legal framework in synergy with agricultural policy, initiating dialogue with energy sector, by methodical guidance for replication, adopting experience for transboundary RBD, international collaboration network and awareness raising. The Project has mobilised EUR 825 million of European and national funds to leverage Project’s solutions to complementary actions of the Plan.

LEI hydrology researchers will assist with their knowledge for assessment of water bodies, sediment flows and abatement of negative impacts from hydropower plants.

Keywords:
Water quality, river, lake, management plan, river basin management, integrated management, monitoring, capacity building, environmental awareness

Acronym: LIFE SIP Vanduo

Project ID: 101104645

Call: LIFE-2022-STRAT-ENV-SIP-two-stage

Total Budget: 19 797 486.54 EUR (allocated to LEI: 804 060.06 EUR).

Coordinator: Environmental Projects Management Agency under the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania (APVA), Lithuania.

Partners:

• Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania (AM), Lithuania
• Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania (ŽŪM), Lithuania
• Environmental Protection Agency (AAA), Lithuania
• Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Environment (LHMT), Lithuania
• Environmental Protection Department under the Ministry of Environment (AAD), Lithuania
• Fisheries Service under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania (ŽT), Lithuania
• Nature Research Centre (GTC),, Lithuania
• Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI), Lithuania
• SSzkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego w Warszawie (SGGW), Poland
• Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (LAMMC), Lithuania
• Elektrėnai municipality administration (ESA), Lithuania
• Joint Stock Company Klaipėdos vanduo (KV), Lithuania
• Center for Environmental Policy (AAPC), Lithuania
• Nature Heritage Fund (GPF), Lithuania

Co-funded by the European Union via Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) under grant agreement No. 101104645 — LIFE22-IPE-LT-LIFE SIP Vanduo. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.