Technical project for restoration of Dviete river completed
After about two years of work, elaboration of the technical project for restoration of Dviete river was completed in July 2013.
After visiting Dviete floodplain in 2011 and studying available historical materials on regulation of the river, experts from the associated beneficiary 'ARK Nature' and company 'Stroming' from the Netherlands prepared a technical document containing recommendations for restoration of Dviete river. Recommendations were submitted to 'Meliorprojekts', state Ltd., selected for preparation of technical project according to the price quotation at the end of 2011. Deadline for the work was June 2012.
Till March 2012 Latvian Fund for Nature obtained architectural-planning assignment for restoration of Dviete river from Ilūkste municipality, opinion of fishery experts from the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment, as well as initial environmental impact assessment from the State Environmental Service, prescribing, that full procedure of environmental impact assessment is not necessary for restoration of Dviete river within the planned section.
After prolonged negotiations among Latvian Fund for Nature, 'Meliorprojekts', state Ltd., 'Real Estate of the Ministry of Agriculture', state Ltd. and the experts from the Netherlands, 'Meliorprojekts' submitted technical project to Latvian Fund for Nature in July 2012. Still experts of hydrology from the Netherlands opposed planned parameters of the riverbed, and technical project was not accepted. Negotiations continued, conflicting the interests of nature conservation in the Natura 2000 site and regulations of management of melioration systems.
In order to find solution and verify, if and how the parameters of riverbed, recommended by experts from the Netherlands and provided by 'Meliorprojekts' within the technical project, would have an impact on hydrological regime within the nature park and outside it, the project group decided to carry out hydrological modeling in spring 2013, involving independent experts. According to the price quotation a company 'Center of Processes' Analysis and Research', Ltd (PAIC) was sub-contracted. The model, elaborated by PAIC Ltd showed that both scenarios of river restoration would not have impact on hydrological conditions outside the Dviete floodplain nature park. Within the park, the parameters of riverbed, recommended by the experts from the Netherlands, could cause flooding of the floodplain during the period of low water level in several sites, while the parameters, used by 'Meliorprojekts', could not ensure increase of ground water level in the project area, planned within the LIFE+ project proposal.
After the meeting on April 23, 2013, where PAIC Ltd reported on the results of hydrological modeling of restoration of Dviete river, Latvian Fund for Nature agreed with contractors on surplus modeling to find a compromise scenario. Results of modeling were submitted to 'Meliorprojekts' and appropriate changes in the technical project were made.
The improved technical project with agreement of 'Real Estate of the Ministry of Agriculture' was submitted to Latvian Fund for Nature in July 2013. Now the coordination of the project with land owners continues.
Ilze Priedniece
13.08.2013.
