Experts discussed water protection along the Danube

Nearly 50 experts met on Thursday 2 July 2020 for a field trip on the Danube to discuss ways to improve the water regime of the unique place. The excursion took place within the fifth year of the competition FOR WATER, held under the auspices of the Minister of the Environment of the Slovak Republic, Mr. Ján Budaj.

The FOR WATER competition is organized by the Ekopolis Foundation with the support of Nestlé and aims to bring together those seeking solutions to current water management problems and people aged 18 to 30, especially students and young professionals in the field of water protection and water management, or builders. The competition also includes professional seminars and excursions to draw attention to current challenges and problems of water protection in Slovakia. This time, experts visited the Danube and its branch system.

The object of the July excursion was the largest area of ​​natural water accumulation in our country, the branch system of the Danube. Before the walk to the Dobrohošť Small Hydroelectric Poweplant, the Dunakility dam and the core zone of the Dunajská Luha Protected Landscape Area, the hydromorphologist  dr.Katarina Holubova from the Research Institute of Water Management presented the results of several scientific projects concerning changes in the water regime in the Danube branch system, as well as proposals for solutions. Water manager and river hydraulics expert dr. Martin Mišík, a member of the board of the Slovak Reservoir Committee, spoke about the changing social order towards water managers and presented the vision of the Bratislava Danube Park, which was recently supported by the Minister of the Environment Ján Budaj. Environmentalist Andrej Somora from the Dunajské Luhy Protected Landscape Area Administration summarized the issue of restoring longitudinal and lateral connectivity in the country in terms of its values ​​as a natural ecosystem.

“The views of water managers, conservationists, energy professionals and local people on land use and water management in this area have not yet been the subject of a real partnership dialogue. The aim of the meeting was therefore to try to look at the unique landscape around the Danube precisely through these diverse interests, and at the same time through its special importance in terms of water protection and biodiversity. I believe that the seminar is at least the beginning of a dialogue, which will sooner or later have an output in the agreement of various stakeholders and groups.” says Martina Paulíková, manager of the FOR WATER competition from the Ekopolis Foundation.

The organizers of the excursion were the Ekopolis Foundation, the State Nature Protection – Ponitrie Protected Landscape Area Administration and the Dunajské Luhy Protected Landscape Area. The meeting was attended by almost fifty experts from the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic, the Research Institute of Water Management, the State Nature Protection of the Slovak Republic, the administrators of the waterworks – Vodohospodárske stavby š.p. and the Slovak Water Management Enterprise, students and representatives of several civic conservation associations, as well as invited media.

Media contact:

Martina Paulíková, paulikova@ekopolis.sk, +421 915 811 195
Andrej Somora, andrej.somora@sopsr.sk, + 421 949 539 744

About the FOR WATER competition

The main ambition of the FOR WATER competition is to connect talented young people with those who are looking for solutions to specific water problems in their towns and villages. Municipalities, associations, or companies first nominate specific situations or problems related to the retention or use of rainwater, drought, floods, soil removal from fields or water purification. Students and young professionals aged 18 to 30 can then choose a topic for the design of the competition proposal, or they can compete with their own competition work. It can also be a semester or diploma thesis. The current year closes on December 10, 2020, the expert jury will award awards in one category, including the main Nestlé Award, with a financial reward of € 1,000. The competition is organized by the Ekopolis Foundation thanks to the financial support of Nestlé. www.sutazprevodu.sk