The goal of the conservation project, realised within the territory of the Danube-Dráva National Park with World Bank assistance, is the reduction of the nutrient load of the Danube and the Black Sea. As a result of the project, ordered by the South Transdanubian Environment Protection and Water Management Directorate, the aquatic habitats of the Gemenc and Béda-Karapancsa areas, which were seriously endangered by lasting dryness, are coming to life once again.

The project is at the centre of international attention – if it is implemented successfully, the Hungarian project could serve as a template for similar projects throughout the world.

River management and the construction of embankments put an end to farming on the flood plains of the Gemenc and Béda-Karapancsa areas. The subestuaries became blocked, resulting in the filling and gradual drainage of wetlands that had previously been rich in wildlife. Since the blocked subestuaries and the flood plain territories do not retain the river's nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) to the same level as previously, these reach the lower reaches of the river and the Black Sea in much larger quantities.

As a result of the project, the water flow of the territories in question should almost return to their natural state. During the course of the interventional measures the seriously blocked backwater and subestuary stretches are being dredged, furthermore structures to facilitate water retention (submerged vanes, sluices) are being constructed, with the help of which it will be possible to keep arriving flood water within the area for a longer period of time. Since the ecosystem that exists there is capable of taking up the nutrients found in the water, it is estimated that the present nitrogen retention capability of 3800 tons per year could increase to almost 5500 tons, while in the case of phosphorous an increase in efficiency of over 40% is expected.

Of the four areas included in the project, the Báta-Duna Backwater stretch was the first at which work was begun. Around 55.000 m3 of material was dredged from a 950 m, heavily silted stretch below the bridge at Báta, and placed at the edges of the riverbed. A sluice will be installed between the two pillars of the planned, but eventually only half-constructed railway bridge, which will enable the regulation of the water levels of the higher stretches of the backwater between +300 cm and +470 cm respective to the water level at Baja.

In addition to decreasing the nutrient load, the project will also have a positive effect on forestry and game management. Interest in fishing and ecotourism is also expected to increase, meaning that beyond the environmental and conservational advantages the project may also have a positive effect on economic development.

Parallel to the projects undertaken within the territory of the Danube-Dráva National Park, the World Bank project also provided assistance for the modernisation of the North-Pest Sewage Works, enabling third stage purification of sewage, which entails the removal of nitrogen and phosphorous from the contaminated water. The total expenditure of the project is almost 32 million US Dollars, including the 12.5 million dollar non-repayable funding received from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

The full project is expected to be completed by the end of August.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)