Una River Sub-basin

1.	GENERAL INFORMATION	UNA RIVER (sub-basin shared by Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Una river has a total length of 214 km and a total catchment of 10,816 km² (129 km and 1,686 km² are in the eastern part of central Croatia; 85 km and 9,130 km² are in the western part of Bosnia & Herzegovina; in its upper and lower course it forms the border between the two states. Una springs in the Lika district (Croatia) and enters after 12 km the karst mountains in northwestern B-H. In the middle section, it flows through the Una Sana Canton of B-H. In the lower basin border stretch it flows between hills and mountains covered with mixed forest. The mouth into Sava river (average discharge of 220m3/s, maxima in spring and autumn) is in the fertile alluvium near Jasenovac (Pounje district/HR). The main tributaries are Unac and Sana rivers (city of Prijedor with less than 100,000 inhabitants). The region has a continental climate with annual precipitation between 770 and 1,100 mm. For flood protection, several hydraulic structures were built in the Bosnian section. The Una region is characterised by extensive agriculture and cattle breeding (minor abstractions). Since the war, about 80% of people in B-H live in urban settlements; only about 50% are connected to public water supply and 35% to sewerage systems. 90% of urban sewage is directly discharged into the watercourses. Una flows through the following towns: Bihać (60,000 inhabitants), Bosanska Krupa, Bosanski Novi, and Dubica. It flows into Sava River near Jasenovac (HR). Main pollution problem is sewage and untreated wastewater from the municipalities (e.g. Prijedor) and high industrialization (e.g. pulp plant in Prijedor, viscose plants). However, since the end of war only few factories (mostly without treatment plants) produce again. There is also intensive agriculture (pesticides, pig farms).

Croatia	Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.1. Geographical properties
Longitude/latitude at downstream river outlet
Jasenovac, 45,27N; 16,91 E 115	Ustica, X 6415499.087, Y 5014804.804
Size of basin
1,686 km²	9,130 km²
Length and width in km
100 km / 20 km	214 km / 107 km
Topography, including altitude range in m
Mild terrain covered with mixed forests 150 m a.s.l. at Hrvatska Kostajnica 94 m a.s.l. mouth at Jasenovac	Average watershed slope: 473 m Altitude at the mouth: 83 m a.s.l.
Geology
Alluvium on tertiary formation	Limestones
Rainfall, average annual and seasonal distribution, etc.
1,200 mm/y (southern part) – 900 (northern part) Autumn and spring maxima Continental climate	1,500 mm/y
River(s), with lengths and average annual flows and seasonal distribution - flood and drought incidence and impact
129 km in Croatia Qavg = 221 m³/s Autumn and spring maxima No significant tributaries	River Catchment's area Average flow at mouth Unac 839 km² 28.8 m³/s Sana 4,024 km² 84.2 m³/s
1.2. Demographic properties
General location of the basin
Eastern part of central Croatia; Sisacko Moslavacka county	Western part of B&H. Una springs in the Lika region (Croatia) and enters after 12 km in the mountains of north-western B&H. In the middle section, it flows through the Una- Sana Canton of the Federation of B&H.
Total population in basin
17,100	620,373 inh. (CENSUS 1991)
Population of principal cities or towns
Hrvatska Kostajnica 2,750 Dvor 5,742 Hrvatska Dubica 2,341	Bihać: 60,623 (estimation) Sanski most: 64,539 (estimation) Prijedor : 110,000 (estimation)
Average per capita income
NA	Data for Una-Sana Canton (4,125 km²) 2003: Realized investment: 63,281,000 USD
Industrial and agricultural GDP (Gross Domestic Product) (2003)
2,000$/inh	1,263 USD (estimation 2001)
Population living below the poverty line
15%	Data for Una-Sana Canton (4,125 km²) 2003.: 31,492 employed 31,312 unemployed For RS part of Una River sub-basin: data N/A
Other relevant characteristics
Rather isolated and undeveloped region	N/A
1.3 LAND USES
Mountains: 10% Forest: 50% Pasture: 30% Agriculture: 20% Irrigated lands: poor	Data for Una-Sana Canton (4,125 km²) 1991: Arable land and garden: 105,286 ha Orchards: 2,508 ha Pastures and meadows: 86,331 ha
Croatia	Bosnia and Herzegovina
2. WATER RESOURCES / USES AND ENVIRONMENT SITUATION
Total available surface and groundwater resources
Surface water: 2 m³/s Underground water: 1,15 m³/s	3.33 m³/s
Net usable capacity of surface reservoirs
No surface reservoirs	No surface reservoirs
Total surface water abstractions (estimated where not measured)
No surface abstractions	No abstraction from surface waters
Total groundwater abstractions (estimated where not measured)
8 locations Installed capacity 102 l/s	In 2000 for Una river watershed: FBIH: 73.862 m³/day RS: 38.860 m³/day
Surface and groundwater quality (in general categories only)
Surface water quality I – II Underground water quality I	Surface waters : I – II Groundwater: I
Water uses (total, by sector, principal uses, current (estimated) and future (projected), include in-stream uses (fisheries, etc.) where appropriate)
1 fish farm (volume NA) 4 locations for recreation 5 mills	Fish farm (volume NA) locations for recreation (rafting) water mills
Deficits and other resource concerns (e.g. quality, extremes, environmental degradation)
Existing water potential in quantities and quality is much higher than the use	General concern is for 2 major waterfalls (Strbacki buk and Martibrod) which are prone to degradation due to droughts and floods.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROPERTIES
Sensitive ecosystems, biodiversity and environmental impacts in the basin
Mayor pollution comes from B&H.	• About 80% of people in B-H live in urban settlements; only about 50% are connected to public water supply and 35% to sewerage systems. 90% of the urban sewage is directly discharged into the water courses. • Main pollution problem is sewage and un-treated wastewater from the municipalities and industries. However, since the end of war only few factories (mostly without treatment plants) produce again. • Intensive agriculture (pesticides, pig and poultry farms).
3. BASELINE INFORMATION AVAILABILITY
Observation networks
National monitoring network of surface water quality National hydrological network	• Federal Meteorological Institute implements monitoring on the territory of Federation, while the Hydro-meteorological Institute does that in the Republic of Srpska. • Public companies for Watershed Areas organize monitoring of water courses
Maps, with available scales, GIS and remote sensing imagery
?	GIS based information system for the water sector (management) is missing.
Data archives and their adequacy
• Data archives at: Croatian Waters, State meteorological and hydrological service not publicly accessible. • Quality of data is not verified but of limited use. Poor public data archives on hydrology, hydraulic, population, economy, planning. • Data are spread in various publications and records.	• Unclearness in legal articles, institutional, human resources and financial problems in the sector resulted, among others, in insufficiently developed, not-harmonized and non-systematic monitoring • Bosnia and Herzegovina sent data on river water quality in the year 2000 to EUROWA-TERNET (ETC/W) for the first time at the end of 2001 (36 monitoring stations) • Information on Physical characteristics and on the State/Quality of Water of Una River (stations: Martin Brod upst.,Martin Brod mouth, Martin Brod downst., Bihać, Klokot – vrelo, Otoka, Novi Grad upst., Novi Grad mouth, Novi Grad downst., Kozarska Dubica downst.)
Research centres
Croatian waters' research laboratory Other contracted scientific institutions in Croatia	• Federal Meteorological Institute • Hydro-meteorological Institute of Republic of Srpska • Public companies for Watershed Areas organize the monitoring of water courses in FBIH, Directorate for Water in RS • IBG offices in Bihac and Prijedor
NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS OF PERSON(S) COMPLETING THIS FORM
Prof.dr.sc. Davor Malus 10000 Zagreb Croatia mail: malus@grad.hr	Prof. Tarik Kupusovic Hydro-engineering Institute Sarajevo Stjepana Tomica 1, 71 000 Sarajevo, BIH Tel/fax:+ 387 33 207 949 E-mail: tarik.kupusovic@heis.com.ba heis@heis.com.ba URL: www.heis.com.ba

Croatia	Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. MANAGEMENT SETTING
4.1. International agreements / conventions and national legislation
"Agreement between the Governments of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Water Management Issues" is the basic agreement (1996). It was signed by the federal HR administration. BiH’s Republic of Srpska did not ratify the agreement so it is not fully in power.
4.2. Institutions / distribution of responsibilities
According to the agreement, governmental commissions are established on both sides. Expert Sub commissions study different problems, prepare technical solutions and submit them to the commission for approval. State governments then verify final proposals, and then start realizing the project. The agreement requires all actions in the area of 10 km from each national border that can have adverse impact on watershed to be notified and approved from both sides. (10 km is no fixed distance). Principal focus themes are: • Territorial problems (definition of the border) • Construction, and reconstruction of bridges, • Problem with state borders is solved, but problems with land properties not yet. Issues concerning river basin management are not tackled yet.
	Since 1996 BiH is actively involved in the work of expert teams of the Danube River Protection Convention (representatives in the ICPDR and the expert groups AEW, MLIM, EMIS, ECO etc.). At the moment procedure for adopting BiH, as regular member is in process (the Ministry for Urbanism, Civil Engineering and Ecology of Republic of Srpska is the national focal point and referent center for coordination and implementa-tion). In both Federation of BiH and RS the agency with primary responsibility for the water sector is within their respective Ministry of Agriculture, Water management and Forestry (MoAWF). Within MoAWF, each entity has a Department of Water Management (in RS it is the Directorate for Water) responsible for the water strategy and policy, the issueing of agreements and permits, setting of standards and regulations; ensuring compliance with laws and regulations through licensing and inspections; and overall control of Public Companies for Watershed Areas.
4.3. Planning / Decision making processes
For the time being a master plan does not exist. All actions are based on the most urgent problems that origin from everyday life. Signals and actions that would lead to integrated planning and decision-making does not exist.	Under the Water law (1998), in the Federation of BiH the MoAWF delegates the main responsibility of preparation of strategic decision and planning to two Public Companies of Watershed Areas, one for the River Sava and the other the Adriatic Sea. Republic of Srpska has only single authority in charge for both main river basin districts. The new Law on Water Protection, based on the EU WFD, calls for a river basin approach in water administration and establishes new bodies responsible for water protection based on basins
4.4. Finances
All actions on projects were financed from donations i.e. EC and UN. An investment policies does not exist nor the management plans that policies would follow.	According to Water Law (1998), Article 168, financing of water management is based on the following principles: • Resources for financing water management are provided from general water fees, special water management fees, fees from concessions and funds provided by special law, as well as from other resources defined by this law; • General water fees; special water manage-ment fees and fees from concessions are to be used for all beneficiaries on the territory of the Federation and/or main watershed areas, unless otherwise defined.
4.5. Past and present major projects (including listing of donors’ interest)
Croatia	Bosnia and Herzegovina
The bridge between Bosanska and Hrvatska Kostajnica is reconstructed, as well as the bridge over Una river in Jasenovac. HR - Stability Pact Commitments: Water Resources Protection of the Una River Catchment Area (2001): 2 Mio. EUR	SDC – Development of the Una River Basin Program. Program started in March 2002, first phase finished in December 2003, was extended and is expected to finish in December 2005; EC (CARDS 2002) - Development of a national environmental monitoring system – started in September 2003
4.6. Stakeholder Participation
Generally speaking stakeholder participation, policy on their participation, or any plans for future participation do not exist. The entire decision-making process is within govern-mental institutions. In some projects local experts and represent-tatives are called to join a commission work, but they are not in charge for decision-making. In some problems that have strong political background, the "voice of people" is listened via public media. Kind of "pressure" from abroad is felt in the political and civil society, but positive reac-tions are still poor. In the Una RB, the situation and results are among the worst.	Stakeholder participation in the Una river basin is rather poor. Civil sector is still developing in BiH, but the NGO sector especially the one called "Unski Smaragdi" is a very active player in the environmental sector.
4.7. Awareness / Communication
Generally speaking, the level of public aware-ness in the whole country is low, and not articulated. At this moment, national TV has the most po-sitive role in awareness – raising and educa-tion has national TV with different contribu-tions of journalists specialized in the field of environmental problems and also document-tary (scientific) program (domestic and foreign). In the Una RB, the situation and results are among the worst	Bosnia and Herzegovina has not signed the Aarhus Convention, but the Entities have laws on access-to-information, as one way for its implementation. At this moment the most positive role in awareness – raising and education is with different local and mass media.
5. CONCLUSIONS / RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. Identification of critical problems (transboundary situation) - problems related to the resource - problems associated to uses, needs and demands - problems affecting ecosystems
Croatia	Bosnia and Herzegovina
The most important problem on the common part of Una RB is preserving the rather good situation. Upper and lower part in Croatia is not densely populated and agricultural and industrial activities are not intensive. Potential problem is pollution from bigger settlements in Bosnia like Bihac Prijedor, Bosanski Novi. Problem in Croatia is how to maintain good underground water quality.	The most critical problems are: • Wastewater generated by 90% of the population is discharged directly without any treatment into the closest water bodies or into karstic holes, which are connected to groundwater; • Water supply systems cannot meet the needs of the consumers during the dry season due to a combination of inadequate availability of water resources and inadequate capacity of the infrastructure; • Dumping sites where the waste is disposed are mostly placed near the river, and in most cases are used without special protective measures.
5.2. Main achievements
Main achievements are expected in the future. The present situation is unsatisfactory.	The current reforms of Water Sector in B&H. Project entitled "River Basin Management Program", launched in November 2003, and to be finished in 2005.
5.3. Key challenges
• Environmental research in the basin (all components). • Realization of RBMP • Capacity building • Involvement of local community • Mobilization of all kinds of capital for suitable economic projects. • Stopping of economic migration • Building strategy for stakeholder participation	• Establishment of a River Basin management approach • Drafting secondary legislation • Training of Staff of River Authorities • Drafting an appropriate financing model • Public participation strategy of River Auth.s for policy formulation, approval of policy documents and plans, implementation and monitoring • Introduction of GIS • Mapping of water bodies • Developing internet page dedicated for each river basin
5.4. Donor interests
Overall ability to mobilize domestic and private capital and ODA is poor, because the general strategy for RB development and management is missing. There is a lack of good programs to offer.	Donors interests will largely depend on concrete results obtained through water sector reforms in BiH
5.5. Recommended priority actions
• Investigations in the basin (hydrogeology, hydrology, biology, • Point and non-point pollution sources.	• Preparation of primary and secondary water-sector legislation • Establishment of a new organizational set-up of the water sector for the main managerial levels (State, Entity and River Basin) • Preparation of public participation programs; • Human capacity building • Preserve protected areas • Investigations in the basin (hydrogeology, hydrology, biology)
6. MAIN REFERENCES, BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Data from State Water Directorate, Croatian waters, Internet, private sources.	Data from HEIS documentation, Internet, private sources.