Agios Germanos river rehabilitation

Prefeasibility study on rehabilitation of Agios Germanos River

Alterations to the Agios Germanos River since the 1930s have adversely affected the spawning needs of Prespa’s unique endemic fish species, amplifying the challenges they face from climate change and eutrophication. Restoring the old fluvial spawning habitats would help fish populations increase, while the river’s clear, well oxygenated waters would greatly improve water quality in Lesser Prespa Lake, which needs high-quality waters to maintain its basic hydrology cycles and health, as well as adapt to climate change stresses.

The primary objective of the project for a “Prefeasibility study on rehabilitation of Agios Germanos River” is to enhance our understanding of what rehabilitating the Agios Germanos River would look like. The project entails studying the hydrogeomorphology, or how the land has been affected by the action of the river, and the river’s hydraulic and ecological links with the lakes. These will inform a prefeasibility study on rehabilitating the river and re-establishing its connection to Lesser Prespa Lake, alongside a preliminary cost-benefit analysis and setting out the steps for a full feasibility study.

The project will bring local stakeholders, relevant authorities, ministries, academia and financial institutions into the Agios Germanos River rehabilitation planning process, establishing a comprehensive platform for dialogue to consider a Nature-based Solution (NbS) approach that tackles climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss, along with economic and social development challenges. Given the complexities of the transboundary Prespa basin, the project will also bring transboundary stakeholders into the conversation. Building upon the successful experience of Prespa’s Wetland Management Committee, we plan to foster inclusive and transparent collaborative governance by establishing a similar scheme for stakeholders to discuss and propose solutions together.

Duration

2023 - 2026

Category
Species, Habitats & Landscapes, Water
Tags
Endemic Fish, Raising Awareness