October 30, 1997
VIENNA, Austria, - To reverse the severe damage caused by the Gabcikovo hydro power dam to the Danube Floodplains, Slovakia and
Hungary must increase the flow into the original Danube river bed from less than 20 per cent to at least 65 per cent. This is the conclusion of a new
WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature report released today, which suggests how to solve the conflict between the two countries.
WWF has based its report on local scientific monitoring results which over the last years were not made public in both countries. The data show a two
to four metre drop of river and ground water levels in the Danube Floodplains after diversion of over 80 per cent of the river in October 1992 into
the Gabcikovo canal. As a result, large forest areas show symptoms of drought stress. Severe losses and changes of wetland fauna and flora,
especially of fish mussels and willow forests were also reported. Local mitigation measures by way of artificial water supply proved to be fully
insufficient. WWF concludes that only drastic restoration measures can help to save 8,000 hectares of valuable floodplain forests.
On 25 September 1997, the International Court of Justice in The Hague delivered their ruling on the dispute between Hungary and Slovakia over the
building and operation of the Gabcikovo dam complex on the Danube River. The judges ruled that "both parties committed internationally wrongful acts"
and called on them to negotiate a solution to the dispute. They asked for a more satisfying solution for the distribution of waters and for strong
recognition of the new environmental norms, including the prevention of possibly irreversible damages.
The two countries will now have to open a new round of negotiations to hammer out a solution along these lines. As these discussions are starting,
WWF releases its report to set quality benchmarks for an agreement.
"There is consensus among involved scientists that the present technical mitigation measures are not sufficient" says Philip Weller, director of the
WWF Green Danube programme. "Saving the Danube Floodplains means that the current water regime has to be turned around, and two thirds of the water
have to get back into the Danube river bed. If politicians come up with only small changes to the current situation they will be responsible for the
complete loss of the Danube floodplain ecosystem".
The WWF Report is supported by 11 local and international NGOs from six countries.
Contact :
P. Weller and A Zinke, WWF Green Danube Programme, Phone +43-1-48817
The WWF report "How to Save the Danube" can be ordered with Sibylle Vogel at above address.