Filenews 13 May 2024 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The Water Development Department (WDD) urges the adoption of rehabilitation measures in order to compensate, even afterwards, for the potentially significant and negative effects of the hydraulic works (bridges and culverts) of the first phase of the main road network in the Akamas National Forest Park, which have been constructed in violation of the relevant terms of the environmental approval.
The WDD finds that the hydraulic works carried out so far do not ensure the protection and conservation of determinant species, such as the globally critically endangered species of European eel (Anguilla anguilla). To this end, it proposes changes aimed at the unhindered movement of eels.
In a WDD report, which is expected to be examined soon by the Ad-Hoc Committee for the Special Ecological Assessment (EDA), in the context of the completion of the works of the first phase for the improvement of the main road network in the Akamas NFP, reference is made to hydraulic works proposed by the Department of Forests and relevant conditions set by the WDD, However, these were not adopted by the designers and now the opportunity is given again to the WDD to protect the hydraulic behaviour of the river corridors.
It is noted that if the positions of the WDD for the improvement and maintenance of the continuity of watercourses are adopted, then the globally critically endangered species of European eel, which is included in the conservation objectives of the protected area of the Natura 2000 Network Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Akamas Peninsula, will be protected.
Following the decision to implement corrective measures on the main road network of the Akamas NFP, a group of technocrats was set up, in which the WDD also participates. Officers of the Department have examined on site the hydraulic works that have been implemented in the context of the first phase for the improvement of the main road network in the Akamas NFP, "for which there is significant concern regarding their proper hydraulic operation and the impact they are expected to have on the hydromorphology of the watercourses and the populations of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) living in the river Avga (Avaka)", as the WDD Director informs the Director General of the General Directorate of Environment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, on 2/4/2024.
After examination of the projects by WDD officers, who participate in the project team, it was found that:
1) Culverts constructed in large watercourses in the area have serious operational problems, which are expected to lead to water diversion from the existing bed and erosion of road slopes and/or adjacent plots.
2) In watercourses in which large square culverts have been constructed, serious hydromorphological alterations have already been caused, due to extensive earthworks, which are estimated to exacerbate the problem of water diversion out of the bed and erosion of slopes of the road under construction and/or adjacent plots.
3) Despite the adoption of amendments by the designer, in the square culverts constructed in the rivers Avga, Hartziotis and Toxeftra, which host populations of the European eel – a species designated by the Natura 2000 site – with the first winter floods, it appeared that these modifications did not bring the expected results for maintaining the continuity of the river and the unhindered movement of eels.
Based on the conclusions that emerged, the WDD proposes that all hydraulic works of the first phase of the project be reviewed by the project designer as soon as possible and that solutions be proposed that will solve the above problems. According to the WDD, if and where necessary, square culverts should be removed, crossings redesigned and constructed, taking into account: a) proper operation to avoid erosion, diversion and hydromorphological alteration, b) ensuring the continuity of the river for the movement of eels and c) achieving the conservation objectives of the Akamas NFP.
According to the relevant correspondence between the WDD, the Department of Forests and the Department of Environment, while on 9/11/2021 the WDD had sent its views to the Department of Environment, regarding the improvement of the main road network in the Akamas NFP, however, the plans for the proposed hydraulic works were not available. Nevertheless, the WDD's views were incorporated in the relevant reasoned finding, which was issued on 2/12/2021 and amended on 30/3/2022.
Subsequently, in autumn 2022, the WDD identified the construction plans of the project, as they were included in the tender for the implementation of the project and sent a relevant letter on 8/10/2022 to the Department of Forests, expressing its opposition to the design, as the terms of the Reasoned Finding for the crossings on the watercourses were not applied.
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On 16/12/2022, a meeting was held between the WDD and the Department of Forests and the designer of the project and issues related to the design of the project and the disagreements that the WDD had, since the conditions set by the Department and included in the environmental report were not taken into account.
The main concerns of the WDD concerned the deterioration in the hydromorphology of watercourses and the creation of obstacles in specific watercourses, in the movement of the European eel, which is a species designated for the Natura 2000 site. During the meeting, the Department of Forests informed that it could not make significant changes to the construction plans, as any implementation of the requirements of the WDD would create additional costs, needs for land expropriation and a long delay in the project, with the risk of losing the co-financing of the project. Following the meeting, a letter was sent to the WDD by the Department of Forests dated . 29/12/2022.
Based on the above – and under the circumstances – the Department of Forests accepted only minor design improvements compared to the initial construction plans, such as the creation of "V" grooves in the culverts of two hydraulic points and the construction of a fish passage ramp in the proposed terrace within the Avga riverbed. A relevant letter had been sent by the WDD to the Department of Forests dated . 12/1/2023 where the consent of the Department was given for the implementation of the river crossings.
Following the implementation of the project and following on-site visits by WDD officers on 6/2/2024 and 1/3/2024, as well as examination of the hydraulic works at the Akamas NFP, problems were identified concerning the hydraulic operation of square culverts in large watercourses (Avgas River and Hartziotis Tributary), for which the WDD expresses serious concerns, as due to the extensive interventions in the bed and slopes of the watercourses, The on-site morphology has changed in relation to the construction plans, which may lead to erosion of the slopes of the road under construction and diversion of watercourses to adjacent plots. At the same time, the modifications made to improve the continuity of the river for the movement of eels seem not to work satisfactorily and do not ensure their unhindered movement.
According to the WDD, in light of the latest developments and the modification of parts of the project, in order to reduce the environmental impact, it is possible to address in a timely manner the significant problems of hydraulic operation of the projects identified with the construction of the culverts, the hydromorphological alteration of the watercourses, but also to find an optimal solution that satisfies the concerns of the WDD to ensure the continuity of the river, which, due to the pressure for the implementation of the project, were not adequately addressed.
