| Project passport | |
| Project Duration | 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2027 |
| Project Beneficiary | Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, State Ltd. (LEGMC) |
| Project Partners | The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia (MoEPRD) |
| Project Funding | EU LIFE programme, State Regional Development Agency, Republic of Latvia, partners |
| Project Location | Latvia |
| Project Manager | Ilze Priedniece |
| Project Co-ordinator | |
| Project Contact Information | |
| Project Phone | +371 67830999 |
| Project Email | Project Email: |
| Project Address | Blaumaņa 32-8, Riga |
| Project Home Page | Project Home Page: |
The objective of the LIFE GoodWater IP is to improve the status of water bodies at risk in Latvia by means of the full implementation of the measures laid down in the Daugava, Gauja, Lielupe and Venta river basin management plans.
Special objectives of LIFE GoodWater IP are:
- to reduce the pollution of water bodies at risk caused by urban waste water and to diminish the loads of nutrients brought in by wastewater discharges and accumulated in water bodies at risk;
- to reduce the runoff of nutrients and other pollutants from agricultural and forestry lands, especially in the winter period, in order to reduce eutrophication and diffuse pollution of water bodies at risk, with a special focus on reduction of phosphorus inputs;
- to reduce or mitigate the effects of hydrological and morphological alterations of water bodies at risk, including those caused by renovation and reconstruction of land drainage systems;
- to improve river basin management planning and its implementation mechanisms by strategically planned capacity building actions, and addressing the gaps in monitoring system of water bodies at risk to ensure a more efficient implementation of RBMPs in further planning cycles;
- to increase the awareness of various stakeholders and to promote their involvement in the implementation of the RBMPs;
- to provide support to respective authorities for improvements of respective legislative and regulatory documents and policies.
A. Preparatory Actions
A1. Preparatory activities for reducing pollution with nutrients from agriculture
A2. Preparatory activities for reducing pollution with nutrients from forestlands
A3. Preparatory activities for reducing pollution from point sources including decentralised wastewater systems
A4. Development of recommendations for management of lake waterbody at risk (improvement of status and maintenance)
A5. Preparatory works for reducing effects of hydrological and morphological modifications on waterbodies at risk
C. Concrete Implementation Actions
C1. Development of the water quality and quantity modelling system for the territory of Latvia (SWAT model)
C2. Improving capacity for efficient sewage sludge and waste water management
C3. Assessment of natural flow regime in the waterbodies at risk affected by small hydropower plants (HPPs)
C4. Reducing pollution pressures from aquaculture on waterbodies
C5. Demonstration activities for reducing pollution with nutrients from agriculture
C6. Demonstration activities for reducing pollution with nutrients from forestlands
C7. Demonstration and pilot activities for reducing pollution from point source including decentralized wastewater
C8. Demonstration actions to improve water status of demo lake (Lake Sauka)
C9. Demonstration actions for reducing effects of hydrological and morphological modifications on waterbodies at risk
C10. Integration of demonstrated measures and approaches of improvement of surface water quality in CAP Strategic Plan
C11. Development of small-scale grant scheme for supporting local initiatives for reducing pollution impacts on waterbodies at risk
C12. Assessment of requirements from different EU policies on waterbodies and recommendations for better integration of various policies in RBMPs
C13. Elaboration of actions plans and assessments for the 3rd cycle (2022-2027) and 4th cycle (2028 - 2033) RBMPs necessary to select and justify the most appropriate measures for improvement of status of waterbodies
C14. Capacity and knowledge building in sustainable surface water management
C15. Development and implementation of Project Replicability and Transferability Strategy
D. Monitoring Actions
D1. Monitoring of the impact of the Project results and methods demonstrated
D2. Monitoring of the impact of the Project results and methods demonstrated
D3. Monitoring of ecosystem services restoration
D4. Monitoring of the socio-economic impacts of the Project
D5. Monitoring of LIFE Key project level indicators
E. Public awareness and dissemination Actions
E1. Project visibility, dissemination of project results
E2. Public awareness raising and involvement
E3. Experience exchange and networking
F. Management Actions
F1. Overall project management
F2. Combining complementary actions and financing
F3. After-LIFE plan
Expected results of the LIFE GoodWater IP are:
LIFE GoodWater IP will address 164 water bodies at risk in Latvia (89 rivers and their sections and 75 lakes). LIFE GoodWater IP expects to achieve good status for 5 % (9) of the surface water bodies currently at risk directly during the project. In the long term, up to 50 water bodies (30 %) affected by similar pressures and other common characteristics are expected to reach good status as an indirect result of the Project:
• Complete calibrated and validated sustainable SWAT water quality modelling system;
• Improved capacity for efficient sewage sludge and waste water management - National sewage sludge strategy elaborated and approved;
• Reduced pollution with nutrients from agriculture and forestlands – methods and approaches demonstrated (composition of buffer strips c.a. 15 km, green infrastructure elements c.a. 8 km, sustainable and environmentally friendly drainage system elements 8 demo sites);
• Improved status of demo lake - reduced amount of incoming nutrient loads and reduced nutrient concentrations in the lake;
• Reduced effects of hydrological and morphological modifications - at least one fish pass constructed, reconstructed at least two culverts, reconstructed at least 50 km of riverbed in streams incorporated in drainage system and performed other mitigation measures (addition of boulders, stones or gravel, addition/removal of large wooden debris, removal of silt, vegetation or other objects etc.) in at least 60 km of natural rivers;
• Developed and implemented small scale grant scheme for supporting local initiatives - at least 8 local Initiatives for reducing the pollution impacts implemented, at least 8 catchment areas of water bodies at risk positively affected;
• Binding requirements (2) and recommendations/ guidelines (9) developed for reducing the pollution loads and impacts of hydro-morphological alterations / around 6 action plans;
• New approaches and methods trialled and demonstrated for remediation of significantly affected/ polluted waterbodies from pollution and for improving their status (9 demo projects implemented);
• Increased knowledge and skills of the target groups (c.a. 1400-1600 persons) on integrated aspects of the water management to ensure sustainability of water resources;
• A joint cooperation platform developed involving competent authorities, river basin managers and stakeholders (19 beneficiaries, 4 consultation groups established (local level));
• Communication plan implemented leading to a substantially higher awareness and improved understanding of the RBMPs and rationale for sustainable water management;
• Strategy and actions implemented to mobilise a wider uptake and replication potential for the water measures, cooperation group established;
• Joint planning exercises implemented for all project restoration objects, via involvement of all major stakeholder groups (i.e. project beneficiaries);
• Coordination with other funding mechanisms improved via work on complementary actions, at least 100 000 000 euro mobilised for water actions from other funds;
• Strategic capacities built up for further implementation of the WFD in four RBM districts.
Blaumana st. 32-8
Phone: +371 67830999
E-mail: ldf@ldf.lv