Contribution by Allison O'Reilly
On 15th September 2024, 26 researchers from the Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research made themselves on the long way from Austria to the Danube Delta in Romania. The aim was to learn about the DANUBE4all Demo Site, join the kick-off of the DANUBE4all River Walk 2024 and experience the huge lagoon system and the beautiful flora and fauna but at the same time witness the devastating erosion of the beaches as well as the complex problems arising from the closure of the lagoon in the 1960s.
The trip started on Monday in Gura Portitei, close to one of the possible openings of the lagoon. Researchers from GeoEcoMar and CNR Italy are modelling several possible solutions to see how different options would affect the salinity of the lagoon. As irrigation is a huge topic for farmers in the delta, this is not only a technical issue, but also a controversial one with a high potential for conflict. The need to involve the local community in the scientific decision-making process was once again made clear to us.
Image Credit: Allison O'Reilly
On Tuesday we took two boats and crossed the Golovita and the Razim lagoon to reach the water ways through the reeds. On the tour we saw pelicans, water lilies and other wildlife that we had already heard about during the introduction of the demo site. We were also able to experience first-hand the problem of siltation and heavy reed growth. In the evening we met with Adrian from GeoEcoMar who once again explained the project objective and who captivated us with his enthusiasm for the cause. On our way to one of the possible inlets, we were able to observe the erosion on the coastline during our walk along the beach.
Here fisher huts, that used to be 20 meters inland are now being eaten by the sea - with some structures already are a couple of meters inside the ocean. The owner of the hotel, a very committed environmentalist with a rich knowledge of the lagoon and its biological system, showed us videos of how the winter storms already opened the lagoon. In view of these signs, it seems possible that the lagoon will open up naturally in the next few years due to progressive erosion, without any human involvement. Walking back from the site, the scientists discussed these serious issues and possible consequences of erosion as they got a glimpse of how beautiful the ecosystem still was despite all the looming problems. Watching the sun go down and the moon rise, as wild horses suddenly run past us on the beach, was a magical moment that showed us how important it is to keep the ecosystem alive for all its inhabitants, whether human, animal or plant.
On Wednesday the DANUBE4all River Walk kicked-off. In the new port of Jurilovca Li An from Drinkable Rivers, Albert Scrieciu from GeoEcoMar, Galina Teleuca Vice Mayor of Jurilovca, Helmut Habersack project coordinator from BOKU, a teacher of the local high school Stoenic, 30 school children, the 26 BOKU researchers and a few further interested people got together to explain the goal of the project and engage in Citizen Science activities. The children were enthusiastic and learnt new things about the problems in their habitat, the Danube, biodiversity, life by the water and possible solutions for the future. The event continued for around 2 hours, after which about 40 people set off for the first stretch of the Danube Delta River Walk.
The event continued for around 2 hours, after which about 40 people set off for the first stretch of the Danube Delta River Walk. The route also took us via the Enisala fortress, which was built in the 14th century on a calcareous hill, and was an important defense system for the traders in Wallachia, the monarchy ruling in that area. It marks the importance of the area for navigating and trading at the Black Sea. On the way to our next destination, Sfanthu Gheorghe, we passed the Danubius-RI Hub in Murighiol. We stopped to take some pictures and Helmut gave us information on the background of the building and the future plans.
On Thursday we visited Sfathu Gheorghe where the eponymous arm of the Danube River flows into the Black Sea. Being able to see one end of the Danube was an impressive experience. It is here that the water which originates from the German Black Forest and has been fed by its countless tributaries, flows in to the sea after its 2.800km long journey, ready to join the next chapter of the global water cycle. We were also able to get a glimpse of the city of Sulina on Thursday evening, where the Sulina arm flows into the Black Sea.
Before leaving Romania on Friday, we had the chance to meet up with our colleagues from DDNI in Tulcea. General Director Marian Tudor introduced their work, the history of the institute and their current projects to us. The exchange with the colleagues on site was very informative and we were able to obtain some valuable insights. At lunch we got the chance to visit the restoration site Microdelta Zagen and the Museum of the Traditional Fishing Village right next to it.
After this exciting week of learning about the Delta it was time to leave. With a sad eye that our learning journey had come to an end, we had to return home to Vienna. But we took away a countless amount of valuable information and are very much looking forward to not only continuing our work on the DANUBE4all project, but also implementing all that we have learnt in subsequent projects that are yet to come.
We want to thank the DANUBE4all Romania Partners GeoEcoMar, DDNI, WWF Romania and LiAn from Drinkable Rivers for their great work and the difference they are making to our environment by working hard and looking for solutions to persistent problems and for not giving up on our Danube River but restoring it for future generations.
Comments