athens gef integration dialogue

1. Managing Groundwater in Costal Areas in GreeceManaging Groundwater in Costal Areas in Greece
Maria Gkini
Head of Directorate for Water Protection and
Management / Special Secretariat for Water
3rd
GEF IW LEARN – UNESCO INTEGRATION DIALOGUE
Managing Groundwater in Coastal Areas and SIDS
Sharing of Experiences among GEF IW Projects

2. Coastal areas are particularly significant
mainly because of:
urban development (cities historically
located near rivers for water supply and on
coasts for transportation)
tourism, and
important wetlands
agricultural activities (mostly in flatlands
immediately behind coastal zone)
Costal areas

3. Significance of groundwater in coastal areas
mainly as:
 source of supply for drinking water
 support of wetlands
 source of supply for agricultural activities
Groundwater in Costal Areas

4. Exploitation of groundwater to date is often unsustainable
with result
saline water intrusion
water quality unsuitable for drinking and agricultural
uses (significant impacts on economy)
stress on wetlands.
Pollution of groundwater resources through irrigation,
wastewater disposal and other activities also results
additional stress.
Groundwater in Costal Areas

5.  In this contex is Imperative to manage the
groundwater resources in a sustainable way.
 Groundwaters are part of the total water resources
and should be managed in context of integrated
water resources management according to the
Water Framework Directive
Groundwater management in Costal
Areas

6. The WFD
 foresees the integrated (holistic) management of
surface water (rivers, lakes, transitional, coastal) and
groundwater)
 has the objective of delivering good SW status & good
GW quality and adequate quantity in 2015 (or at
justifiably later dates)
 foresees (economically reasonable) measures where
necessary to ensure the achievement of the above
 stipulates periodic review of the status and measures
 foresees the development of RBMPs to achieve the above
in a systematic way
 foresees consultations with all the stakeholders in order
Groundwater management in Costal
Areas - WFD and RBMPs

7. Challenges regarding Groundwater
 Lack of detailed information regarding
boreholes and abstractions, especially. for
irrigation
GR is implementing a plan for their registration
(National Register of Water Abstraction)
 Slow rate of GW recovery from saline intrusion
and pollution

8. Main Measures regarding
Groundwater management
Measures foreseen regarding GWQ
 introduction of metering for GW abstraction
 incentives to reduce pollution from fertilizers (also in
context of nitrate Directive)
 designation of protected zones in GWBs used for
drinking supply
 abstraction control in sensitive areas and or in areas
vulnerable to salinity intrusion
The first cycle of RBMPs has been completed and the
measures are in the implementation stage