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18.09.08 : USA : Les eaux de barrage colonisées par des espèces «non indigènes»

Une étude américaine parue dans une revue éditée par la société écologique américaine (1) a mis en évidence aux Etats-Unis la présence et le développement plus importants, dans les lacs de retenue que dans les lacs naturels, d’espèces aquatiques considérées comme «invasives».

L’équipe de chercheurs a analysé des données concernant les activités nautiques, la physico-chimie et la distribution géographique de 5 espèces non indigènes (2) dans la région des Grands lacs. 4.200 lacs naturels et plus de 1.000 lacs de retenue dans les Etats du Wisconsin et du Michigan ont ainsi été pris en compte, et les résultats révèlent un risque 2,4 à 300 fois plus élevé de présence et de développement d’espèces «non indigènes» dans les lacs de retenue que dans les lacs naturels.

Les chercheurs ont également montré que les barrages ont, au cours du temps, augmenté le risque d’ «invasion» des lacs naturels en diminuant la distance entre les eaux «contaminées» et ces eaux naturelles, ce qui souligne le rôle important joué par l’homme dans l’altération des écosystèmes. Selon le site de la revue Environmental science and technology, l’un des auteurs de l’étude, Pieter TJ Johnson, a indiqué que les activités de pêche et de nautisme contribuent à l’introduction et à la propagation des espèces non indigènes. «Les moules zébrées s’accrochent en dessous des bateaux, les myriophylles se cramponnent aux remorques porte-bateaux, et les éperlans arc-en-ciel et les écrevisses rouillées étaient auparavant utilisés comme appâts alors qu’ils sont aujourd’hui interdits», a-t-il précisé.

(1) «Dam invaders: impoundments facilitate biological invasions into freshwaters», Pieter TJ Johnson et al., Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Volume 6, n°7, septembre 2008

(2) Myriophylles d’Eurasie (plantes aquatiques), moules zébrées, puces d’eau en hameçon, éperlans arc-en-ciel et écrevisses rouillées

source : jdle


14.09.08 : Fertilisers linked to contaminated drinking water in Evros, Greece

In a new study, samples of drinking water from the north-east of Greece have been found to exceed European limits for nitrates, sulphates and phosphates - chemicals that are linked to health problems such as reproductive disorders and cancer. The research has produced a map of the Evros area showing the location of 64 water sampling sites and found that pollution levels are highest in areas with the most intensive agriculture. Furthermore, water can remain chronically contaminated long after fertiliser use has been reduced.

One of the largest agricultural areas in north-eastern Greece, the Evros region covers over 1.5 million acres of cultivated land. Many of its drinking water resources are derived from underground aquifers that lie within agricultural areas.

The use of fertilisers such as ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and inorganic phosphate in Greece increased dramatically from 158,724 tonnes in 1961 to 696,000 tonnes in 1990. Globally, the use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers increased around 8 fold and 3.5 fold respectively between 1960 and 2000. As only between 30-60 per cent of nitrate and 45 per cent of phosphate fertilisers are taken up by crops, a significant amount of these nutrients leaks from agricultural fields.

Major environmental and public health concerns arise from increasing use of fertilisers, for example, raised nitrate levels have been linked to conditions such as reproductive problems, cancer, the kidney disorder endemic nephropathy and the blood disorder methemoglobinaemia. With the introduction of the European Water Directive concerning the protection of waters against pollution by nitrates from agricultural sources in 19911, there has been a significant reduction in fertiliser usage.

However, the researchers believe this study demonstrates that aquifers in the Evros region are still affected by chronic contamination. Tap-water samples collected from 64 different locations were analysed for the presence of nitrates, nitrites, ammonium, sulfate and phosphate. In four out of 64 sites (6.25 per cent) drinking water samples exceeded the European nitrate limit of 50 ppm, and 17.2 per cent showed values between 25 and 50 ppm. Around 7.8 per cent of samples exceeded the European recommended value of 5 ppm of phosphates (EEC 1998). Sulfate levels exceeding the recommended limits of 250 ppm were found in 4.7 per cent of sampling points.

According to the researchers, the study shows that the deterioration of water quality in this area is directly linked to the use of agricultural fertilisers. Levels of these pollutants in tap water have remained high even after fertiliser use was reduced, indicating that underground aquifers are still contaminated. The study has identified some areas in the region not previously thought to be at risk where drinking water is close to nitrate limits set by the European Water Directive. The information could be used to prevent over-exposure of the public to pollutants by regulating the supply of contaminated water to these nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ).


For more information on EC Directives 91/976 (EEC 1991) concerning the protection of waters against pollution by nitrates from agricultural sources and 80/778 (EEC 1980) relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption visit: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-nitrates/directiv.html

Source: Nikolaidis, C., Mandalos, P. and Vantarakis, A. (2008). Impact of intensive agricultural practices on drinking water quality in the EVROS Region (NE GREECE) by GIS analysis. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 143(1-3): 43-50., via Science for Environment policy

Contact: avantar@med.duth.gr


27.08.08 :Switzerland : Potential for Small Hydropower Plants Recognised

The Swiss Mountain Water Award 2008 has recognised the 60,000SWF prize to the project localising potential locations for small environmetally friendly hydropower plants. The use of locally-sourced water power sees an increasing interest and families and companies are ready to pay a higher price for this kind of electricity.

As in Switzerland there are several mountain-like waterflows, there is potential for more of these kind of devices. It is however quite diffiult to establish potential locations for these plants. Netwerk Wasser im Berggebiet has awarded the Swiss Mountain Water Award to WaterGISweb for the project GIS-supported Identification of potential locations for small Hydropower plants. The concept has been developed in cooperation with Sol-E Suisse whom also gave the order for a prototype.

The award money will be dedicated to develop a widely accessible online instrument that facilitates identification of locations, making use of a GIS sytem. Depending on several geographical characteristics like the waterflow, topography and environmental considerations or touristical destinations the computer can calculate optimal places for powerplants with performance classes to be defined. They can be projected in Google Earth and for every location, a fact sheet of main information can be made available. In this way, the starting phase that is in fact labour intensive, can be automated importantly. For some areas, WaterGisWeb already has a prototype and a first trial with locations in the field with Sol-E Suisse shows that the system is already functioning very well.

Source : European Water News    Read more about: GIS


23.08.08 : Stockholm Semaine de l'eau : 50 % de l’eau utilisée par l’agriculture est gaspillée

La Semaine mondiale de l’eau, qui vient de se clôturer à Stockholm, a été l’occasion de rappeler les multiples enjeux liés à l’eau et le gaspillage énorme qui en est fait, parfois même sans s’en rendre compte.

Alors qu’au niveau mondial, près de 2 personnes sur 10 sont privées d’eau potable, un rapport de l’Institut international de l’Eau (Siwi) montre ainsi que la moitié de l’eau utilisée pour l’agriculture est gaspillée. Si ce gaspillage peut être dû à des pratiques agricoles non-adaptées, la principale cause tient au gâchis énorme de nourriture qui intervient lors des phases de transport, stockage et consommation. A titre d’exemple, aux USA, les 30 % de nourriture gaspillés chaque année correspondent à 40 000 milliards de litres d’eau, soit de quoi couvrir les besoins de 500 millions de personnes.

Outre ce gaspillage direct, l’évolution des régimes alimentaires est également en train de peser lourdement sur les ressources en eau planétaire. L’adoption du modèle occidental, faisant la part belle aux produits d’origine animale (lait, viande, etc.), les experts s’inquiètent en rappelant que la production d’un kilo de viande de bœuf nécessite 15 500 litres d’eau. Ainsi, pour Stéphanie Blenckner, du Siwi, "Il faut bien comprendre que ce que l’on mange, ce que l’on achète, a des conséquences immédiates sur les ressources en eau".
En conséquence, face à une planète qui voit ses ressources en eau s’amenuiser parallèlement à une population humaine en croissance, les 2 400 participants à la Semaine mondiale de l'eau ont quitté la Suède en appelant les gouvernements à réduire la quantité de nourriture gaspillée d’au moins 50 % d’ici 2025, pour limiter les risques de pénurie.

source : http://www.univers-nature.com/inf/inf_actualite1.cgi?id=3314


31.07.08 : Environmental Information Portal lauched by EEA and Microsoft

The European Environment Agency (EEA) and Microsoft have launched a new environmental information portal ‘Eye on Earth\', displaying the latest information on the water quality in bathing sites across Europe. Through its first application ‘Water Watch\', the new portal allows users to rate beaches and to share their comments with others.

Bathing water information is only a first step in EEA's collaboration with Microsoft. We will gradually expand this two-way communication platform to include other environmental information, such as biodiversity and air quality.

Every year, millions of Europeans spend their summer vacations by coastal or inland waters. The quality of the bathing water at their destination can be a key factor in deciding where to go. Now with Eye on Earth, holidaymakers will not only be able to check the latest information available on the water quality at their possible destinations, but also read comments posted by others who have already been there.

Bathing water information is only a first step in our collaboration with Microsoft. EEA's Director Jacqueline McGlade annoucnes to gradually expand this two-way communication platform to include other environmental information, such as biodiversity and air quality.

The bathing water application retrieves information from more than 21,000 monitoring points across Europe. For all these bathing sites, the portal presents information from recent years. For some countries, including Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Portugal and Slovakia, the portal also displays the latest 2008 rating available.

Eye on Earth allows users to zoom in on a given section of the coast or riverbank, both in street map or bird's eye viewing formats. A ‘traffic-light' evaluation (red, amber, green) of water quality based on scientific monitoring methods is supported by similar ratings reflecting the experiences of people who have visited the bathing site.

As part of the five-year partnership announced last May, the EEA and Microsoft will continue to develop the Eye on Earth portal by adding new sets of environmental information.

Website: http://www.eyeonearth.eu/
Source / Supplier: European Environmental Agency (EEA)


28.07.08 : Mediterranean area : Tourism Puts Growing Pressure on Water Resources

During normal times, around 150 millions of people live in the Mediterranean coastlines. In July and August, the population explodes: around 250 millions of people converge on the coasts, making the Mediterranean area the touristiest region in the world. This inflow of tourists represents an essential source of income for the concerned countries, but it applies a growing pressure on the environment, to the extent that ecologists, experts and elected representatives are seriously alarmed.

According to Paolo Lombardi, director of the Mediterranean office of the ecologist organization WWF, tourism in the next years will be "the main factor of ecological degradation in the Mediterranean coasts".

Tourists arrive in summer, a moment in which water gets naturally scarcer, in countries where this resource is already limited. Each tourist consumes around 300 liters of water per day, which is the double of the local population consumption (they reach 880 liters for luxury tourism). Also the filling up of swimming pools, watering of golf courts and green spaces need a lot of water.

Among other attempts to find a solution to water shortages in touristy areas, the Club Med is already putting in practice some remedies. In the 30 villages it has built in the Mediterranean area, the Club Med has decided to use water savers, leaks detectors and it recycles used water.

Gaëlle Dupont, Source: Le Monde (article in French, more complet) Website: http://tinyurl.com/6lr9xb

28.07.08 : Le tourisme exerce une pression croissante sur les ressources en eau des pays méditerranéens

En temps normal, environ 150 millions de personnes vivent sur le littoral méditerranéen. En juillet et août, la population explose : quelque 250 millions de visiteurs convergent sur les côtes, faisant de la Méditerranée la première région touristique au monde. Cet afflux constitue une source de revenus indispensable pour les pays concernés, mais exerce une pression de plus en plus forte sur l'environnement, au point qu'écologistes, experts et élus s'en alarment. La surexploitation des ressources en eau les inquiète particulièrement.

De 1995 à 2004, certains pays ont connu des taux de croissance annuels du tourisme très élevés, comme la Croatie (+ 20 % par an), la Syrie (+ 15,7 %), l'Egypte (+ 11,7 %), l'Algérie et la Turquie (+ 10 %). Selon les projections effectuées par le Plan Bleu, organisation dépendante du Programme des Nations unies pour l'environnement (PNUE) chargée de la Méditerranée, la fréquentation touristique de la région pourrait atteindre 637 millions de personnes en 2025. Pour Paolo Lombardi, directeur du bureau méditerranéen de l'organisation écologiste WWF, le tourisme sera dans les années à venir "le principal facteur de dégradation écologique des côtes méditerranéennes".

Une première conséquence saute déjà aux yeux des visiteurs : 42 % du littoral sont bétonnés. Hôtels, résidences secondaires, commerces et infrastructures se concentrent sur la bande côtière, détruisant des écosystèmes particulièrement riches. Les embouteillages génèrent pollution atmosphérique et gaz à effet de serre. Les ressources halieutiques, trop sollicitées, souffrent. Les déchets, abondants, finissent la plupart du temps en mer.

Les touristes arrivent en été, au moment où l'eau se fait rare, dans des pays où la ressource est déjà limitée. "La concentration des visites, à la fois dans le temps et dans l'espace, aggrave les situations existantes", relève Pierre Icard, du Plan Bleu. Chaque touriste consomme environ 300 litres d'eau par jour, soit le double des populations locales (jusqu'à 880 litres pour le tourisme de luxe). Le remplissage des piscines, l'arrosage des golfs et des espaces verts réclament également beaucoup d'eau.

Dans les Cyclades, en Grèce, la consommation d'eau estivale est de cinq à dix fois plus élevée qu'en hiver. Cette demande, ajoutée à la consommation locale, conduit à une surexploitation des nappes souterraines qui entraîne une salinisation croissante des eaux douces. L'afflux de population contribue également à la pollution de celles-ci, les eaux usées étant souvent rejetées sans traitement dans le milieu naturel.


L'EXEMPLE DU CLUB MED

L'augmentation conjointe de la population locale et de la fréquentation touristique à venir fait craindre des conflits d'usage. Si la demande en eau est stabilisée, voire en baisse sur une partie de la rive nord de la Méditerranée, elle devrait doubler en vingt ans en Turquie, en Syrie, en Libye, au Maroc et en Algérie. La concurrence avec le secteur agricole, principal consommateur d'eau (63 % des volumes), est redoutée. "L'Espagne ou la Tunisie doivent déjà arbitrer entre les différents usages, ce qui sera de plus en plus fréquent, explique Pierre Icard. Les gains liés au tourisme sont évidents, mais on ne calcule pas ce qu'on perd en sécurité alimentaire, par exemple."

Certaines solutions sont déjà mises en oeuvre. La Tunisie, par exemple, qui accueille 7 millions de touristes par an, veut ramener la consommation de 560 litres par lit occupé et par jour à 300 litres. "Si nous ne maîtrisons pas la consommation, nous aurons des problèmes d'ici une quinzaine d'années", affirme Jean Mehdi Chapoutot, expert en développement touristique dans ce pays.

La modernisation des réseaux de distribution, où les fuites entraînent le gaspillage de 30 % à 40 % de l'eau, est encouragée financièrement par l'Etat. Les eaux issues de 45 des 75 stations de traitement du pays sont réutilisées pour l'arrosage des terrains de golf et des jardins ou la recharge des nappes souterraines. La réutilisation est également très développée en Egypte et en Israël, et elle a commencé à Chypre, en Syrie, à Malte, en Libye et en Espagne.

La généralisation d'appareils économiseurs d'eau pourrait permettre de diminuer de moitié la consommation, selon l'Agence européenne de l'environnement. Relever les tarifs est un autre levier. Mais cela peut conduire les hôteliers à effectuer des forages et à pomper sans contrôle dans les nappes. "Il existe plusieurs niveaux d'action possibles : les Etats, les collectivités, les entreprises, note Pierre Icard. Mais dans un contexte très concurrentiel, où l'on peut changer de destination facilement, le pouvoir des politiques publiques est assez faible."

Pour Paolo Lombardi, du WWF, il revient aux Etats de "fixer un cadre qui permettra de mieux équilibrer les différents usages du territoire, sans oublier la biodiversité". "Mais les entreprises ont un grand rôle à jouer ; certaines avancent", ajoute-t-il.

Le Clud Med, par exemple, dont une trentaine de villages sont implantés en Méditerranée, utilise des économiseurs d'eau, des détecteurs de fuites, et réutilise les eaux usées. Selon Agnès Weil, responsable du développement durable de l'entreprise, la sensibilisation des touristes au respect de l'environnement est importante. "C'est un travail sur le long terme : les statistiques ne vont pas bouger d'un coup, mais c'est un discours que les gens sont prêts à entendre aujourd'hui, et qui est même attendu", affirme-t-elle.

Gaëlle Dupont Source: Le Monde Website: http://tinyurl.com/6lr9xb

 

 


23.07.08 : France unveils plan to boost hydropower

French environment minister Jean-Louis Borloo announced on Wednesday a plan to boost hydropower as part of France's goal of increasing the share of renewables in its final energy consumption to 23 per cent by 2020. Hydropower currently represents 12 per cent of total electricity production in France. The government wants to increase production capacity by 30 per cent by installing more efficient turbines. It does not propose to build more hydroelectric dams. Plant operators will also have to take measures to increase the protection of the aquatic environment.
source : ENDS Europe DAILY 2592, 24/07/08

- See government press release (in French)
- see FNE (french federation of nature conservation NGOs) pressrelease


19.06.08 : Chinese experts appeal to authorities to suspend big dam projects in
southwest China following Sichuan's deadly earthquake

reporting by Zhang Ke
Ran in the First Business Daily (Diyi caijing bao) on June 12, 2008
Translated by Three Gorges Probe

Experts in geology, water conservancy, and environmental protection have jointly appealed to authorities in Beijing to temporarily suspend the
approval of big hydro dams in geologically unstable areas in southwest China, in the wake of the deadly May 12 earthquake. They argue that top
priority should be given to doing a careful and detailed investigation of all dams and reservoirs in the disaster affected region, and that no
more large scale dam projects should be approved before risk assessments of reservoirs in Sichuan are completed, the First Business Daily (Diyi
caijing bao) reported on June 12, 2008.

The experts include Yang Yong, guest researcher at the Chengdu Institute for Mountain Hazards and Environmental Research of the Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Fan Xiao, chief engineer of the Regional Geology Investigation Team of the Sichuan Geology and Mineral Bureau, Liu
Shukun, senior researcher at the China Institute for Water Conservancy and Hydropower Planning and Design, Zheng Yisheng, senior researcher at
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, Li Dun, professor at the
Center for Study of Contemporary China of the Qinghua University, Liang Xiaoyan, general manager of Friends of Nature, and Wang Yongchen, head
of the Green Earth Volunteers.

The experts presented their arguments in a petition letter entitled "Temporarily suspend the approval of big hydro dams in geologically
unstable areas in southwest China" at a Beijing seminar that focused on a re-assessment of the construction of hydro dams in southwest China
after the Longmenshan earthquake. They are planning to submit their letter to the central government.

In their letter, the experts appeal for five measures: a re-assessment of the seismic intensities that southwest China's large-scale hydro dams
were designed to withstand; a re-examination of the risks posed by the cascades of dams and reservoirs to the downstream areas in the event of
earthquakes; studies to determine the risk that reservoirs could induce seismic activity (RIS) in geologically unstable regions; emergency plans
for areas affected by the May 12 earthquake and other areas where hydro dams are built in geologically unstable zones; and, lastly, a
re-examination of official plans to massively and intensively develop southwest China's water resources and construct cascades of hydro dams
throughout rivers in southwest China.

Contributor, Ma Jun, said that while a host of problems were exposed after the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, the biggest one is the safety of
hydro dams. If anything were to go wrong with dams and reservoirs as a result of an earthquake, the casualties and property loss would be
greater than those caused by the earthquake itself.

E Jingping, vice-minister of the Ministry of Water Resources, said at the State Council's news conference held on May 25, 2008 that as many as
2,830 reservoirs were damaged by the earthquake in Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi and five other provinces. In Sichuan province alone, 69 dams are
in danger of collapse, 310 have been deemed high risk, and 1,424 pose a moderate risk.

"Because of the rapid changes in the region's geology and the huge contrast in the region's terrain, (Editor's note: geomorphology such as
the Tibetan Plateau juxtaposed with the Sichuan Basin) western China is one of the regions with the richest hydropower resources in the world,
but at the same time, it is also extremely geologically unstable, with the highest environmental risk associated with developing its water
resources," geologist Fan Xiao said. Mr. Fan has argued that, far from being a region that enjoys special favours of nature in its hydropower
resources, southwest China is challenged by its geological and environmental dangers and risks.

According to the experts, both Sichuan and Yunnan are the two provinces where the most earthquakes have occurred in China. In Sichuan alone,
there are at least eight seismic belts: the Xianshuihe River belt, the Anninghe-Zemuhe belt, the Litang belt, the Jinsha River belt, the
Longmenshan belt, the Songpan belt, the Mingshan-Mabian-Zhaotong belt and the Muli-Yanyuan seismic zone. Similarly, northwest Yunnan is also
an earthquake-prone and geologically unstable area.

Many hydro dams have already been built and still more are planned for seismically active, earthquake prone areas, the experts point out. "The
cascade of dams on the Dadu River (tributary of the Yangtze) have been and will be built in the Xianshuihe seismic belt; the cascade of dams
built on the Yalong River (tributary of the Yangtze) are really close tothe Anninghe-Zemuhe seismic belt; the Xiluodu dam on the Jinsha River
(main channel of the upper Yangtze) is being built in the Yongshan seismic belt, and the dam projects proposed in the Lancang-Mekong and Nu
rivers are located in the Three Parallel Rivers tectonic active belt," Yang Yong said.

"Currently, it appears that most reservoirs (in the May 12 earthquake affected area) pose little threat because the reservoirs are nearly
empty. But the now hidden troubles will become apparent as the flooding season approaches, the reservoirs are filled once again, and geological
disasters start to occur," said Yang Yong.

source: reporting by Zhang Ke Ran in the First Business Daily,via Internationalrivers


18.06.08 : WWF warns Turkey of approaching water crisis

Following a warning by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Turkey) over Turkey's shrinking water resources and a call on the government to take action before it faces a severe water crisis by 2050, the administration has revealed an action plan to save water.

Speaking to the media following yesterday's Cabinet meeting, government spokesman Cemil Çiçek said Minister of Environment and Forestry Veysel Eroglu had briefed the Cabinet on a five-year action plan spanning from 2008 to 2012.

"Seven provinces need urgent action because of decreasing drinking water resources and 34 provinces will face a water crisis starting in 2010. The remaining 40 provinces will have enough water until 2023," he said. "Although Turkey has some of the most important rivers of the world, it ranks low when it comes to its water reserves," stated the WWF's report, posted by the organization's Turkey office on its Web site. "Because Turkey has not adopted a sustainable water administration policy at international standards, it faces serious threats," the report further stated.

The WWF says it is comforting to think of water as a renewable resource, but people must also know what limitless exploitation of a resource can lead to. People need 2.5 liters of water a day to drink, but considering other needs such as cooking, bathing and laundry, accepted water consumption per person is 150 liters a day. Turkey stands at 111 liters per person per day, while industrial countries see water consumption levels per person of 266 liters. This number is significantly lower in Africa, where it is 67 liters per person. The report also said that when Turkey's population reaches 80 million by 2030, annual per person water consumption in Turkey would be 1,100 meters cubed, making it a country facing a severe water crisis.

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Veysel Eroglu said employing modern irrigation techniques is one of the key ways to save water. "Agricultural production will face more problems and there will be more water problems both in urban and arid areas in Turkey. Almost 75 percent of water consumption goes to agriculture in the country, and 50 percent of irrigation water is wasted. We definitely need more controls and good water management," he said yesterday, speaking with the Anatolia news agency.
Country/Continent.....Annual water amount available per person (m3)

Syria 1,200
Lebanon 1,300
Turkey 1,430
Iraq 2,020
Asian average 3,000
West European average 5,000
African average 7,000
South American average 23,000
World average 7,600

Source: Today’s Zaman
Website: http://tinyurl.com/57m99o


17.06.08 : Des normes européennes pour les eaux de surface

Une directive «fille» de la directive-cadre sur l’eau devrait être définitivement adoptée le 17 juin. La liste de substances prioritaires pour lesquelles des normes de qualité sont fixées a été au centre des débats.
Etablir des normes de qualité environnementale pour les eaux de surface de l'Union européenne afin de limiter la quantité de substances chimiques présentant un risque pour l'environnement ou la santé: c’est l’objectif de la directive dite NQE (1). Proposée en juillet 2006 et visant à l’atteinte du bon état chimique des eaux européennes d’ici 2015 imposé par la directive-cadre sur l’eau (DCE) de 2000, elle devrait être adoptée le 17 juin en deuxième lecture par le Parlement européen, après que le Conseil a arrêté une position commune en décembre 2007. Les Etats membres devront ainsi «faire des progrès» pour respecter les normes d’ici 2018.

plus d'information sur http://www.journaldelenvironnement.net/fr/document/detail.asp?id=20203&idThema=2&idSousThema=11&type=JDE&ctx=259


14.05.08 : China: Troops rush to plug dam cracks

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press Writer 50 minutes ago
DUJIANGYAN, China - Hundreds of dams around the epicenter of China's earthquake have been damaged and Chinese troops scrambled Wednesday to plug cracks and open sluices to prevent flooding of already devastated communities.
The National Development Reform Commission, China's top economic planning body, said the earthquake had damaged 391 dams. It said two of the dams were large ones, 28 were medium-sized and the rest were small ones.
The official Xinhua News Agency said 2,000 troops were sent to work on the Zipingpu dam, which lies on about 6 miles up the Min river from the badly damaged city of Dujiangyan in Sichuan province.
Xinhua quoted the Ministry of Water Resources Wednesday as urging protection of the Zipingpu reservoir, saying Dujiangyan would be "swamped" if major problems emerged at the dam.
The ministry had set up an emergency command center at the dam "to discharge the reservoir's rising waters and guarantee that the damage posed no threat to Dujiangyan and the neighboring Chengdu Plain," Xinhua said.
By late Wednesday, the government pronounced the dam safe."Experts from the Ministry of Water Resources today had a complete and concrete examination on the key sections of the dam," CCTV said, reading a statement also posted on the Sichuan government Web site. "After that, the expert group said the structure was stable and safe."

However, the sudden release of water could also damage the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, a World Heritage Site, which is just a few miles downstream from Zipingpu, said Aviva Imhoff, campaign director for the International Rivers Network, an activist group that seeks to protect rivers."The issue here is the rate at which they're draining the reservoir and the potential impacts downstream," Imhoff said.

He Biao, the director of the Aba Disaster Relief headquarters in northern Sichuan, said there were also concerns over dams closer to Wenchuan, the epicenter which lies about 30 miles northwest of Dujiangyan. "The most dangerous problems are several reservoirs near Wenchuan," he said, according to a transcript on the CCTV Web site.
He said problems at the Tulong Reservoir on the Min River could lead to collapse."If that happens, it would affect several power plants below and be extremely dangerous," he said.

Scores of rivers snake through mountainous Tibetan plateau before descending into the fertile Sichuan basin where they provide critical irrigation. Most have dams along them to help regulate seasonal floods and to provide much needed power. Over the past few decades, China has seen a frenzy of dam building aimed at meeting soaring demand for power to fuel China's booming industries. Hydroelectric power is viewed as a relatively clean alternative to the heavily polluting coal-fired plants that are the country's mainstay source of energy. The Zipingpu facility was put into service in 2006 but not without opposition.
A campaign was launched in 2001 to protest funding for Zipingpu because of its close proximity to a fault line, said Imhoff of International Rivers.

The group obtained transcripts of an internal government meeting in 2000 where seismologists warned officials of the dangers of constructing the dam and the potential for it to be damaged in an earthquake, she said.
"The government ignored the warnings and now we're seeing the results," Imhoff said.

The Three Gorges dam, the world's largest, lies about 350 miles to the east of the epicenter but the information office of State Council Three Gorges Construction Committee said earlier this week that there was no damage to the massive structure.

Source : http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080514/ap_on_re_as/china_earthquake_dam;_ylt=AqczbZUO1cixTwxBf39dTUxn.3QA via International Rivers

more :
Go toInternational Rivers Website with a special page dedicated to the
Zipingpu dam

Article "FIGARO" ( french newspaper) in french


 

13.05.08 : Zipingpu Hydropower plant stopped by quake

According to the Sichuan provincial government on Tuesday morning, the Wenchuan
earthquake has caused severe cracks in the dam of the Zipingpu Hydropower
Station. The plant and associated buildings have collapsed, and some are partly
sunk. The whole installation is out of commission.

Located at the junction of Dujiangyan City and Wenchuan County on the upper
Minjiang River, the Zipingpu Hydropower Plant was one of the first 10 landmark
projects of the Western Development plan. It is also the principal project in
the province's 10th five-year plan. The station was brought into service in
2006.

At 2:28 p.m. on Monday an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale pounded
Wenchuan County in the Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba, Sichuan
Province, leveling some 500,000 homes in the affected areas and leaving at
least 9,219 people dead in the eight affected provinces and municipality
including Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Yunnan, Shanxi, Guizhou and
Hubei, the Ministry of Civil Affairs confirmed.

Source: China.org.cn May 13, 2008), http://www.china.org.cn/china/wenchuan_earthquake/2008-05/13/content_15201601.htm
via International Rivers


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