Scaldit - Scheldt Integrated Testing

The name 'Scaldit' is made up of 'Scaldis' - the Latin name for Scheldt - and Integrated Testing. The project will run from 1 January 2003 to 30 Juin 2008.With this project, the partners want to lay the basis for the development of integrated water management in the Scheldt River basin District. They are investigating the feasibility of the guidance documents that the European Union has provided in connection with the Common Implementation Strategy. Most of the project's actions are of importance for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the entire river basin district. The experience accumulated will later on benefit all international river basin districts in the European Union and the Candidate Member States.


The action programme for the Scaldit project
is constructed around five themes:

Characterisations of the river basin district

Data and information management

Water management and spatial planning

Communication and public participation

Up to the international river basin management plan You will find the action programme and more information concerning project content and management in the application form approved by InterregIIIB.
 

An in-depth analysis
The project takes as its starting-point the characterisation of the river basin district. To this end, there are three kinds of analysis on the programme:

• An analysis of the river basin district's characteristics
• An analysis of the pressure from and impact of human activities on the status of the ground and surface water
• An economic analysis of water consumption.

Taking account of the deadlines set out in the Water Framework Directive, the following subjects are dealt with: groundwater, fresh surface water, coastal and transitional water, reference conditions, heavily modified water bodies, the economy, pressure and impact on water ecosystems, monitoring and development of a jointly managed platform for creating cartographic material.
The jointly developed characterisation will also be used to develop scenarios. On the basis of these, experts can assess the likelihood of surface water bodies within the river basin district satisfying the environmental quality objectives in 2015.




Space for water
The project also devotes attention to Space for Water. The Scheldt River basin District is heavily urbanised and industrialised. The impact of human activities goes beyond pollution through emissions, discharges and disasters. They can also cause considerable spatial pressure on the river basin district. Thus, in the event of persistent rain, certain watercourses may lack the capacity to drain off the excess water. This leads to an increased risk of flooding. To prevent this or, if that appears impossible, to limit the damage, it is advisable to give water - where possible - enough space. The various project partners' regional planners will attempt to devise a solution for this in co-operation with the water managers.

Water: everyone's asset, everyone's business
Communication and public participation is the fourth main pillar of the project. The partners believe it is important that all relevant parties, authorities, interest groups and consumers should have the chance to be actively involved in the implementation of the project right from the start. The efficient distribution of accurate information via newsletters and a website forms the basis for this.


More info on : Scaldit website