Measures on Kössein and Röslau to reduce the mercury problem in the reservoir Skalka, CZ

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The Skalka reservoir is located in the Czech Republic on the border with Bavaria near the city of Eger. It serves several purposes: the protection of floods, the production of energy, the use of water for industry in the Eger area, as well as the low water increase and thus the granting of a minimum water outflow in the Eger. It is also used for leisure and recreation purposes. Outflows, sediments and fish are contaminated with mercury in the rivers Kössein, Röslau and Eger from anthropogenic inputs. In the reservoir Skalka, these mercury-loaded suspended materials sediment. So far, it has not been sufficiently studied how harmful the impact on the food chain in the reservoir and its use on humans is. The result of such an investigation is a risk analysis prepared by the Czech partner. It serves the Bavarian side as a basis for action for the corrective measures and enables their prioritisation. As part of the project, all eligible measures will be examined on the Bavarian side as part of a feasibility study. The measures will be assessed in terms of effectiveness, sustainability, cost and feasibility (technical and legal feasibility and compliance with the Water Framework Directive). Elongated shore and solitude protection measures as well as measures in the valleyows are likely to result in restrictions due to the FFH areas. Therefore, 4 to 5 concrete measures are foreseen in the context of water maintenance, where a sensitive approach is tested in close cooperation with nature conservation authorities, taking into account nature conservation. The risk analysis does not have a timeline for the preparation of the Bavarian feasibility study. The environmental administrations of both countries want to decide on the exemplary implementation of measures on the basis of the two drafts. The target group includes the general public affected by mercury pollution as well as the experts dealing with this topic on both sides of the state border. The joint project aims to reduce the further spread of mercury in the catchment area of the affected waters. The annexes contain an overview plan.

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