Experts from Estonia and Latvia will meet in Pärnu on January 31 and February 1, 2012, to discuss joint plan for Gauja / Koiva river basin district management. Gauja / Koiva project implementers believe that it is important to harmonize approaches for typology of water bodies and classification of water quality status in rivers, lakes and coastal waters between Estonia and Latvia.

During the meetings, experts will discuss differences and needs for harmonization on water quality assessment and participate in a workshop on criteria to assess the significance of pressures and impacts from pollution sources and impact from hydro-morphological alterations.

The meeting is organized by the Baltic Environmental Forum Estonia and Tallinn Technical University as a part of Estonia – Latvia Programme funded project “Towards joint management of the transboundary  Gauja/ Koiva river basin district” that is implemented by project lead partner Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology and 6 other partners from Estonia and Latvia.

This initiative is one of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region’s Priority area no 3 (to reduce the use and impact of hazardous substances) projects.

Picture: Gauja / Koiva project logotype.