**2.2 Environmental and socio-economic values of the basin**

The Sava river basin is widely known for its high environmental and socio-economic values, associated not only with a natural beauty, an outstanding biological and landscape diversity (Fig. 7) and large retention areas along the river, but also with a high potential for

Integrated Water Resources Management as a

2.6 8.4

4.8

15.1

Basis for Sustainable Development – The Case of the Sava River Basin 29

Fig. 9. Estimation of total water use in the Sava river basin (ISRBC, 2009d)

Fig. 10. Navigation on the Sava river (Left photo: Dragan M. Babović. Credit: ISRBC)

After the political changes in the region in the early 1990-ies, the Sava river, which was the largest national river in the former country, has become an international river of a recognized importance. The establishment of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe in 1999 provided a solid basis for triggering the cooperation of stakeholders in the region and, gradually, the creation of a new approach to water resources management in the Sava river basin. On these grounds, the four countries of the basin – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later on Serbia & Montenegro, and then Republic of Serbia), Republic of Croatia and Republic of Slovenia, entered into a process of negotiations, with the primary aim to establish an appropriate framework for transboundary cooperation in

Fig. 11. Rafting on the Vrbas river, a Sava tributary (ISRBC, 2009d)

the water sector, and thus foster sustainable development of the region.

**3. Legal and institutional framework for cooperation** 

69.2

 Thermal plants Industry

Irrigation

Public water supply

Other agricultural

development of economic activities, such as the waterway transport of cargo and passengers, hydropower generation, tourism and recreation, as well as other activities related to the use of water.

Fig. 7. Tributaries of the Sava river, Una and Drina (Left photo: "Una – Martin Brod", right photo: "Mouth of the Drina River". Author: Miroslav Jeremić. Credit: ISRBC)

The basin hosts the largest complex of alluvial wetlands in the Danube basin and large lowland forest complexes, being a unique example of a river basin with some of the floodplains still intact, thus supporting biodiversity and flood alleviation (Fig. 8). For illustration, the drop of the 100-year high flow, shown in Fig. 6, happens between the river stations 700 km and 640 km, which correspond exactly to the location of Lonjsko polje, being associated with hydraulic effects of this retention area. There are 167 protected areas in total, including six Ramsar sites, eight national parks, as well as numerous important bird and plant areas, protected areas at the national level, and Natura 2000 sites.

Fig. 8. Lonjsko polje – a nature park and retention area (Left photo: "Lonjsko polje – Kratečko", right photo: "Lonjsko polje – at *gmajna*". Author: Boris Krstinić. Credit: ISRBC)

The total annual **water use** in the basin is estimated at about 4.8 billion m3. The overview of various types of the consumptive water uses is shown in Fig. 9. The non-consumptive uses include transportation, hydropower generation, recreation and fishing. The Sava river contributes to the Danube inland waterway transport network with 594 km of the waterway (Fig. 10), from Belgrade to Sisak (Croatia), and provides numerous sites and opportunities for different kinds of tourism and recreation along the whole watercourse of the Sava river (ISRBC, 2011c), as well as on the tributaries (Fig. 11).

development of economic activities, such as the waterway transport of cargo and passengers, hydropower generation, tourism and recreation, as well as other activities

Fig. 7. Tributaries of the Sava river, Una and Drina (Left photo: "Una – Martin Brod", right

The basin hosts the largest complex of alluvial wetlands in the Danube basin and large lowland forest complexes, being a unique example of a river basin with some of the floodplains still intact, thus supporting biodiversity and flood alleviation (Fig. 8). For illustration, the drop of the 100-year high flow, shown in Fig. 6, happens between the river stations 700 km and 640 km, which correspond exactly to the location of Lonjsko polje, being associated with hydraulic effects of this retention area. There are 167 protected areas in total, including six Ramsar sites, eight national parks, as well as numerous important bird and

photo: "Mouth of the Drina River". Author: Miroslav Jeremić. Credit: ISRBC)

plant areas, protected areas at the national level, and Natura 2000 sites.

Fig. 8. Lonjsko polje – a nature park and retention area (Left photo: "Lonjsko polje – Kratečko", right photo: "Lonjsko polje – at *gmajna*". Author: Boris Krstinić. Credit: ISRBC)

(ISRBC, 2011c), as well as on the tributaries (Fig. 11).

The total annual **water use** in the basin is estimated at about 4.8 billion m3. The overview of various types of the consumptive water uses is shown in Fig. 9. The non-consumptive uses include transportation, hydropower generation, recreation and fishing. The Sava river contributes to the Danube inland waterway transport network with 594 km of the waterway (Fig. 10), from Belgrade to Sisak (Croatia), and provides numerous sites and opportunities for different kinds of tourism and recreation along the whole watercourse of the Sava river

related to the use of water.

Fig. 9. Estimation of total water use in the Sava river basin (ISRBC, 2009d)

Fig. 10. Navigation on the Sava river (Left photo: Dragan M. Babović. Credit: ISRBC)

Fig. 11. Rafting on the Vrbas river, a Sava tributary (ISRBC, 2009d)
