A Smart System for Early Floods Detection and Waste Monitoring in the Lepenec River Basin

Project funding	EU
Project website	N/A
Programme website	Kosovo* – North Macedonia
Contribution to the Programme’s specific objective	Enhance joint actions to address environmental pollution issues in the area
Project start date	02.01.2024
Project end date	01.01.2026
Project total budget	EUR 728.446,00
Project EU funding	EUR 619.179,10

Project Description

Description	Overall Objective: To increase resilience of Lepenec River Basin communities to flood disasters, contributing to sustainable and inclusive growth of prevention services. Specific objectives: 1) To improve waste management system in the CB region reducing a serious flood-related threat to communities as illegal dumpsites and harmful debris flows; 2) To create a basin scale flash flood early warning and public alert system towards flood risk management planning in line with EU Flood Directive; and 3) To empower authorities and communities in the CB region to better understand, prepare for and respond to flood risks and prevention. Project activities: 1.1.1. Purchasing, operationalizing and placement of waste collection equipment (waste collection vehicles and plastic waste containers); 1.1.2. Developing and implementing of a local IT supported waste management platform. 2.1.1. Purchasing and operationalizing of a smart early detection, monitoring and public-alert system package: UAVs with integrated surveillance cameras, river level sensors, fixed (mounting) cameras for registering illegal activities that can cause river pollution and flood, and supporting technical equipment for the IT system implementation; 2.2.1. Preparing an Analysis on collected filed data detecting different harmful and hazardous impacts and mapping of hot spots vulnerable to floods and unregulated waste accumulation; 2.2.2. Preparing and establishing a Joint Flood Risk Managing Plan for the Lepenec River Basin region, including measures, priorities, financial implications and recommendations. 3.1.1. Creating CB Network of concerned local and national authorities in flood risk prevention; 3.1.2. Creating and providing training curricula on designed protocols for prevention and flood crisis emergencies, and for integrated smart flood prevention system. 3.2.1. Information dissemination and practical exercises with local population in affected urban areas close to identified hot spots of high flood risk. 3.3.1. Implementing reforestation of mountain area with settlements, as an anti-erosive measure; 3.3.2. Cleaning the dumps near the rural settlements which affect the Lepenec Riverbed.
Expected results	Result 1: Future interventions to address environmental pollution are well coordinated and harmonised, equally benefitting women and men. Result 2: The management of solid waste and wastewater as well as sewage systems is improved, equally benefitting women and men
Expected outputs	Main outputs: 1.1. The waste collection service along the river basin is improved in terms of effectiveness and efficiency; 1.2. The illegal waste dumping, the agricultural and industry work close to the river are monitored, including in hard-to-reach terrains, to prevent river pollution and possible flood. 2.1. The river’s water level and the condition of the reiver-bed are monitored 24/7 for early prevention and detection of floods by delivering data in real-time through operational long-term smart early warning and monitoring system; 2.2. A Joint Flood Risk Management Action Plan for CB area is established based on analyze of the real-time data collected, detecting the hot spots, defining measures and propose recommendations. 3.1. Authorities are equipped with new knowledge to mainstream flood risk mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction as an integral part of social and economic development. 3.2. Flood disaster response capacity is improved through public awareness campaigns on early warning system and inclusive drills. 3.3. Rural communities have increased resilience to floods through practical application of targeted measures.

Description

Overall Objective: To increase resilience of Lepenec River Basin communities to flood disasters, contributing to sustainable and inclusive growth of prevention services.

Specific objectives: 1) To improve waste management system in the CB region reducing a serious flood-related threat to communities as illegal dumpsites and harmful debris flows; 2) To create a basin scale flash flood early warning and public alert system towards flood risk management planning in line with EU Flood Directive; and 3) To empower authorities and communities in the CB region to better understand, prepare for and respond to flood risks and prevention.

Project activities:
1.1.1. Purchasing, operationalizing and placement of waste collection equipment (waste collection vehicles and plastic waste containers);
1.1.2. Developing and implementing of a local IT supported waste management platform.
2.1.1. Purchasing and operationalizing of a smart early detection, monitoring and public-alert system package: UAVs with integrated surveillance cameras, river level sensors, fixed (mounting) cameras for registering illegal activities that can cause river pollution and flood, and supporting technical equipment for the IT system implementation;
2.2.1. Preparing an Analysis on collected filed data detecting different harmful and hazardous impacts and mapping of hot spots vulnerable to floods and unregulated waste accumulation;
2.2.2. Preparing and establishing a Joint Flood Risk Managing Plan for the Lepenec River Basin region, including measures, priorities, financial implications and recommendations.
3.1.1. Creating CB Network of concerned local and national authorities in flood risk prevention;
3.1.2. Creating and providing training curricula on designed protocols for prevention and flood crisis emergencies, and for integrated smart flood prevention system.
3.2.1. Information dissemination and practical exercises with local population in affected urban areas close to identified hot spots of high flood risk.
3.3.1. Implementing reforestation of mountain area with settlements, as an anti-erosive measure;
3.3.2. Cleaning the dumps near the rural settlements which affect the Lepenec Riverbed.

Expected results

Result 1: Future interventions to address environmental pollution are well coordinated and harmonised, equally benefitting women and men.
Result 2: The management of solid waste and wastewater as well as sewage systems is improved, equally benefitting women and men

Expected outputs

Main outputs:
1.1. The waste collection service along the river basin is improved in terms of effectiveness and efficiency;
1.2. The illegal waste dumping, the agricultural and industry work close to the river are monitored, including in hard-to-reach terrains, to prevent river pollution and possible flood.
2.1. The river’s water level and the condition of the reiver-bed are monitored 24/7 for early prevention and detection of floods by delivering data in real-time through operational long-term smart early warning and monitoring system;
2.2. A Joint Flood Risk Management Action Plan for CB area is established based on analyze of the real-time data collected, detecting the hot spots, defining measures and propose recommendations.
3.1. Authorities are equipped with new knowledge to mainstream flood risk mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction as an integral part of social and economic development.
3.2. Flood disaster response capacity is improved through public awareness campaigns on early warning system and inclusive drills.
3.3. Rural communities have increased resilience to floods through practical application of targeted measures.

Partners Type

Lead partner	Institution name: Municipality of Hani i Elezit/Elez Han Country: Kosovo* Address: Nuri Bushi No.2 71570 Hani i Elezit/Elez Han Website: https://kk.rks-gov.net/haniielezit/ Legal status: Public
Partner	Institution name: International Institute for Development and Research ‘Dr. Jugoslav Achkoski – Skopje’ Country: North Macedonia Address: N/A Website: N/A Legal status: Private
Partner	Institution name: Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Country: Kosovo* Address: “Rilindja” building 10000 Prishtinë/Priština Website: https://mmphi.rks-gov.net/ Legal status: Public
Partner	Institution name: Protection and Rescue Directorate, Skopje Country: North Macedonia Address: Vasko Karangelovski 10 1000 Skopje Website: www.dzs.gov.mk Legal status: Public