project no. inco-ct-2005-003659 hkh... · second periodic activity report inco-ct-2005-003659...

Project No. INCO-CT-2005-003659

Project acronym: ASSESS-HKH

Project title: Development of an Assessment System to Evaluate the Ecological Status of Rivers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region

Instrument: Specific targeted Research or Innovation Project

Thematic priority: Specific measures in support of international co-operation; A.2.1. Managing humid and semi-humid ecosystems

PERIODIC ACTIVITY REPORT MONTH 13-24

Period covered: April 15th 2006 to April 14th 2007 Date of preparation: May 2007

Start date of project: April 15th 2005 Duration: 36 months

Project coordinator name: Univ. Prof. Dr. Otto Moog Version 1

Project coordinator organisation name: BOKU – Universität für Bodenkultur Wien

Second Periodic Activity Report

INCO-CT-2005-003659 ASSESS-HKH of 52

Publishable executive summary The Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is not only the world's highest mountain region, but also the most populous and it is a vast storehouse of hydropower, timber, firewood, medicinal plants, rich minerals and last, but not least, water. The rivers provide water and hydro-power for hundreds of millions of people downstream. Thus, water is the central resource the ASSESS-HKH project is focusing on. ASSESS-HKH aims at developing tools for river assessment and river basin management for the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region. Specifically, the project aims at:

• Establishing scientific partnerships between Europe and Asia to promote transfer and adaptation of European research as a significant and verifiable contribution to international sustainable development.

• Achieving a better understanding of ecosystem dynamics in the rivers and streams of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region.

• Developing and applying an ecological assessment system with benthic invertebrates to provide a scientific basis for identification of sustainable water policy options and management strategies.

• Developing tools for ecological water management and river basin planning, in particular invertebrate taxa lists, sampling methods adapted to regional conditions, river assessment systems and related tools for application.

• Creating public awareness of the invaluable resource water in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region to promote the sustainable handling and usage of water.

ASSESS-HKH includes an intensive exchange of knowledge between Asian and European partners, between scientists and water managers and between natural and social scientists. Four European and six Asian partners are involved in the project:

• BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Department Water - Atmosphere - Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology & Aquatic Ecosystem Management

• UDE - University of Duisburg-Essen, Centre for Microscale Ecosystem, Department of Hydrobiology

• UMag - Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Faculty of Economics and Management, Chair of Economic Policy

• MasUniv - Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology & Ecology, Brno • KU - Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel • ICIMOD - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu • PCRWR - Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad • AHEC - Alternate Hydro Energy Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee • BUET - Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Dhaka • NECS - National Environment Commission Secretariat, Thimphu

The University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Department Water - Atmosphere - Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology & Aquatic Ecosystem Management is coordinating ASSESS-HKH. Contact address: Max Emanuelstrasse 17, 1180 Vienna, Austria E-mail: [email protected].



The first year of the project was mainly dedicated to establishing the environmental and biological databases for developing the river quality assessment methodology. Therefore, different protocols were developed to guide the field and laboratory processes. Following the principles of the EU Water Framework Directive, the ASSESS-HKH methodology is based on the reference approach. This means that the ecological quality of a river section is evaluated by comparing an observed ecological situation (expressed in terms of benthic invertebrate population criteria) with a target situation that represents the reference status of high ecological quality.

As the application of a reference based assessment system relies on well-defined river types, the workflow started with the development of a river typology (WP 2). The HKH river typology is based on ecoregions (derived from WWF 200 ecoregions) because these geographical entities have been proven as valuable basic components of stream typology on a worldwide scale. The following five ecoregions and eleven sub-ecoregions (bioregions) were selected for the study area:

1. Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf Forests (IM 0401) Inner Valleys and Passes in Western and Central Bhutan Mid-hills and Mahabharata Range in Nepal

2. Himalayan Subtropical Pine Forests (IM 0301) Southern Mountains and Gorges in Bhutan Middle Mountains and Valleys in Nepal Almora Hills in the Kumaon Himalaya in India Muree Hills in the Islamabad Region in Pakistan

3. Western Himalayan Broadleaf Forests (IM 0403) Simla Valleys in India Indus River Basin (catchment of Tarbella Reservoir) in Pakistan

4. Lower Gangetic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests (IM 0120) Padma and Meghna River Basin in Bangladesh

Terai in Nepal 5. Upper Gangetic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests (IM 0166)

Siwalik/Terai in India

For the first and second sampling period, which was finished in year two all partners used the same scheme of ecoregion-based river types and the same definitions of reference conditions to select the reference sites in their country. Among the manifold pressures two important and common pressures for the HKH-region were chosen for investigations: organic pollution and river damming (for water abstraction and/or hydropower use). Organic pollution was considered as the main stressor affecting the riverine benthic invertebrate community within the HKH region. The following sampling design was applied for each river type to cover the presumed pressure gradient: 4 sites of a high (reference) status, 4 sites of a good status, 3 sites of a moderate status, 3 sites of a poor status and 3 sites of a bad status. There was a clear understanding among partners that harmonised field and laboratory work is an inevitable must for the success of the project. To achieve this goal, manuals on a standardised sampling and sorting procedure, on additional microhabitat sampling (AMS), on a HKH site protocol, and on a rapid field assessment protocol were produced.

During the field work, the local population was informed by information events. Local information events provided the most important means to create public awareness and acceptance. The events aimed at informing the local population, living adjacent to the sampled river sites, about the objectives of the project and particularly about the role of aquatic bio-indicators. The impact of present pressures on the organisms was demonstrated. Public flyers and posters were prepared to support the events, which are available in English as well as in local languages, such as Urdu, Hindi, Nepali and Bengali.



All sites were sampled successfully, because of the common harmonised effort. A total of 393 samples were taken. Benthic invertebrate samples were complemented by a selection of physico-chemical, hydrological, morphological and microbiological parameters. These data were necessary to validate the pollution status and other forms of degradation of individual sites that were assigned during the pre-classification before sampling. The approach followed for ASSESS-HKH demands to validate and calibrate the biological data by using abiotic data. Additional to the standard sampling, microhabitat-specific samples were collected, which are currently analysed with respect to e.g. substrate and current preferences of different taxa. This information will help to fill some of the gaps in ecological knowledge and serves as a base for parts of the HKH assessment system.

After finishing sampling the laboratory sorting and pre-identification was performed following the HKH sorting protocol as scheduled. Pre-identification was done to the lowest possible taxonomic level (mainly order or family level). Due to the overall comparatively poor scientific knowledge on the Asian river fauna it was agreed to perform a joint identification workshop ("Regional Capacity Building Workshop on the Macroinvertebrates' taxonomy and systematics for evaluating the ecological status of rivers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) Region"; in short: Taxonomy Workshop) in Kathmandu. This workshop was conducted from August 22nd to September 7th 2006 in Kathmandu/Dhulikhel. Under the guidance of taxonomic experts and resource persons, who presented specially prepared taxonomic keys and gave comprehensive Powerpoint presentations on all major taxa groups, the Asian and European scientists identified the collected specimens jointly.

For storing the field and biological data in the project database the HKHdip (data input programme) was slightly adapted due to the experiences achieved during the first sampling/sorting/identification period. These adaptations include the site protocol, the HKH taxa catalogue, a data input form for taxa, and a data input form for the HKHscreening methodology as well as different export options. Handling of HKHdip is described in a manual.

Regarding the development of the ASSESS-HKH methodology there was a common agreement to continue the review biological stream assessment methodologies in HKH region although this task has already been finished after the first project year.

Due to the good performance of the rapid field assessment methodology for pre-classifying the sampling sites during the first sampling series, it was fixed that this rapid field protocol should be adapted as a screening methodology to be used to obtain classification results for rivers that can be used to produce water quality maps in the partner countries. The method was re-named HKH Screening. Some major adaptations were made in the second reporting year for applying the screening methodology in the rivers of the Upper and Lower Gangetic Plains. Only minor alterations were necessary for screening the other river types. To be sure that the third sampling for the water quality maps will be done in a harmonised way an “ASSESS-HKH Workshop on Rapid Field Bio-assessment Method” (in short: Screening Workshop) was held in Kathmandu from March 4th to 7th 2007. According to the development of the first module of the ASSESS-HKH methodology, the HKH screening methodology, a HKH screening protocol and manual were produced.

With respect to developing score based assessment methods, it became clear that the NEPBIOS methodology will provide sound results in the HKH region. As the use of NEPBIOS was originally developed for a certain geographical region, it needed to be checked, if the NEPBIOS rankings could be used in other HKH countries or ecoregions. Further, as the NEPBIOS is dedicated to assess mainly the effects of organic pollution, some more bio-indicators that indicate an overall degradation need to be included. To achieve the aim of creating an ecoregion-based HKH biotic score the NEPBIOS rankings of the single indicator taxa were evaluated and at the moment about 450 taxa were treated. The final product will be called HKH Biotic Score.



Referring to the development of a multi-metric assessment method, it was agreed at the 4th Steering Committee meeting in Pakistan (December 2006) that the multi-metric approach should be adapted to the specific conditions of the stream types investigated by each partner. This adaptation should be based on the project’s data and should take the experiences made during field collections into consideration. Four stages of deterioration should be defined for each stream type based on the reference biocoenoses. The causes of degradation should be indicated by the assessment system. The achievements of this task up to now comprised a preparation of a detailed updated time schedule during a workshop meeting in Vienna in cooperation with BOKU and UDE in early April 2007.

Regarding the work on the taxa catalogue, which serves as a base for the ASSESS-HKH methodology as well as for the HKH Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT), the taxalist compiled during the first reporting period was extended with taxa gained from experiences during the Taxonomy Workshop (working taxa) and species generated from expert knowledge (results of the top taxonomists’ work). The taxa catalogue currently comprises 8044 taxa (5403 species or working names, for those species which are not described up to now).

In order to reach the objectives related to the development of the HKH Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT), as a first step the functional specifications were defined. It was agreed that the ECODAT tool should consist of four different modules that can be run separately or in combination. Two of the modules were already put into practice (HKHdip, HKHscreening).

Definition of sampling designs for the production of water quality maps for some HKH regions has started earlier than planned. The following areas in the partner countries were selected for sampling, which has started close to the end of year two:

Country Area for Water Quality Map Bangladesh Dhaka city area Bhutan area around Thimphu and Paro India the Kosi river system Nepal Pokhara Municipality (Seti Basin) and Bagmati River Basin Pakistan area around Islamabad and Rawalpindi

Additionally, an outline for the report on the sustainable management strategies was prepared and collection of material is underway.

Dissemination of knowledge was partly obtained by the project’s website www.assess-hkh.at. Reports, minutes, protocols, field sheets, manuals, posters, questionnaires and all results achieved so far were made available on the site for download. Depending on the confidential status, downloadable files are partly restricted to the project community so far. The ASSESS-HKH webpage is also used to inform the general public and scientific community about the progress of the project and it was continuously updated throughout the reporting period.

Other means of disseminating information about the project included 13 organized information events. From these seven information events were on local level, one was on university level and five were on central level. Documentation papers and questionnaires of all information events from the first and second reporting period were sighted and evaluated. As a result a report was written that summarizes all information events and gives answers to the most frequently asked questions of the audience. A conclusion at the end of the report makes suggestions for the future work to increase effectiveness of ASSESS-HKH and understanding of ecological river assessment. In addition to information events partners introduced ASSESS-HKH via conferences, internet and TV.



Project logo:

Photos:

“Taxonomy Workshop” in Dhulikhel, Nepal (August 20th – September 7th 2006)

Determination of benthic invertebrates at the “Taxonomy Workshop



Contractors involved

CO-ORDINATOR Partner 1: BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Max Emanuel Strasse 17 A-1180 Vienna, Austria

Team leader: Univ. Prof. Dr. Otto Moog Email: [email protected] Tel. +43-1-47654-5211

CONTRACTORS Partner 2: Universität Duisburg-Essen Universitätsstrasse 5 D-45141 Essen, Germany

Team leader: PD Dr. Daniel Hering Email: [email protected] Tel. +49-201-183 3084

Partner 3: Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg Universitätsplatz 2 D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany

Team leader: Dr. Andreas Hoffmann Email: [email protected] Tel. +49 391 6712945

Partner 4: Masarykova Univerzita v Brne Kotlarska 2 CZ-61137 Brno, Czech Republic

Team leader: Dr. Karel Brabec Email: [email protected] Tel. +420 549493260

Partner 6: Kathmandu University Dhulikhel 7, P.O.Box 6250 Dhulikhel, Nepal

Team leader: Ass. Prof. Dr. Subodh Sharma Email: [email protected], [email protected] Tel. +977-11-661339



Partner 7: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Khumaltar, Lalitpur P.O.Box 3226 Kathmandu, Nepal

Team leader: Mandira Shrestha Email: [email protected] Tel. +977-1-5525313

Partner 8: Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources Khayaban-johar road sector H-8/1 46000 Islamabad, Pakistan

Team leader: Dr. Muhammad Akram Kahlown Email: [email protected] Tel. +92-51-9218992

Partner 9: Alternate Hydro Energy Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee 247667 Roorkee, India

Team leader: Dr. Mahendra Pal Sharma Email: [email protected] Tel. +91 1332 285836

Partner 10: Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology Department of Water Resources Engineering and Department of Civil Engineering Ramna 1000 Dhaka, Bangladesh

Team leader: Prof. Muhammad Fazlul Bari Email: [email protected], [email protected] Tel. +880 966 5650 7285

Partner 11: National Environment Commission Secretariat - The Royal Government of Bhutan Tashi Chho Dzong, P.O.Box 466 Thimphu, Bhutan

Team leader: MSc. G. Karma Chhopel Email: [email protected] Tel. +975 2 323384, 324323



Section 1 - Project objectives and major achievements

Overall Project objectives

ASSESS-HKH aims at developing tools for river assessment and river basin management for the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region. The tools will jointly be developed by Asian and European partners and will be based on both, the experiences from recent European research activities and the knowledge about Asian river catchments and their management needs. Individually, the project aims at:

• Establishing scientific partnerships between Europe and Asia to promote transfer and adaptation of European research results to humid and semi-humid regions as a significant and verifiable contribution to international sustainable development.

• Achieving a better understanding of ecosystem dynamics in the rivers and streams of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region.

• Developing and applying an ecological assessment system with benthic invertebrates to provide a scientific basis for identification of sustainable water policy options and management strategies.

• Developing tools for ecological water management and river basin planning, in particular invertebrate taxalists, sampling methods adapted to regional conditions, river assessment systems and related tools for application.

The project includes an intense exchange of knowledge, between the Asian and European partners, between scientists and water managers and between natural and social scientists. 20 deliverables will be produced, 12 of which will be available for the general public. An extra workpackage is devoted to dissemination, to facilitate an effective transfer of the project results into application.

The ecological assessment system will use benthic macroinvertebrates as bio-indicators, which provide a deeper understanding of ecosystem dynamics and information on anthropogenic effects than chemical measurements. The system will serve as a basis for policy development, transnational water resource planning and ecosystem management. The main tangible results of this 3-year research project are:

• A three-tier methodology for incrementally complex ecological assessment ranging from a manually calculated overview method for identification of environmental hot spots to computer-aided detail analyses of sites being subject of specific investigations.

• An information management tool (application software and database) for the calculation and interpretation of the ecological status based on biotic (macroinvertebrate) data.

• Reports for policy recommendations, transnational water resource planning and ecosystem management gained through interpretation of results produced within the project, thus validating the assessment methodology and the information management tool and transferring them into the practice of water management.

Objectives for reporting period

The main objectives for the second project year can be summarized as follows: • conduct successful scientific management and project management • host and maintain the project website • organise and hold periodic meetings to review the work progress • perform (finish) sampling and field work of the second (pre-monsoon) sampling period • sample and analyse additional microhabitats (AMS) • perform laboratory sorting and identification work • store the results of field and laboratory work in the project database (HKHdip)



• review biological stream assessment methodologies in the HKH region • define a rapid field bio-assessment method • prepare a definition for a score based assessment method • prepare a definition for a multi-metric assessment method • produce a methodology manual: describe the fundamentals and application of the ASSESS-

HKH methodology • continue the work on the macro-invertebrate taxa catalogue on the HKH fauna • create a functional specification for the HKH Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT) • perform software adaptation/development (HKHdip, HKHscreening) • perform software validation (tests) • perform field work, sorting, identification and storage of recorded data for the creation of water

quality maps • host information events in the HKH countries • prepare deliverables and reach milestones as foreseen

Work performed and achievements during reporting period

The main priorities during the second year of the project covered the topics of Workpackages 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Based on the findings, experiences and results of year 1 the sampling of the pre-monsoon series, the treatment of the samples, the increase of taxonomic competence and the start of creating the ECODAT software were the main duties of the ASSESS-HKH project. Above and beyond, these topics were accomplished by the scientific management and project management by hosting and maintaining the project website for internal use and external communication, by organising and holding periodic meetings to review the work progress (4th Steering Committee meeting), and by hosting scientific (Taxonomy Workshop, Screening Workshop) and information events in the HKH countries. At the 4th Steering Committee meeting, that was held from December 1st to 6th 2006 in Pakistan, the following topics were discussed in detail: status of HKHdip development and performance of data entry, progress of the HKH taxalist, overview on public events, presentation of the additional microhabitat sampling, findings from common ecoregions, experiences of partners with the rapid field bio-assessment protocols, status of the development of score-based and multi-metric assessment methods, and creation of a functional specification for the ECODAT software. Another focus was put on target regions and methodology for drawing water quality maps and recommending mitigation strategies. The last focal point was directed to future activities, as there are publications, upcoming meetings and the final scientific conference.

As scheduled, sampling and field work of the second (pre-monsoon) sampling period was conducted from February to Mai 2006. Sampling design followed the criteria of the MHS method, which was already performed in the first sampling season (Deliverable 8). A summary of the total sampling effort is given in Deliverable 9.

As having proven to be successful in the first sampling period, the local population was informed by information events prior to sampling and during the field work. The experience showed that local information events provided the most important means to create public awareness and acceptance. The events aimed at informing the local population, living adjacent to the sampled river sites, about the objectives of the project and particularly about the role of aquatic bio-indicators. To inform the local public in a sustainable way, public flyers and posters were prepared to support the events. Flyers are available in English as well as in local languages, such as Urdu, Hindi, Nepali and Bengali. Several European resource people - who previously harmonised their way of sampling and sorting during a workshop in Vienna -



assisted the project partners in Bhutan, Bangladesh, and India. A total of 393 sites were sampled successfully, because of the common harmonised effort. The recording of selected physical-chemical, microbiological, hydrological and morphological parameters complemented benthic invertebrate samples. Additional to the standardised sampling, microhabitat-specific samples were collected. Including both sampling seasons a total of about 600 microhabitat samples are now available, which are currently analysed with respect to e.g. substrate and current preferences of different taxa. This information will help to fill some of the gaps related to ecological knowledge and serves as a base for parts of the HKH assessment system.

After finishing the sampling procedure, the laboratory sorting and pre-identification was performed as scheduled. Pre-identification was done to the lowest possible taxonomic level (mainly order or family level). Due to the overall comparatively poor scientific knowledge on the Asian river fauna it was agreed to perform a joint identification workshop in Kathmandu. This workshop was conducted from August 20th to September 7th, 2006 in Kathmandu/Dhulikhel ("Regional Capacity Building Workshop on the Macroinvertebrates' taxonomy and systematics for evaluating the ecological status of rivers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) Region"; in short: Taxonomy Workshop). Under the guidance of taxonomic experts and resource persons, who presented specially prepared taxonomic keys and gave comprehensive Powerpoint presentations, the Asian and European scientists identified the collected specimens jointly. The following taxonomic experts and resource persons were involved: Dr. Karel Brabec (MasUniv), Berthold Fliedl (BOKU), Dr. Wolfram Graf (BOKU), DI Anne Hartmann (BOKU), DI Thomas Huber (BOKU), MSc Thomas Korte (UDE), Dr. Tomas Soldan (associated to MasUniv) and MSc Hasko Nesemann (KU).

For storing the collected data in the project database the HKHdip (data input programme) was slightly adapted due to the experiences achieved during the first sampling/sorting/identification period. These adaptations included the site protocol, the HKH taxa catalogue, a data input form for taxa, and a data input form for the HKHscreening methodology as well as different export options. Partners entered all non-biotic data compiled in the site protocol as well as the HKHscreening data of both sampling seasons into HKHdip. Taxa data of the second sampling season, identified at the Taxonomy Workshop, were directly entered at the workshop into the partner's laptops. Taxa from the first sampling season were entered by BOKU and UDE.

Regarding the development of the ASSESS-HKH methodology, there was a common agreement to continue the review of biological stream assessment methodologies in the HKH region although this task was already finished after the first project year. As a result of to the ongoing international activities on the field of water management and protection it seemed to be important to include possible recent activities and developments.

Due to the good performance of the rapid field assessment methodology for pre-classifying the sampling sites during the first sampling series, it was fixed that this rapid field protocol should be adapted as a screening methodology and used to obtain water quality maps in the partner countries. The method was re-named HKH Screening. Some major adaptations were made in the second reporting year for applying the screening methodology in the rivers of the Upper and Lower Gangetic Plains. Only minor alterations were necessary for screening the other river types.

To be sure that the third sampling (to obtain water quality maps) will be done in a harmonised way an “ASSESS-HKH Workshop on Rapid Field Bio-assessment Method” (in short: Screening Workshop) was held jointly by Prof. Dr. Otto Moog (BOKU/Vienna) and Kathmandu University (organisation by Dr. Subodh Sharma) in Kathmandu from March 4th to 7th, 2007. The objective of this field based workshop was to coach the participants for river water quality mapping using the Field Screening Protocol and applying the method to prepare water quality maps of the selected rivers in their respective countries. At the end of



the workshop a taxative list of fixed rules how to perform the sampling was produced jointly (“Report on Rapid Field Bio-assessment Workshop”). According to the development of the first module of the ASSESS-HKH methodology, a HKH screening tool, a HKH screening protocol and manual were produced.

With respect to defining score based assessment methods, it became clear that these monitoring approaches are only scarcely used in the HKH area. In India at the CPCB in Delhi a BMWP methodology is used, which is very close to the original British assessment system. In Nepal the NEPBIOS methodology is used at the university level. Nevertheless it became obvious after the first testing that a score based method will provide sound results in the HKH region.

As the use of NEPBIOS was originally developed for a certain geographical region, it needed to be checked, if the NEPBIOS ranking can be used in other HKH countries or ecoregions. Further, as the NEPBIOS is dedicated to assess the effects of organic pollution, some more bio-indicators that indicate an overall degradation needed to be included. Thus the final product will be called HKH Biotic Score. To achieve the aim of creating an ecoregion-based HKH biotic score, the NEPBIOS rankings of the single indicator taxa were evaluated. At the moment about 450 taxa were treated, but the process is still going on.

With respect to developing the multi-metric assessment method, it was agreed at the 4th Steering Committee meeting in Pakistan that the multi-metric approach should be adapted to the specific conditions of the stream types investigated by each partner. This adaptation should be based on the project’s data and should take into consideration the experiences made during field collections. Four stages of deterioration should be defined for each stream type based on the reference biocoenoses. The causes of degradation should be indicated by the assessment system. Correlation analyses between the values calculated by the single metrics and the physicochemical, morphological and abiotic parameters should be carried out to test to which degree a certain index reflects the stage of deterioration. The achievements of this task up to now comprised the preparation of a detailed updated time schedule during a workshop meeting in Vienna in cooperation with BOKU and UDE in early April 2007. The availability of abiotic and biotic data for forthcoming data evaluation and analysis was evaluated as well as the quality control of abiotic data, completion of missing values, compilation of taxalists from all partners and stream types and adjustment of taxalists to guarantee comparability of data on different levels (considering also the taxonomic resolution that currently can be achieved in the partner countries).

Regarding the work on the taxa catalogue, which serves as a base for the ASSESS-HKH methodology as well as for the HKH Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT), the taxalist compiled during the first reporting period was extended with taxa gained from experiences during the Taxonomy Workshop (working taxa) and species generated from expert knowledge (results of the top taxonomists’ work). The taxa catalogue currently comprises 8044 taxa (5403 species or working names, for those species which are not described up to now).

In order to reach the objectives related with the development of the HKH Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT), as a first step the functional specifications were defined. It was agreed that the ECODAT tool should consist of four different modules that can be run separately or in combination:

• HKHdip (data input program): for site protocol and taxa data entry and storage • HKHscreening (screening field assessment): for evaluation of field observations regarding the

ecological status of a river • HKHbios (biotic score): for calculation of a HKH specific biotic score • HKHindex (multi-metric index): for calculation of a variety of metrics and a HKH specific multi-

metric index



To ease the data input for partners by using the already existing data structure, the second module of ECODAT, the HKHscreening module, was implemented into HKHdip. As to the development of non-computer tools a paper protocol was designed, which can be applied directly in the field and leads to an orienting assessment of the ecological quality class.

To validate ECODAT the HKHscreening results collected so far (first and second sampling season) as well as results of the water quality mapping will be used. Water quality maps of five river sections representative for the HKH region are currently generated. The water quality maps can lead to the identification of environmental “hot spots” that require immediate action or sites not yet impaired, but at high risk. The application of the screening methodology was harmonised during the “ASSESS-HKH Training Workshop on Rapid Field Bio-assessment Method” (see above). The workshop provided a good understanding of the work to be conducted and clarity in terms of methodology and the forms to be used during the sampling process.

Discussions held during several project meetings on water quality mapping identified the following stretches of rivers for water quality mapping:

• Bangladesh: Dhaka City Area • Bhutan: Area around Thimphu and Paro • India: Kosi River System • Nepal: Pokhara Municipality, Seti Basin and Bagmati River Basin • Pakistan: Area around Islamabad and Rawalpindi

Also during the second project year the ASSESS-HKH webpage (www.assess-hkh.at) was used to inform the general public and scientific community about the progress of the project and it was continuously updated throughout the reporting period. Reports, minutes, protocols, field sheets, manuals, posters, questionnaires and all results achieved so far were made available on the site for download. Depending on the confidential status, downloadable files are partly restricted to the project partner community. The website was also used as download-facility for software updates.

Other means of disseminating information about the project included 13 organized information events. From these seven information events were on local level, one was on university level and five were on central level. Documentation papers and questionnaires of all information events from the first and second reporting period were sighted and evaluated. As a result a report was written that summarizes all information events and gives answers to the most frequently asked questions of the audience. A conclusion at the end of the report makes suggestions for the future work to increase the effectiveness of ASSESS-HKH and understanding of ecological river assessment (Deliverable 18, Version 2 and Annexes). In addition to information events partners introduced ASSESS-HKH via conferences, internet and TV. The taxonomic experts, who visited different HKH regions during this and the previous reporting period, described new species, which are currently prepared to be published in different scientific Journals.


All 10 contracts of the ASSESS-HKH project have been involved in the work performed in the second year, whereby the nature and intensity of involvement was different by definition. The specific actions undertaken by each contractor are described in Section 2 and in the Periodic Management Report.



Comments on most important problems during period incl. corrective actions undertaken

Basically no major problems hampered a fruitful and successful second working year. Among the minor problems, which mean problems that could be solved without help from outside, we can split administrative/financial and scientific inconveniences.

Similar to the experiences in the first year, along the administrative/financial troubles, the most important problems encountered were contradicting policies of pre-financing in Europe and Asia. Although all partner countries had in principal agreed to pre-financing according to the Contract, the basic process of pre-financing was far from understanding for the Asian partners. In most of the Asian organisations or institutions it needed much effort from Asian team leaders to discuss the rules with their authorities.

From the management point of view it became clear at a very early stage of the project that most partners have very little experiences with the mercantilistic management of EU funded projects, and had severe problems especially in filling forms, documenting the work or writing quarterly progress reports. We solved the upcoming problems before they actually become reality by giving partners a very good personal feedback on these topics whenever advice is requested. Another way to solve problems before they arise was to require quarterly reports from partners. This system - set up in year 1 - was kept for the second year, too. This gave the coordinators at BOKU the opportunity to detect mistakes and bridge the gaps before any reporting deadline to Brussels.

It has also to be stated within the management context that Europeans have to face the fact that the working environment in the HKH countries is worse than we are used to. Water supply is not continuously provided, the same with electricity and communication like telephone, email or access to the internet. Beside breakdowns some problems occurred in Asian partners countries in context with download of the software via internet due to the limited speed of the internet connections. Some partners have also restricted possibilities for the size of download files. Handing over CDs with the necessary software to partners solved this problem.

With respect to the scientific contents ASSESS-HKH can be declared as a very successful project. Most of the work is fully in accordance with the planned time schedule. Anyhow some problems could be observed and the way to solve these obstacles should be laid down as a valuable experience for other similar projects. All those troubles that came up during the scientific work can be attributed to a single source: there is nearly no experience in biological monitoring of rivers in the HKH countries. This means that those institutions that work on applied water sciences mostly have no biologists in their team and the universities or scientific institutions have no teams with experience in applied hydrobiology or limnology.

As capacity building and knowledge transfer are two of the project’s goals these gaps could easily be bridged by a well-designed schedule of guidance, discussion and harmonisation activities already in the first year. A basic benefit of these activities is that both partners groups, the Asian and the European, learn from each other. The second sampling series confirmed that important keys to success are to achieve 1) a harmonised working in the different partner countries and 2) a stepwise procedure of crosschecking the state of the work, which enables a refinement of procedures, adaptations of methodologies etc.. To achieve these goals in the second reporting period two capacity building meetings were performed: A Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu/Dhulikhel from August 20th to September 7th, 2006 and a Screening Workshop in Kathmandu from March 4th to 7th, 2007.

The 4th Steering Committee meeting was planned after the samples of the second field trip were treated. The meeting took place in Pakistan from December 1st to 6th, 2006. This gave the opportunity to check if everything was done according to prior agreement, if all samples were taken as scheduled, if the sampling gears worked properly etc.. In some cases an



adaptation of methods, a more detailed description of methodological procedures or the fixing of some methodological rules and agreements seemed to be appropriate to guarantee a harmonised procedure.

In detail the following deviations from work programme could be observed: • With respect to sampling and field work the sampling effort in collecting chemical data was

quite different among partner countries, mainly due to long transport from the sampling sites to the lab.

• More effort than planned had to be put into identification and taxonomy of benthic invertebrates due to lack of knowledge and missing information on taxa in the Asian countries. Specific keys for determination had to be generated and a Taxonomy Workshop was held for capacity building and joint determination.

• Some problems occurred in Asian partners countries in context with download of the software via internet due to the limited speed of the internet connections. Some partners have also restricted possibilities for the size of download files. This problem was solved by handing over a CD with the software to all partners at the Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu and the 4th Steering Committee meeting.

• The task of developing a rapid field bio-assessment method was scheduled to be finished by April 2007. According to the experiences in the field it became clear that there was a need for further slight adaptations and improvements of the HKH Field Screening Protocol. The method might be further adapted after the final testing, which is currently done within the task of water quality mapping. Anyhow, the overall work is not affected by this delay.

• Some work for the task on developing score based assessment methods needed to be postponed. This became necessary as during the identification process of animals last year, it turned out that taxonomic knowledge on Asian invertebrates is hardly available. We also detected many species that are new for the scientific community. As the indicator species are the basis for the development of our methods, we had and have to put a stronger focus on the taxonomy, which lasts longer than planned and caused (and will cause further) deviations from the original time schedule. Nevertheless, the overall work is not affected by this shifting.

• Due to the same reasons as described above also some work for developing a multi-metric based assessment methodology needed to be postponed. Again the overall work is not affected.

• The methodology development is followed by software development for the application of these methods. Due to the postponing of the method development work on software will done in parallel in year 3.

• Work on sampling of sites that will be used for drawing water quality maps and collection of material for sustainable management reports has started earlier than planned



Section 2 - Workpackage progress of the period In this section, the workpackages active in year 2 are described.

Workpackage 1 – Consortium management The consortium management is described in Section 3.

Workpackage 2 – Stream Typology and Reference Site Criteria This Workpackage was finished as scheduled in year 1.

Workpackage 3 – Pressures and Impacts This Workpackage was finished as scheduled in year 1.

Workpackage 4 - Sampling Design, Field and Laboratory Work


BOKU, UDE, MasUniv, KU, ICIMOD, PCRWR, AHEC, BUET, NECS

Overall objectives of WP 4

The main objective of WP4 is to provide complete sets of data from reference sites, as well as impacted sites of selected stream types, distributed across the HKH region. The second HKH workshop (WS 2) marks commencement of the field work and will be used to achieve a common understanding of the sampling and sorting (protocols and methodologies). The taxonomic resolution also needs to be harmonised by expert consensus during this workshop. The sampling design will be defined for all investigated stream types based on the results of WPs 2 and 3. The sampling procedure to be used by the partners will be harmonised to achieve data comparability during parallel investigations in the respective HKH countries.

The sampling will provide data for a wide spectrum of evaluation and assessment and allows any degree of precision necessary for the assessment method to be developed (WP5, Tasks 5.2 to 5.4). Comparable data will be collected from sites representing different stages of degradation. All sites will be investigated applying the multi-habitat sampling approach in line with common international standards, in order to receive comparable data from different stream types and from sites representing different stages of degradation. Additional to macroinvertebrate sampling for each site, a comprehensive site protocol containing about 100 sensoric, physical-chemical and hydro-morphological parameters, as well as E. coli concentration will be completed to gain comparable information on the ecological status and water usage. The latter data will be used to verify the pre-classifications of the sites, which have been used to select the sampling sites in WP 3.

Information on habitat preferences of the individual taxa will be collected and analysed in Task 4.3. In comparison with European field work, less reliable information about habitat preferences, current preferences and other species traits of the occurring taxa is anticipated. Therefore, this dataset is required for filling gaps in the ecological/biological species traits assessment.

Sorting and identification of macroinvertebrate samples will be undertaken in the laboratory using prescriptive procedures in standard manuals, which will be adapted by the project partners. Identification will be to the best achievable level, if necessary organism



identification with accompanying capacity building sessions held in Workshop 2. The macroinvertebrate and environmental data will be structured and entered into a database.

Task 4.1 Define sampling design and harmonisation of field work and identification skills

This Task was finished as scheduled in year 1.

Task 4.2 Perform sampling and field work

Objectives

All selected reference (four per stream type) and impacted sites (four sites of class II and three sites per ecological quality class III-V per stream type) will be investigated according to the agreements and achievements of Task 4.1. This will amount to 170 samples. The samples will be taken in two different seasons (total of samples: 340), primarily by the Asian partners, but guided by the workpackage leader. For all selected sections the same abiotic, morphological, hydrological and physicochemical parameters will be examined. One focus of the project lies on the identification and quantification of key biological and ecological parameters important for stream assessment purposes. Beyond this, physicochemical, hydrological and stream morphological parameters will be considered. A site protocol will be used to record parameters relevant to verify the stream type and the state of degradation of the individual sites. It is planned to record approx. 100 parameters from maps and remote sensing data, in the field and by water analyses in the lab. The latter will include chemical and physical parameters as e.g.: N-NH4+, N-NO3-, N-NO2-, PO43-, BOD5, pH, oxygen, total phosphorus, alkalinity, water temperature and conductivity. The data will be used to judge the pollution and other forms of degradation of the individual sites.

Achievements

Sampling of the second sampling series was finished as scheduled in April 2006. Altogether the sites were sampled in two seasons: post-monsoon (November/December 2005) and pre-monsoon (March/April 2006). In total 393 samples were taken. The sampling design and effort is laid down in Deliverable 9.

In Bangladesh a total of 68 samples was taken from 34 sites from a single ecoregion (IM 0120 - Lower Gangetic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests) divided by tidal and non-tidal influence.

In Bhutan 34 samples were taken from 17 sites in the core ecoregion (IM 0301 – Himalayan Subtropical Pine Forests). In ecoregion IM 0401 (Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf Forests), a total of 41 samples were taken, whereby 17 sites were sampled in the post-monsoon period and 24 sites in the pre-monsoon period.

In India sites from two different ecoregions were selected for sampling: in the ecoregion Upper Gangetic Plains (IM 0166) 32 samples were taken from 16 sites. In the core ecoregion (IM 0301), 17 sites were selected and 34 samples taken. Four samples were taken in an additional, neighbouring stream type/ecoregion (IM 0115 - Himalayan Subtropical Broadleaf Forests, IM 0121 - Luang Prabang Montane Rain Forests).

In Nepal 17 sites each were selected from three different ecoregions (IM 0301, IM 0401, IM 0120). Thus a total of 102 samples was taken.

In Pakistan 82 samples were taken. In core ecoregion (IM 0301) 25 sites were sampled in the post-monsoon period and 24 in the pre-monsoon period. From ecoregion IM 0403 (Western Himalayan Broadleaf Forests), 17 sites were sampled in the post-monsoon period and 16 in the pre-monsoon period.



The multi-habitat sampling (MHS) approach - in line with common international standards - was carried out in order to receive comparable data from all stream types and from sites representing different stages of degradation.

Additional to macroinvertebrate sampling of each site, a comprehensive site protocol was filled, recording basic geographic and geological information, hydrological and morphological attributes, and hydro-morphological and organic impairments at the catchment, reach and site scale.

It comprises six main sections: • master data • catchment characteristics • hydrology characteristics • reach characteristics • morphological, chemical and physical characteristics of the sampling site • morphological and organic impacts of the sampling site

Altogether, 95 sensoric, physical-chemical and hydro-morphological parameters were recorded. These data are crucial for the development of the ecological assessment system as they will be correlated with the aquatic macroinvertebrate community of the sampling site to detect reactions of the fauna to stressor gradients.

Deviation from work programme

No problems occurred during taking biological samples of the second sampling season. With respect to physico-chemical samples the actual sampling effort in collecting chemical data was quite different among partner countries, mainly due to long transport from the sampling sites to the lab.

Task 4.3 Microhabitat-specific data collection and analysis – Additional Microhabitat-specific Sampling (AMS)

Objectives

During the sampling activity special emphasis will be given on various microhabitat-samples for selected stream types. This approach allows scope for further evaluation of macroinvertebrates per microhabitat, which might help to fill the gaps in ecological knowledge regarding for example, the current or microhabitat preferences of taxa. This knowledge again serves as a base for important parts of the assessment system carried out in WP 5.

Achievements

More than 300 AMS samples were taken in all HKH countries from April 2006 to June 2006. Hence, altogether (both seasons) more than 600 additional AMS were taken in the Asian countries in both sampling periods (see table 1).

Table 1: AMS samples taken per country

country no. of samplesBangladesh 15 Bhutan 85 India 357 Nepal 61 Pakistan 86



During the current reporting period all samples were sorted and insect taxa were identified to the best taxonomic level achievable. 15 487 individuals belonging to 179 taxa of the insect orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Megaloptera and Lepidoptera were identified (see table 2).

Table 2: Distribution of individuals on the different taxonomic levels; otu: other taxonomic units

Order Family Subfamily Genus/Tribus Subgenus/otu/sp. Trichoptera 19 15 26 4 Ephemeroptera 6 8 29 6 Diptera 12 6 4 Plecoptera 7 1 9 Coleoptera 10 4 Odonata 11 Lepidoptera 1 Megaloptera 1 sum 67 34 68 10

247 AMS samples, which reveal near natural conditions, are currently considered to identify current and habitat preferences of aquatic macroinvertebrates of the HKH region (see table 3).

Table 3: Distribution of AMS samples on the different substrate types; * CPOM = coarse particulate organic matter

substrate no. of samples CPOM* 4 waterplants 10 mud 5 sand 19 wood 7 gravel 31 small stones 37 medium sized stones 43 large stones 36 bedrock / boulders 55

From these samples 68 taxa were considered for the further investigation. Selection criterion for these taxa was the occurrence in more than 9 AMS samples and with more than 29 individuals per sample unit. Different statistical methods (e.g. Chi² Test, CCA, Spearman Rang Correlation) were applied to reveal significant relationships between these taxa and substrate types as well as current velocity. In a next step a 10 points system was applied to weight the relationship of a given taxon to a substrate type or a current velocity class. Consequently, 20 taxa could be characterized as typical stone dwelling animals (lithobiont and lithophil). Furthermore, 15 taxa were identified to have significant preferences for fast flowing water (lotic animals) and 4 taxa were detected to have preferences for slow flowing water (lentic animals). At the current state these assignments are checked by taxonomic experts.


No deviations from the work programme.



Task 4.4 Perform laboratory sorting and identification

Objectives

All sample data will be further processed in the laboratory according to the procedures defined in Task 4.1.

Achievements

Laboratory sorting of the samples started directly after the first sampling period in all countries. A manual for sorting (ASSESS-HKH Sorting Manual) was prepared by the consortium and applied by partners to sort the biological samples. All animals were taken out of the sample and conserved for the further treatment in alcohol.

During the sorting process, pre-identification was done to the best taxonomic level possible (mostly order or family). Many benthic macroinvertebrate species, mainly aquatic larvae, in the rivers of the partner countries have not been described yet. Therefore, one challenge of the project so far was, to identify the collected animals to best (lowest) identification level possible (family, genus, or species).

For further taxonomic treatment samples from the first period were sent to BOKU (Vienna). At BOKU and Vienna Natural History Museum taxonomic specialists identified the animals. The material was further used for the generation of taxonomic determination keys for the HKH region in preparation for the Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu (August / September 2006). The following keys were produced:

• Key to Plecoptera prepared by W. Graf, I. Sivec and A. Schmidt-Kloiber • Key to Ephemeroptera prepared by T. Soldan • Key to Trichoptera prepared by W. Graf, H. Malicky and A. Schmidt-Kloiber • Key to Odonata prepared by A. Hartmann • Key to Diptera I prepared by B. Janecek • Key to Diptera II prepared by K. Brabec and R. Rozkosny • Key to Coleoptera prepared by T. Huber, W. Graf and A. Schmidt-Kloiber • Key to Heteroptera prepared by T. Huber, W. Graf and A. Schmidt-Kloiber

• Key to Bivalvia prepared by H. Nesemann, S. Sharma

• Key to Hirudinea prepared by H. Nesemann, S. Sharma

• Key to Crustacea prepared by H. Nesemann, S. Sharma

• Key to Oligochaeta prepared by H. Nesemann, S. Sharma

• Key to Polychaeta prepared by H. Nesemann, S. Sharma

• Key to Gastropoda prepared by H. Nesemann, S. Sharma

• Key to Bryozoa prepared by H. Nesemann, S. Sharma

The following external top taxonomists helped to identify and verify animals: Dr. Dirk Brandis, Dr. Manfred Jäch, Dr. Albrecht Komarek, Dr. Hans Malicky, Dr. Ignac Sivec, and Dr. Hebert Zettel.

Based on the identification so far a working taxalist was produced (see Task 6.1, Macroinvertebrate taxa catalogue), which was included into the HKHdip software (Task 4.5).

Finally, a Taxonomy Workshop was held in Kathmandu (August 20th to September 7th 2006). Under the guidance of taxonomic experts and resource persons, who presented the taxonomic keys mentioned above and prepared comprehensive Powerpoint presentations, the Asian and European scientists identified the animals together. The following taxonomic experts and resource persons were involved: Dr. Karel Brabec, Berthold Fliedl, Dr. Wolfram



Graf, DI Anne Hartmann, DI Thomas Huber, MSc Thomas Korte, Dr. Tomas Soldan and MSc Hasko Nesemann.

Deviations from work programme

No deviations from work programme.

Task 4.5 Storage in the project database

Objectives

All partners will enter the surveyed site characteristics, as well as the macroinvertebrate data into a database.

Achievements

The general agreement among partners on a common database to collect and analyse all information gathered and thus to ensure a high level of quality and comparability was realised with the programming of the software HKHdip. HKHdip is used to store all data sampled in the field: site protocol data (river characteristics), results from the rapid field assessment (now called HKHscreening; see also WP 6), taxa names (see also WP 6) and number of abundances.

In the reporting period the HKHdip software was adapted by BOKU and UDE according to the requirements defined by the partners:

• HKHdip version 3.1 - August 2006: including an updated site protocol, a first version of a HKH taxa catalogue, a taxa input form, a taxa export possibility

• HKHdip version 3.2 - November/December 2006: including an updated version of the HKH taxa catalogue and a first version for the entry of HKHscreening data

Manuals and comprehensive user information accompanied both updates. HKHdip version 3.1 was introduced to the HKH partners by BOKU resource persons on the Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu (August 2006) accompanied by a comprehensive training. The HKHscreening was introduced to the HKH partners at the Pakistan meeting in December 2006.

Trouble shooting with partners was done by the resource persons at the Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu (August 2006) and throughout the year via email and Skype contact.

Work on HKHdip is continued and will include country/ecoregion specific adapted HKHscreening protocols as well as exports and an updated taxa catalogue during the upcoming reporting period.

Partners entered all non-biotic data compiled in the site protocol of both sampling seasons into HKHdip. During the Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu a demonstration on the data input of biotic data was given by the resource persons. Taxa data of the second sampling season, identified at the workshop, were directly entered into the partner's laptops. Taxa from the first sampling season were entered by BOKU and UDE.

Regarding HKHscreening, all data from both sampling seasons were entered into HKHdip by partners until mid of February 2007.

The databases of all HKH countries were collected by BOKU. Harmonisation works of the different databases are currently undertaken by BOKU as well as the combination of all five country databases to one common HKH database, which will serve as a base for future data evaluation and method development.




There were no severe deviations from the work programme. Some problems occurred in Asian partners countries in context with download of the software via internet due to the limited speed of the internet connections. Some partners have also restricted possibilities for the size of download files. This problem was solved by handing over a CD with the software to all partners at the Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu and the 4th Steering Committee meeting.

Workpackage 5 - "ASSESS-HKH Methodology" Development




The term “method” used in this paragraph is referring to assessment and calculation methods, not to field protocols, which will be dealt with in WP 4.

The objective of WP 5 is to test different methods to assess a test site by its deviation from the stream type-specific reference biocoenoses and to finally develop three methods for assessing the ecological quality of rivers in the HKH region, representing different degrees of precision. Based on the data collected in previous Workpackages, various assessment methods will be tested. These include water management methods currently used in individual HKH states and international methods, such as EU Bioassessment Tools or the USA Rapid Bioassessment Protocols. The resulting “best-fit” assessment methods will be applicable to the set of stream typologies defined in WP 3 and will be titled the “ASSESS-HKH Methodology”. A manual will be later produced (in WP 7) to extend application of the ASSESS-HKH Methodology to other stream types.

WP 5 begins with a review of the most important biological stream assessment methods currently used in the HKH states. Selected methods will be refined for further evaluation and inclusion into the ASSESS-HKH Methodology, which should include three methods to provide three levels of increasing discriminatory power to detect the effects of environmental impacts on the benthic biota. The three methods will be described in detail within three Tasks.

The ASSESS-HKH Methodology will interlink these three methods to meet the specific requirements of the HKH region, thus offering a practicable and cost-effective solution for reliable indication of stages of ecological deterioration in streams and rivers. The ASSESS-HKH Methodology will also serve as a stressor-based indication procedure to assess different impacts e.g. sewage or other organic pollution, impact of hydropower generation, physical disturbance of the habitat, toxication, soil erosion etc. A manual will be written to describe and apply the ASSESS-HKH Methodology.

Task 5.1 Review biological stream assessment methodologies in HKH region

Objectives

The most important biological stream assessment methods currently used in the HKH states will be collected and evaluated. This serves as a base for further developing the three methods specified within Task 5.2 to 5.4. Existing reports, reviews and manuals will be evaluated; additionally, questionnaires will be distributed to experts in the whole region. The results will be stored in a database.



Achievements

Task 5.1 was finished as scheduled in the first year. Nevertheless, due to the ongoing international activities on the field of water management and protection it seemed to be important to extent the review for including possible recent activities and developments in this field. Currently there is a contact with the following projects:

• KAPRIMO – Kathmandu Participatory River Monitoring; project funded by Asia Pro Eco Programme; www.kaprimo.org KAPRIMO is a participatory approach in the field of river conservation. It aims to develop, implement and demonstrate a functional and non-conventional river monitoring system, which will stand alone as the backbone and pioneering step towards the restoration process of the rivers of the Kathmandu Valley. It is expected that KAPRIMO will serve as a catalyst for basin and nation-wide river monitoring and conservation planning. The project is designed in a way to be replicated on a regional, national or international level, establishing it as a model for Nepal and South Asia.

• IRESA - Initiative of River Ecology in Sri Lanka: from Science to Application (Sri Lanka); Project 138/2005-2007 funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences; www.oeaw.ac.at/kfe/projekte/P138_sri_lanka.htm IRESA is designed to strengthen education, local training programs and research capacities in river ecology. The project will provide important results to help to understand the functioning of running water ecosystems, enabling the human population to develop their natural resources for maintaining a sustainable economy, through development of ecotourism (involving fish-watching) and sustainable exploitation of ornamental fish for export market.


Even though the review process was finished in the first year as proposed, there was an agreement among partners to extent the review for including possible recent activities and developments in this field.

Task 5.2 Define rapid field bio-assessment method

Objectives

This rapid field bio-assessment method is a basic screening method that will be useable with or without software. This method should also serve as an “early warning” method to quickly identify areas for urgent attention or to set priorities for selection of sites for detailed investigation.

Achievements

The adapted Austrian screening methodology that was used for pre-classifying the ASSESS-HKH sampling sites could successfully be applied in Asia and thus could be taken as a basic methodology for the rapid field bio-assessment methodology in HKH countries. The adaptation of the Austrian screening methodology for the use as rapid field assessment methodology in the HKH-region comprised the following steps:

• The rapid assessment method was tested in Nepal, in Bhutan, India and Pakistan during the visits of Subodh Sharma and Otto Moog within the frame of the site selection process in the first year. Based on these tests and the comments of local partners the methodology was slightly adapted.

• The list of selected indicator taxa for the rapid field assessment was adapted to the HKH region and to the recognizability in the field.

• At the Dhaka meeting partners reported proper applicability of the rapid field assessment system in their countries. There was only one adaptation necessary for application of the method in the lowland rivers of the Gangetic Plains (India, Nepal and Bangladesh).



• After the second sampling series the Gangetic Plains methodology was adapted again, mainly by including more non-insecta indicators and by including the taxonomic diversity of the Ephemeropteran family Baetidae.

• The rapid field assessment system in the other countries was only very slightly adapted by changing the rankings of Stenopsyche and by including features that strengthen the sound assessment of water qualities 3 and 4 (e.g. Psychodidae white, Ceratopogonidae (Bezzia-group)).

Due to the good applicability of this rapid field assessment methodology it was agreed that these two rapid field protocols (one for the ecoregion Gangetic Plains, the other for all other ecoregions) should be used for obtaining the water quality maps (Task 7.2) in the partner countries. To be sure that this third sampling will be done in a harmonised way an ASSESS-HKH Workshop on the Rapid Field Bio-assessment Method (Field Screening Protocol) was performed in Kathmandu (March 4th to 7th, 2007). Ten participants from Asian countries (Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan) attended the workshop. The objective of the field based workshop was to coach the participants on using the field screening protocol and to apply the method in order to prepare water quality maps of the selected rivers in their respective countries. At the end of the workshop a taxative list of fixed rules how to perform the sampling was produced jointly (Report on Rapid Field Bio-assessment Workshop).

Based on the experiences of the sampling for water quality mapping the rapid field methodology, which is now called the HKH screening method, will be finished in year 3.


This Task was scheduled to be finished by in April 2007. According to the experiences in the field it became clear that there was a need for further slight adaptations and improvements of the HKH Field Screening Protocol. The method might be further adapted after the final testing, which is currently done within Task 7.2 (water quality mapping).

The overall work is not affected by this shifting.

Task 5.3 Define score based assessment method

Objectives

The second method will be a score-based assessment method on higher taxonomic bioindication units (genus, family, order) that need only simple data processing facility (e.g. Excel).

Achievements

Derived from the findings of Task 5.1, it became clear that: • Score based biological monitoring systems are scarcely used in the target area. In India at the

CPCB in Delhi a BMWP methodology is used, which is very close to the original British assessment system. In Nepal the NEPBIOS methodology is used at the university level (e.g. diploma thesis).

• A score based method will provide sound results in the HKH region and thus it was agreed to develop a HKH Biotic Score that operates similar to NEPBIOS.

What is NEPBIOS ?

Compared to other methods of analysis NEPBIOS (Nepalese Biotic Score) is a biological method, which promises a comparably quick, cost-effective and easy way of making judgments on surface water quality. The method is simple to apply and takes into account the presence and absence of families or higher taxa of macro-invertebrates, to which different scores are allocated. The scores of all taxa that are present at an investigation site are summed up to the NEPBIOS score.



This method is not to replace chemical methods, but to confer comparison to chemical, microbiological and other biological methods. The results of NEPBIOS analysis, which are presentable in coloured maps, are easily understood also by non-biologists for application in the river management system.

NEPBIOS/ASPT

NEPBIOS/ASPT is calculated by summing up the individual Nepalese Biotic Scores and finally dividing by the number of taxa. NEPBIOS values are obtained from the original NEPBIOS list. Once NEPBIOS/ASPT values are calculated, references to a transformation table describe the water quality. The original table includes 4 water quality classes with 3 intermediate classes. Following the rules of the WFD a transformation table (table 4) can be applied.

Table 4: NEPBIOS transformation table to water quality classes

NEPBIOS/ASPT value obtained

Water quality classes

7.00-10.00 I 5.50-6.99 II 4.00-5.49 III 2.50-3.99 IV <2.49 V

As the use of NEPBIOS was originally developed for a certain geographical region, it needs to be checked, if the NEPBIOS ranking can be used in other HKH countries or ecoregions. Further, as the NEPBIOS is dedicated to assess the effects of organic pollution, some more bio-indicators that indicate an overall degradation need to be included. Thus the final product will be called HKH Biotic Score. To achieve the aim of creating an ecoregion-based HKH biotic score the NEPBIOS rankings of the single indicator taxa were evaluated. At the moment about 450 taxa were treated, but the process is still going on.


Some work for Task 5.3 needed to be postponed. This became necessary as during the identification process of animals last year, it turned out that taxonomic knowledge on Asian invertebrates is hardly available. We also detected many species that are new for the scientific community. As the indicator species are the basis for the development of our methods, we had and have to put a stronger focus on the taxonomy, which lasts longer than planned and caused (and will cause further) deviations from the original time schedule.

Nevertheless, the overall work is not affected by this shifting.

Task 5.4 Define multi-metric assessment method

Objectives

A scientifically sound multi-metric assessment method will be developed and integrated into a special application software for detailed analysis.

The results achieved in Tasks 5.2 and 5.3 build the data source for the development of a multi-metric assessment method. Past European research projects have shown that the assessment of streams using multi-metric procedures must meet the following criteria:

• The method should clearly indicate the different stages of deterioration. • It should be applicable in most parts of the HKH region. • It should be practicable both in field collections and data evaluation.

Each project partner may adapt the multi-metric approach to the specific conditions of the stream types investigated by that respective partner. This adaptation will be based on the



project’s data and should take into consideration the experiences made during field collections. Four stages of deterioration will be defined for each stream type based on the reference biocoenoses; the causes of degradation will be indicated by the system. Correlation analyses between the values calculated by the single indices and the physicochemical, morphological and abiotic parameters will be carried out to test, to which degree a certain index reflects the stage of deterioration.

Achievements

The procedure for data analysis during the development of a multi-metric index typically involves six steps (see figure 1):

• Compilation of taxalists of the targeted community (e.g. fish, invertebrates, macrophytes, diatoms) and environmental parameters; the taxalists must be comparable with regard to taxonomic resolution and sampling effort.

• Calculation of metrics (biological measures). • Exclusion of unsuitable metrics (e.g. those with a narrow range along the environmental

gradient). • Analysis of environmental parameters, definition of a stressor gradient. • Selection of metrics:

• selection of candidate metrics using correlation of stressor gradients and metrics • selection of core metrics with respect to the coverage of metric types • definition of upper and lower anchors to define the indicative metric range along

the stressor gradient; normalization of metric values • Combination into a multi-metric index and the setting of class boundaries.

Figure 1: Schematic overview of the steps required to develop a multi-metric index based on taxalists

Range ofsingle metric values

suitable, e. g. less than 5 %outlier and extreme

values

Significant correlation ofmetric and stressor

gradient

Taxa list with numberof individuals/abundances

Calculation of metrics

Selection ofcandidates

(excl. redundantmetrics, e. g. inter-correlation > 0.800)

Multimetric Index

Yes

Selection of coremetrics,

definition of upperand lower anchors,

normalization

performance of combinationbetter than single metrics

high

cor

rela

tion,

all m

etric

type

s co

vere

d

Exclusion of metric

Exclusion of metric

No

No

Analysis ofenvironmental

(stressor) gradients Yes



During a meeting of BOKU and UDE members in Vienna a detailed updated time schedule (based on the time table made at the 4th Steering Committee meeting) for Task 5.4 was elaborated. The upcoming data analysis steps will include:

• an evaluation of the availability of abiotic and biotic data • quality control of abiotic data, completion of missing values, if possible • compilation of taxalists from all partners and stream types; adjustment of these taxalists to

guarantee comparability of data on different levels (considering also the taxonomic resolution that currently can be achieved in the partner countries; operational taxalist (Task 6.1)

• selection of metrics in dependency on the available dataset • multi-metric index development and testing • design of a software tool that will be developed for the metric calculation (Task 6.2)


Some work for Task 5.4 needed to be postponed. This became necessary as during the identification process of animals last year, it turned out that taxonomic knowledge on Asian invertebrates is hardly available. We also detected many species that are new for the scientific community. As the indicator species are the basis for the development of our methods, we had and have to put a stronger focus on the taxonomy, which lasts longer than planned and caused (and will cause further) deviations from the original time schedule.

Nevertheless, the overall work is not affected by this shifting.

Task 5.5 Produce methodology manual

Objectives

The fundamentals and application of the ASSESS-HKH Methodology will be described within a comprehensive manual, which will comprise the whole procedures from site selection to data evaluation.

Achievements

According to the development of the first module of the ASSESS-HKH methodology, the HKH screening methodology, a HKH screening protocol and manual were produced.


Deviations from the work program are caused by deviations of the previous tasks (see Task 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4).

Workpackage 6 - HKH Eco-Data Management Tool (ECODAT)




The objective of WP 6 is to develop an ecological data management tool (ECODAT) that is either adapted from existing software from completed RTD projects to the specific requirements of the HKH scientists, or is based on a newly generated platform. It is intended to provide HKH scientists with a tool to produce relatively simple, but science-based evaluations of the ecological status of rivers and streams for water management authorities and policy makers and the general public.



The data management tool will consist of: • A catalogue of macroinvertebrate taxa of the HKH region and ecological information needed

for data analysis. • An analysis software and database for processing the ecological assessment data to produce

status calculations and graphical representation of results for three methods described in WP 5.

Several European projects currently address the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and provide an excellent basis for the development of biocoenotic river assessment, as well as valuable expertise and tools, which will directly contribute to the ASSESS-HKH Project. It is, however clear, that the specific needs and requirements in the target region will differ due to somewhat different climatic and ecological conditions. There are already some ecological assessment methods being implemented in the HKH region, notably in Nepal, that will also be considered in design of the HKH Eco-data Management Tool. A catalogue of macroinvertebrate taxa must be compiled from literature and expert knowledge in terms of taxonomy, ecological needs and species traits.

Detail and complexity of the software will most likely differ from that used in Europe or in the US. Either existing software will be used with minor adaptations or new software will be programmed on a scale, which is in scope with the ASSESS-HKH Project. The software will be adapted or programmed in close cooperation with the HKH partners to help reduce costs. The scale and complexity of the HKH Eco-data Management Tool will be kept within the allowed budget allocated at the beginning of the project and will be carefully planned accordingly. Additional non-computer tools will be developed to enable river assessment where computers are not available (e.g. flowcharts, folders and assessment keys).

Task 6.1 Create, fill and verify the HKH macroinvertebrate taxa catalogue

Objectives

The macroinvertebrates serve as a basis for assessment of the rivers as described in WP 5. Therefore, a substantial database on the taxonomical and ecological features of the taxa is necessary and will be compiled within this Task, which will partly be based on the data collected in Task 4.3. The gathered information will be part of the software, will be available on the internet or also as hard copy.

Achievements

The design of the HKH macroinvertebrate taxa catalogue follows basically the Austrian species inventory "Fauna Aquatica Austriaca" (Moog 1995, 2002). This volume is a comprehensive data source of ecological information concerning aquatic organisms. The reason behind is to provide a practice oriented tool using current methodologies for ecologically based environmental monitoring including species lists of benthic invertebrate categories, indices of saprobity, functional feeding group classifications and expected zonal distributions.

During the first year of the project the workpackage leader (MasUniv) gathered information on taxa of the HKH region. These taxa were converted into a MS Access database by BOKU. This database serves as an essential background tool for the HKHdip software, which is used to generate a common and harmonised database for the storage of all sampled data of the HKH region (see also Task 4.5).



The database structure of the HKH taxa database builds on similar taxa databases that were compiled for previous EU projects (AQEM, STAR). The database mainly consists of the following tables:

• taxagroup: contains information on higher taxonomic groups, mainly orders • family • subfamily • species: contains genus and species name, author and year of description, shortcode,

comment • catalogue: contains information of the distribution of the taxa in the different HKH countries

Initial point for the MS Access database was the taxalist of 3616 species from the HKH region compiled earlier by KU. The database was then further extended by information gathered on all three levels of taxalists – agreed in the previous reporting period (figure 2):

• Level 1 - HKH taxalist: contains any information on benthic invertebrate records in the HKH countries; serves as working list

• Level 2 – HKH operational taxalist: contains species and higher taxonomic categories that were found in the samples of the ASSESS-HKH project; serves as base for ECODAT

• Level 3 - HKH species inventory: contains only those taxa (preferably species) that were verified by a taxonomic expert

Figure 2: The three levels of the HKH taxa catalogue

The following taxonomic experts already contributed to the HKH taxa catalogue:

• Mollusca, Hirudinea, Crustacea, Oligochaeta: MSc Hasko Nesemann (determination of species, taxalist)

• Ephemeroptera: Dr. Tomas Soldan (determination of species) • Plecoptera: Dr. Wolfram Graf (determination of species) • Trichoptera: Dr. Wolfram Graf (determination of species), Prof. Dr. Hans Malicky (publication

in preparation) • Heteroptera: Dr. Herbert Zettel (determination of species) • Coleoptera: Dr. Manfred Jäch (determination of species; publication in preparation), Dr.

Albrecht Komarek (taxalist) • Decapoda: Dr. Dirk Brandis (determination of species) • Chironomidae and other Diptera: Prof. Rudolf Rozkosny (taxalist), Dr. Berthold Janecek

(determination of species)

Top taxonomists, who visited different HKH regions during this and the previous reporting period, described new species, which are currently prepared to be published in different Journals. These species will be included into the level 3 taxalist within the next year.



To reach level 2 of the taxa catalogue species provided by the experts were completed with higher taxonomic units. During the identification process at the Taxonomy Workshop in Kathmandu (August / September 2006) it turned out that not all taxa could be determined to species level. Therefore taxagroups and working taxa were added to the taxa catalogue to assure the working process.

The HKH taxa catalogue now comprises 8044 taxa (5403 species or working names, for those species which are not described up to now). Numbers of families, genera and taxa are shown in table 5.

Table 5: Number of families, genera and taxa per higher taxonomic unit in the current HKH taxalist

family genus taxa Porifera 1 1 Turbellaria 2 3 4 Nematoda 1 2 Gastropoda 19 36 115 Bivalvia 6 9 63 Polychaeta 2 4 12 Oligochaeta 10 29 107 Hirudinea 6 21 63 Hydrachnidia 1 Crustacea 13 19 21 Ephemeroptera 17 76 271 Odonata 21 80 272 Plecoptera 75 178 Heteroptera 15 49 109 Homoptera 1 83 240 Hemiptera 25 190 563 Orthoptera 1 1 2 Megaloptera 1 1 Planipennia 1 Coleoptera 67 654 2420 Hymenoptera 21 94 290 Trichoptera 29 186 1159 Lepidoptera 1 1 3 Diptera 57 478 2142 Bryozoa 3 3 3 Blattaria 1 1



Task 6.2 Create a functional specification for the HKH Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT)

Objectives

The first step within in the software development is to design and describe the functions that the software performs. This is the base document necessary for further programming as described in Tasks 6.3 and 6.4.



Achievements

In the reporting period a draft version of the functional specifications for the HKH Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT) was compiled by BOKU and MasUniv by considering remarks from all partners (Deliverable 12).

This report contains specifications on the following topics: • Software, hardware and database interface requirements • Graphical user interface (layout, colours, fonts, menus etc.) • Analysis functionality (data combinations, applied formulae) • Expected output reports (tables, charts, trends) both as standard and as user defined and

further definitions

It was agreed that the ECODAT tool should consist of four different modules that can be run separately or in combination:

• HKHdip (data input program): for site protocol and taxa data entry and storage • HKHscreening (screening field assessment): for evaluation of field observations regarding the

ecological status of a river • HKHbios (biotic score): for calculation of a HKH specific biotic score • HKHindex (multi-metric index): for calculation of a variety of metrics and a HKH specific multi-

metric index

Functionality and interrelationship between HKHdip and the new HKH software modules and databases follow the scheme in figure 3.





Figure 3: Functionality and interrelationship between HKHdip and the new HKH software modules and databases



Task 6.3 Perform software adaptation/development

Objectives

Either existing software will be adapted to the functional specification (Task 6.2) or an entirely new program will be developed for the assessment methods defined in Task 5.3 and 5.4. A second part of this Task comprises assisting with development of non-computer tools to enable a rapid field river assessment where computers are not available (as defined in Task 5.2).

Achievements

To ease the data input for partners by using the already existing data structure, the second module of ECODAT, the HKHscreening module, was implemented into HKHdip. It can be opened by pressing a specific button within HKHdip. Data entry was as simplified as possible by using selection lists.

Software programming was conducted during November 2006; a first version of the HKHscreening tool was presented to the partners at the Pakistan meeting in December 2006 accompanied by a comprehensive manual. Data of the two sampling seasons were entered by the partners until mid of February 2007.

As the development of non-computer tools was also planned, a paper protocol was designed, which can be applied directly in the field and leads to the assessment of a biological river quality class.



Task 6.4 Perform Software validation

Objectives

The software will be extensively tested by the HKH partners applying field data that were not used for the software development. The results of the non-computer assessment will be compared to the more sophisticated software results and the program will be tuned accordingly.

Achievements

Data of field assessment from both sampling seasons were entered into the HKHscreening tool by each partner separately. The HKHscreening databases of all HKH countries were collected by BOKU. The combination of all these databases, which will serve as a base for the evaluation of the data, is currently on the way.


The work started earlier than originally scheduled.

Task 6.5 Produce the documentation for the database and software

Objectives

User and administration manuals will complete the Eco-data Management Tool.

Achievements

Software installation instructions as well as manuals were produced and updated for HKHdip and HKHscreening.




The work started earlier than originally scheduled.

Workpackage 7 - Analysis / Evaluation and Sustainable Management Strategies


BOKU, UDE, UMag, MasUniv, KU, ICIMOD, PCRWR, AHEC, BUET, NECS


The WP 7 objective is to apply ECODAT and analyse the results to develop sustainable management strategies for authorities and policy makers. As the target region encompasses five neighbouring countries, a transnational approach will be taken to improve the sustainable management of renewable natural resources independent of national boundaries. This Workpackage is split into two main parts:

• Application of ECODAT and quantitative analysis of the results • Sustainable Management Strategies - a qualitative interpretation based on the analysis.

The analysis begins with the generation of the mathematical and graphical results with the ECODAT. To validate ECODAT, five water quality maps of river sections representative for the HKH region will be generated within the scope of the project. The water quality maps can lead to the identification of environmental “hot spots” that require immediate action or sites not yet impaired, but at high risk. A report will be written with recommendations for technical mitigation measures to alleviate or reduce pressures and risks.

Sustainable Management Strategies will be delivered in the form of a policy recommendation for establishing an HKH transnational river and stream monitoring programme as a basis for sustainable water management with sub-sections such as:

• Increasing use efficiency (including recycling and re-use) • Control of sediment load • Pollution and water logging • Analysis of socio-economic benefits relating to the project

Evaluation of the use of the water quality assessment as a planning and monitoring tool in the context of the existing legal framework. The project is a first step in establishing an effective water quality monitoring programme in the HKH region which is a prerequisite to evaluate the effectiveness of sustainable management strategies and to enforce their implementation. Moreover, the monitoring scheme could be used to alleviate pressures on certain river sections in the context of other water uses such as hydroelectric power generation (dam construction, micro-hydropower plants) and irrigation.

Task 7.1 Generate reports (tables, charts) with the Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT) and analyse the results

This Task has not yet started.

Task 7.2 Create water quality maps for five representative river sections

Objectives

Water quality maps serve as an easy readable tool to identify hot spots and to show where immediate action is required. It is not intended to construct a water quality map of the whole HKH region, rather for selected representative regions. This will be done together with the HKH scientists as an example. The maps can serve as a valuable visual aid in dissemination



activities and form a basis to develop water quality maps for other regions after completion of the project.

Achievements

A field based capacity building workshop on Rapid Field Bio-assessment Method for River Water Quality Mapping was held jointly by Prof. Dr. Otto Moog (BOKU/Vienna) and Kathmandu University (organisation by Dr. Subodh Sharma) in Kathmandu from March 4th to 7th, 2007. Ten participants from the partner countries, namely Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan attended the workshop. The objective of this field based workshop was to coach the participants in river water quality mapping using a field screening method (Task 5.2) and apply the method in order to prepare water quality maps of selected rivers in their respective countries. The workshop provided a good understanding of the work to be conducted and clarity in terms of methodology and the forms to be used during the sampling process. A detailed methodology on the field screening method and the minutes of the training were distributed to the partners for use in the water quality mapping field work.

Discussions held during several project meetings on water quality mapping identified the stretches of rivers listed in table 6 for water quality mapping.

Table 6: Areas to be sampled for the water quality maps

Country Water Quality Map Bangladesh Dhaka city area Bhutan area around Thimphu and Paro India the Kosi river system Nepal Pokhara Municipality (Seti Basin) and Bagmati River Basin Pakistan area around Islamabad and Rawalpindi

The areas were confirmed by all partners during the 4th Steering Committee meeting and sampling designs was made by Asian teams. During the Screening Workshop in March 2007, these sampling designs were discussed in regard to the distribution and location of sites in the selected areas. After the workshop, field work started immediately in most partners countries. As the work started at the very end of year 2, efforts in early year 3 are not mentioned below.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh main rivers around Dhaka city were selected to prepare a water quality map. The rivers include:

• part of Bangshi river and Turag river from Tongi bridge up to its confluence with Buriganga in the western side of Dhaka city

• part of Dhaleshwari river and Buriganga river in the southern side of Dhaka city • Tongi Khal and part of Balu river in the northern side of Dhaka and Balu river and part of

Sitalakhya river in the eastern side of Dhaka

21 sites were selected for sampling. The field work started from March 31st, 2007 and all sites were completed till mid of April 2007. DI Thomas Huber (BOKU) was with the Bangladesh team for the guidance in sampling and analysis of samples. During the field work, the site protocol and screening protocol (Rapid Field Bio-assessment protocol) were filled at each site and the electronic storage of the data in HKHdip is under process. For the preparation of the water quality map, BUET has planned to prepare a base map using a map downloaded from Google Earth.



Bhutan

In Bhutan three river stretches in Thimphu, Paro and Haa districts were selected for sampling. As sampling started on April 10th, 2007, not all sites were sampled in year 2. The field work is continued in the second half of April 2007 (year 3). During field work, the site protocol and screening protocol (Rapid Field Bio-assessment protocol) were filled at each site. Electronic storage of the data in HKHdip is under process.

India

In India the Kosi river was selected, which passes through both of the ecoregions (IM 0301 and IM 0166). The field work was completed between March 30th and April 8th, 2007. A total of 26 samples was collected, starting from the origin of the Kosi river at Rudradhari (Kosani) to just before the confluence with the Ramganga river near Patwai (Rampur) village. During the field work, the site protocol and screening protocol (Rapid Field Bio-assessment protocol) were filled at each site and the electronic storage of the data in HKHdip is under process.

Nepal

In Nepal two river basins i.e. the Bagmati River Basin in Kathmandu valley and the Seti River Basin in Pokhara valley were selected. ICIMOD and KU jointly worked for the reparation of water quality maps. The field work was performed in Pokhara region from March 19th to April 9th, 2007. The river water quality of the rivers and streams were assessed by using the screening protocol and also the site protocol for each site. In addition, a corridor survey was performed including the current stressors in a stream/river. During the study, a total of 52 sites were investigated in 23 rivers/streams of the Seti basin. The sorting and identification of the macroinvertebrates are currently being conducted. Most of the rivers in Pokhara have good water quality class with a few exceptions. The water quality class V was exclusively found in the stream flowing through the core city of Pokhara. The major stressors in the streams/rivers of Pokhara region are solid waste disposal, substrate abstraction, vehicle washing and river crossing, river impoundment and low residual flow. These stressors along with the water quality map are the basis for preparing mitigation strategies for sustainable water management.

The field work for the water quality maps of Kathmandu valley is to start from May 3rd and end by May 18th, 2007.

Pakistan

Sampling for the water quality maps started on March 19th, 2007 in Pakistan. 50 sites were selected to cover the complete watershed of the area around Rawalpindi and Islamabad. During the field work, the site protocol and screening protocol (Rapid Field Bio-assessment protocol) were filled at each site and the electronic storage of the data in HKHdip is under process. Sorting is currently conducted.


Work started earlier than scheduled to avoid an impact of early monsoon floods.

Task 7.3 Analyse water quality maps to define mitigation strategies as basis for policy recommendations on sustainable water management

Objectives

The earlier review (WP 3) of existing policies and instruments (legal and regulatory framework) that effect water quality, its availability and sustainable use (differentiation between rural, industrial and urban sector) will now be compared with the project findings. This will lead to identification of policy options for implementation of sustainable use of water and integrated water management, including evaluation of incentives that achieve water



conservation and better allocation of water resources (market based management approaches, non-market institutional structures, positive and negative externalities, upstream, downstream user conflict). This will be used as a basis for dissemination in WP 8.

Achievements

The outline for the report on the sustainable management strategies was briefly presented during the 4th Project meeting in Lahore, Pakistan by ICIMOD. As agreed during the meeting, the outline was circulated to all partners in December 2006 to seek their input and provide additional documents and materials for the study.

ICIMOD has compiled detailed information on wastewater treatment plants and other mitigation measures such as the system of provision of licenses to various water users, the judiciary practices to control water polluting activities, existing legal instruments and their enforcement, practice of effluent charges. Particularly, the collection of more detailed information on the mitigation measures for the control of water pollution of Bagmati river (Kathmandu valley) and the Seti river (Pokhara valley), which were selected for the preparation of water quality maps in Nepal, were completed. The legal provision of subsidies to farmers for reducing pesticides and fertilizers as well as the legal provision on environmental flow release for Nepal is being compiled. Thus collected data will be compared with water quality maps to define mitigation strategies as basis for policy recommendations on sustainable water management.


Work started earlier than scheduled.

Workpackage 8 - Dissemination


BOKU, UDE, UMag, MasUniv, KU, ICIMOD, PCRWR, AHEC, BUET, NECS


The objectives of WP 8 are to promote external communication, such as awareness creation, third party involvement, and publication of results. It aims at addressing different target groups, i.e. the general public, water management authorities, policy makers, university students, the international scientific community, and other interested parties. During the reported period, the main emphasis of the work was on the updating the ASSESS-HKH website and on the continuation of information events and other dissemination events.

Task 8.1 Set-up, host and maintain a project website for the duration of the project

Objectives

Remote project communication will generally take place over the internet-based platform accessed via a password on the project website.

Achievements

During this reporting period main emphasis of the work was on updating the website. The section "Progress" was extended and further updated to inform the public about the course of the project. On the first page of this section a summary informs the public about actions of ASSESS-HKH that have been carried out up to now. In addition secondary links lead the public to more detailed descriptions. Moreover, theoretical basics for the ecological river assessment are provided. The section "Progress" also informs about future steps that will be carried out during the remaining project.





Task 8.2 Plan and host information events in the HKH partner countries

Objectives

This will be the responsibility of the respective host partners, but not without the organisation support of the consortium. Typically regional water authorities, policy makers and other interested parties from the general public will be invited to be informed about the project and its objectives, as well as to meet the scientists involved. The scale of the events and specific target group(s) will be decided on a case to case basis.

Achievements

During this reporting period 13 organized information events were carried out. Seven of them were on local level, one was on university level and five were on central level (table 7). Documentation papers and questionnaires of all information events from the first and second reporting period were sighted and evaluated. As a result a report was written that summarizes all information events and gives answers on the most important and most frequently asked questions of the audience. A conclusion at the end of the report makes suggestions for the future work to increase effectiveness of ASSESS-HKH and understanding of ecological river assessment (Deliverable 18, Version 2 and Annexes). In addition to information events partners introduced ASSESS-HKH via conferences, internet and TV (table 8).



Task 8.3 Evaluate intellectual property issues during the life time of the project with more emphasis in the second half

Objectives

This task aims at evaluating intellectual property issues during the life time of the project with more emphasis in the second half. This will accumulate in an analysis of access rights for use purposes including a manual for continuing and extending the assessment after project completion. As a result an analysis of access rights for use purposes (“use” = exploitation and further research) including a manual for continuing and extending the assessment after project completion will be delivered (Deliverable No. 19).

Achievements General The exploitable results achieved so far have been identified and are listed in the “Plan for Using and Dissemination of Knowledge”, which is part of both the 1st and the 2nd yearly report. Presently, this plan is hardly covering the entire knowledge produced during the lifetime of the project, since the main deliverables are scheduled for the last year of the project. During the first 24 months, finalized products have been limited to basic pieces needed to set up the main research activities of ASSESS-HKH. Major products being subject to the evaluation of intellectual property rights and being finalized in Year 3 of the project will cover: - The database on all Assess-HKH samples - The three-tier HKH assessment methodology - The ECODAT tool - Water quality maps for selected regions in the HKH region



Furthermore, a large number of publications based on the Assess-HKH database will be produced, mainly in conjunction with the final Assess-HKH conference, which will be hold in Kathmandu (Nepal) in March 2008. Scientific publications On the 4th Project Meeting in Lahore / Islamabad (Pakistan) in December 2006 the outlines of publication policy were agreed, covering both the already finalized and the future products (compare minutes of the meeting). In terms of scientific publications, it was decided that there will be three different types of publications: - Individual peer reviewed papers - Conference volume of the final Assess-HKH conference, which will be hold in Kathmandu

(Nepal) in March 2008 - Special topics which are too large for publication as paper e.g. taxa catalogue The structure of the conference volume will follow the sessions of the final conference (http://www.assess-hkh.at/mains/conference.php). All partners have been encouraged to submit papers to the conference and the conference volume. The final decision about acceptance will be with the conference organizing committee. Details will be discussed on the 5th Assess-HKH meeting in Bhutan. Other products Most of the other major products of Assess-HKH will be freely available to the general public. Some of the initial products have already been placed for fee download on the project’s homepage (http://www.assess-hkh.at/mains/products.php), other will follow once they have been finalized (particularly the ECODAT tool and the Water Quality Maps). The Intellectual Property Rights on the ECODAT source code and on the Assess-HKH database will be discussed and decided upon on the 5th Project Meeting in Bhutan.


No deviations.

Task 8.4 Prepare scientific publication of results

This Task has not yet started officially. Nevertheless some partners have already presented overviews on the project at various conferences (see table 8.)



Table 7: Information events carried out during the second working period (15/04/2006 – 15/04/2007)

Country/ Institute

Date Name of place Type of event Major activities, participants

14-18/08/2006 Chhukha District

Local information event Environment Inspection Training workshop at Phuntsholing; Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Industrialists and staff of cement plants, calcium carbide and ferro-alloys plants, air and water technicians from various other agencies

22-25/08/2006 Thimphu Local information event Training on Environment and Natural Resources Management; Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; District Environment Committee members of various districts

09/09/2006 Thimphu Local information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Graduate students

Bhutan/ NECS

17-19/10/2006 Thimphu Central information event Overview and technicalities of the HKH project; National stakeholder

20/04/06 Sherkot , Kho Barrage

Local information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Local Residents

27/06/2006 Roorkee, AHEC, IIT Roorkee

Central information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Social workers, technicians, surveyors, and draftsmen of Jai Ambaa Gramodyog Sansthan, Society of People for Development, Himalayan Gramodyog Lok Sewa Sansthan, Himalyan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) Dehradun

India/AHEC

15/07/2006 Delhi, Deshkal Society

Central information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Representatives of Community Based Organization (CBO) Deshkal Society, Delhi



Country/ Institute

Date Name of place Type of event Major activities, participants

18/07/2006 Roorkee, AHEC, IIT Roorkee

Central information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators. Technicians, surveyors, social workers, and draftsman of Uttaranchal Renewal Energy Development Agency (UREDA), Himalyan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) (Dehradun), Institute for Development support (IDS) (Pauri), Society of People for Development (SPD) Dehradun, Hill Welfare Society (Bageshwar), Garhwal Cultural Presentation Organization (Uttar Kashi)

18/07/2006 New Delhi, Vivekanand Institute of Professional Studies

Central information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; College students, faculty members & staffs

Nepal/KU/ ICIMOD

28/12/2006 Rautahat, Gaur Municipality

Central information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Students, principals & science teachers, local leaders, NGOs’ representatives

05/05/2006 Islamabad at PCRWR, Beacon House School System

Student information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Students

13/07/2006 Islamabad, PCRWR Head Office

Student information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Students, teachers of trainees of Training Workshop organized by University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi


Central information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators; Technical personnel of PCRWR

Pakistan/ PCRWR


Central information event Introduction event about ASSESS-HKH and river assessment with bio-indicators NGOs’ representatives



Table 8: Other dissemination activities carried out during the second working period (15/04/2006 – 15/04/2007)

country/ Institute Date Name of place Name of dissemination event (conference, poster, TV)

contents

Austria/BOKU 22-24/10/2006 Innsbruck (Austria)

Meeting of Societas Internationalis Limnologiae; presentations, poster presentation

Moog O., Badruzzaman A.B., Bari M.F., Brabec K., Chhopel G.K., Hering D., Hoffmann A., Kahlown M.A., Kumar A., Sharma M.P., Sharma S., Shrestha M., Tahir M.A.: Development of an Assessment System to Evaluate the Ecological Status of Rivers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region. presentation by O. Moog. Stubauer I., Moog O., Badruzzaman A.B., Bari M. F., Brabec K., Chhopel G.K., Feld C.K., Hering D., Hoffmann A., Kahlown M.A., Korte T., Kumar A., Sharma M.P., Sharma S., Shrestha M., Tahir M.A. (2006): Information, Participation and Capacity Building – three key elements for successful implementation of the ASSESS-HKH project; presentation by I. Stubauer. Hartmann A., Brabec K., Graf W., Huber T., Janecek B., Jäch M., Nesemann H., Soldan T., Zettel H.: Generation of Determination Keys for Selected Groups of Benthic Invertebrates in the Hindu Kush–Himalaya Region; poster presentation Schmidt-Kloiber A., Vogl R., Strackbein J.: HKHdip - a Tool for Storing Both, Macroinvertebrate Taxa Lists and Data on Stream Characteristics in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya Region; poster presentation

01/12/2006 Vienna (Austria)

Meeting "Projektmanagement in Forschung und Entwicklung“; presentation

Stubauer, I.: Management der relevanten Projektumwelten in ASSESS-HKH (Management of relevant project environments in ASSESS-HKH)

26/02/-01/03/2007

Innsbruck (Austria)

Meeting of Entomologists 2007; presentation

Stubauer I., Moog O., Badruzzaman A.B., Bari M.F., Brabec K., Chhopel G.K., Hering D., Hoffmann A., Kahlown M.A., Kumar A., Sharma M.P., Sharma S., Shrestha M., Tahir M.A. (2007): Development of an Assessment System to Evaluate the Ecological Status of Rivers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region Based on Benthic Invertebrates. presentation by I.




contents

Stubauer Bhutan / NECS 18/10/2006 Bhutan,

Broadcasting Service TV

TV

Title of clip: “Environmental advocacy and the water conservation”

Germany / UDE 25-29/09/2006 Dresden, (Germany)

Annual conference of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Limnologie; poster presentation

Korte Th., Moog O., Hering D., Feld C., Strackbein J., Lorenz A. (2006): Development of an ASSESSment system to evaluate the ecological status of rivers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region

Germany / UMag 08/05/2006 Magdeburg (Germany)

Lecture at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal

A. Hoffmann: Introduction of ASSESS-HKH to students

4-9/06/2006 Anchorage, Alaska (US)

North American Benthological Society (NABS) Annual Meeting; presentation

Sharma S. & Moog O.: Reference based river typology for river quality assessment in the Hindu Kush – Himalaya. by S. Sharma

Nepal / KU

13-15/11/2006 Patna University, Patna, (India)

Meeting "The Majestic River Ganga: Health, Integrity, and Management"; presentations

Sharma S., Shah D.N., Tachamo R. D. & Nesemann H.: Freshwater benthic macroinvertebrate diversity and impact assessment of sugar mill in Lower Gangetic Plains moist Deciduous forests of Nepal. Sharma S., Tachamo R. D. Shah D.N. & Nesemann H.: Assessing the saprobic water quality of Punyamata Khola, Banepa Valley by benthic macroinvertebrates Nesemannn H., Sharma S., Sharma G., Sinha R.K.: Illustrated checklist of large freshwater bivalves of the Ganga River system (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Solecurtidae, Unionidae, Amblemidae)

Nepal / ICIMOD 5-7/06/2006 Kathmandu International Conference on “Management of water, wasterwater and environment: Challenges for the developing countries”

Introduction of ASSESS-HKH to participants of the conference by G. K. Shrestha

02/02/2007 Kathmandu Workshop on Fish for Introduction of ASSESS-HKH to participants of the conference




contents

Tomorrow (World Wetland Day)

by G. K. Shrestha

Pakistan / PCRWR 06/12/2006 Pakistan Newspaper Pakistan Observer

News report on rapid bioassessment methodology (in context with press conference at 4th Steering Committee Meeting)

06/12/2006 Pakistan Newspaper Nawai-Waqt News report on rapid bioassessment methodology (in context with press conference at 4th Steering Committee Meeting)

06/12/2006 Pakistan Newspaper Jinnah News report on safe dringing water (in context with press conference at 4th Steering Committee Meeting)

07/12/2006 Pakistan Newspaper Khabrain News report on rapid bioassessment methodology (in context with press conference at 4th Steering Committee Meeting)



List of Deliverables during the first project year

Table 9: List of deliverables

WP no. Deliverable no.

Title Delivery date foreseen

Delivery date done

1 D2 Periodic Reports to EC End May 2006 (month 12)

8th June 2006 (month 13)

1 D3 Documentation of meetings (minutes of 4th steering Committee Meeting in Lahore/Islamabad, December 2006)

Recurring Mid January 2007 (month 21)

4 D8 Part 1 - Manual on Pro-rata Multi-Habitat-Sampling of Benthic Invertebrates from Wadeable Rivers in the HKH-region

Month 23 31st March 2007 (month 23)

4 D8 Part 2 - Manual for sorting of benthic invertebrates from rivers in the HKH region – standard operation procedure within ASSESS-HKH

Month 23 31st March 2007 (month 23)

4 D9 Status Report on Sampling (incl. site protocols) and laboratory results entered into database for use in WP 5

Month 21 30th January 2007 (month 21)

8 D17 Project web page – major update Recurring January 2007 (month 21)

8 D18 v2 Documentation about the information events carried out from April 2005 to September 2006

Month 19 19th October 2007 (month 18)

8 D18 v2 Annexes to D18 v2 Month 19 19th October 2007 (month 18)

Milestones The performance of Milestone 3 “Representative data level achieved” was scheduled for year 2. The goal was to provide an overview on the status of data collection within workpackage 4 (Sampling design, field and laboratory work). Results should contain biological data (benthic invertebrates) and a large set of parameters for site description including physico-chemical measurements from reference sites, as well as impacted sites of selected stream types.

This Milestone was obtained in January 2007, which was two months later than planned due to more effort that had to be put into the identification work. Representative data and laboratory results are entered into the HKHdip database. The data set serves as basis to develop the assessment methodologies and the according software in workpackages 5 and 6.

Additionally, Milestone 5 “ECODAT Functional Specification closed” could be reached earlier than planned. This Milestone was planned for the first day of year 3, but achieved already in December 2006. The specifications for software design were discussed at the Steering Committee Meeting in December 2006 and were agreed by all partners.



Section 3 - Consortium Management

Consortium management tasks - achievements, problems and solutions

The management of the consortium has been established as WP 1 as planned in the Technical Annex. The overall co-ordination is conducted by the scientific co-ordinator Prof. Dr. Otto Moog from BOKU. He is assisted by an administrative and financial project manager (Dr. Ilse Stubauer) especially for implementing and controlling project management and reporting infrastructure. For the inner-Asian coordination, Prof. Dr. Subodh Sharma (KU) is responsible especially regarding possible problems that may arise from ethnical and linguistical aspects. His function is also to act as trouble shooter who can reach partners in a remarkable quicker and cheaper way than an European partner and who can communicate with Asian partners in a more familiar way as he speaks all mother tongues used by partners. At the kick-off meeting a Steering Committee (SC) was establish with one nominated representative per contractor and one vice-representative. Additionally, the project manager is part of the SC. In principle, the SC is a decision making instrument in case of redirection of project strategy or in case of occurring problems and will assist the coordinating team. There were no changes in this set-up during the second project year.

The management team is responsible for day to day project management, the information flow across ASSESS-HKH partners, and liaison with the European Commission. The project has been managed efficiently and successfully. Deliverables and milestones have been achieved as planned. Some scientific work had to be postponed with agreement of our Scientific Officer as the preceding work needed more effort than scheduled. This means that in year 3, some work has to done in parallel, which is not hampering the project output.

Basically no major problems interfered with a fruitful and successful work in year two. Major problems did not occur as risk management was done before management of major problems became necessary. As an example, resource persons were sent to some Asian partner countries for capacity building and harmonisation of work. Two capacity building workshops – one on Taxonomy and one on application of Screening System - were hold to ensure harmonised and sound work, although not foreseen in the project proposal. The internal quarterly reporting system designed in year one was kept, to ensure the detection of problems at the earliest stage possible. Among the minor problems, which means problems that could be solved without help from outside, we can divide between financial and scientific inconveniences, which are lined out in detail in Section 1.

Monitoring of activities, reporting, communication

The co-ordination of technical activities including monitoring and internal reporting is done by the co-ordination team pointed out above. The contacts between the coordinator and the partners are kept by using a diversity of adequate communication possibilities, as there are internet-phone (Skype), telephone, e-mail, mail and the project intranet forum at the webpage. Anyhow, besides the options of modern communication, it can be clearly stated that a visit to partners for personal contact is the most effective and productive way of interaction.

For internal reporting, quarterly reports about progress on work per task, problems and corrective actions proposed by partners were designed in year 1 and are further used by all partners. The deadlines for the internal reports were specified and agreed at the kick-off meeting. The reports are monitored by the project manager and feedback is given via e-mail. In terms of financial reporting, several uncertainties still occur at Asian partner institutes. Guidelines and the reporting system are not known to them and therefore error-prone. Support on financial issues is given by the project manager on demand.

The preparation of periodic reports to the EC is performed by BOKU with contribution from team leaders, based on the information received via the standard reporting sheets.



A special section at the project webpage called "project handbook" with general information and standard reporting sheets for both work progress and financial reports was established in the first project year and updated in the second year where necessary to ensure that all partners use the same version of documents.

A huge number of e-mails with questions on reporting and finances were received from partners. Detailed information was always provided in best time.

Contractors - contributions and changes in responsibilities

All contracting institutes contributed to the workpackages as scheduled. There are no changes to the consortium itself.

Meetings of the consortium

One consortium meeting was held in the second project year in Lahore and Islamabad (Pakistan) from December 1st to 6th 2006.

A detailed work plan for the meeting outlining the working activities for each workpackage and the different talks required by participants were worked out by BOKU, the responsible workpackage leaders and the host partner institute to ensure effective time management at the meeting. The fourth meeting was held in December 2006 in Pakistan. At this time all sampling from both seasons was completed as well as identification and partly data storage. Findings from sampling, practical experiences with application of protocols and use of software were discussed. Forthcoming deadlines and work were agreed.

For the documentation of the meeting, minutes were prepared and distributed to delegates for comments. The final version of the minutes are available for all team members via the ASSESS-HKH webpage under internal downloads. For each of the meetings so far a defined section is provided, from which all the presentations and summaries can be downloaded.



Project timetable and status

The updated time-table is presented below. Those workpackages that are active are given in detail (per task). The already finished WPs are included just for overview.

There are some changes compared to the previous plan. We had to postpone some work on WP 5 and following WP 6 due to the reasons specified in the report above. Thus we have prolonged these two WPs in the updated timetable. WP 7 has started some months earlier than planned.

Following the changes in the timeline, we need to redesign the closing date for few deliverables:

D10 – “ASSESS-HKH Methodology Manual describing fundamentals and application of the 3 methods” belonging to WP 5, scheduled for month 26 is adjusted to month 31 (November 2007).

D13 – “HKH Eco-data Management Tools (ECODAT)” and D14 – “User and Administration manuals for the HKH Eco-data Management Tools (database and software)”, both belonging to WP 6 are foreseen to be delivered in month 32 (December 2007) instead of month 30.

No major impact on the project output is expected.



Annex - Plan for using and disseminating knowledge Plan for using and disseminating knowledge

Section 1 – Exploitable Knowledge and its Use ASSESS-HKH is producing several tools, protocols, and documents that will transfer knowledge to Asia. The main knowledge to use is constituted by a three-tier assessment system to establish and promote bio-indication in streams and rivers of the HKH region. A rapid screening tool (the HKH screening method) will be available for broad usage within river basin monitoring. The method will provide a quick assessment tool without any help of computers or other electronic devices. On a medium level, a simple software-based tool will be available for usage with more potential to analyze and assess the impact of environmental stress by bio-indication. Finally, a comprehensive software tool will provide a means for multi-metric bio-indication using benthic macroinvertebrates in streams and rivers of the HKH region.

All steps of the bio-indication are developed on the basis of comprehensive field surveys, which include both benthic macroinvertebrates samples and environmental surveys within related stream reaches. The field surveys are guided by a set of protocols in order to ensure a standardised data compilation, such as the multi-habitat sampling protocol, the additional microhabitat sampling protocol, the site protocol and the related manuals for using the protocols. Lab procedures are aided by similar lab protocols concerning sorting and determination of benthic macroinvertebrates, thus, providing a common and standardised basis for future data analysis. Both protocols and manuals have partly been developed in former European research projects (AQEM, STAR) and are freely available on the web (www.aqem.de; www.eu-star.at). The knowledge produced within these former research activities is know-how transferred to Asia, whereas a refinement of protocols and related manuals was undertaken to fit the regional demands within the HKH region.

A third level of knowledge is produced within several workpackages, the deliverables of which provide documents to be applied for water management and related issues in Asia. For example, the stream typology (Deliverable 4), the list of reference criteria (Deliverable 5), or the pre-classification scheme for a priori evaluation of sampling sites (Deliverable 7) are pieces of knowledge used for ASSESS-HKH, and available for usage in forthcoming activities and related research and management projects.

During the first 24 months, knowledge production focuses on basic pieces needed to set up the main research activities of ASSESS-HKH within the first year. Dissemination products that were prepared within this reporting period are summarized in table 10. The preparation and usage of water quality maps, which represent a major product of ASSESS-HKH with respect to the dissemination of water quality data, is planned for year three. Task 3 of the Workpackage 8 "Dissemination" is specifically dedicated to the compilation of access rights for knowledge and products; the Task is scheduled for the third year of ASSESS-HKH. Knowledge usage will then be described and analyzed at a much more detailed scale.

Exploitable results

Overview table



Table 10: Pieces of knowledge prepared for ASSESS-HKH and available for further public/restricted usage during the second reporting period.

Description of knowledge Product Field of application Status of access right/protection

WP leader

Elaboration of information events Report document (Deliverable18) Water management Public know-how, copyright

UDE

Awareness creation Posters, flyers, questionnaires Dissemination/awareness creation Public know-how UDE



Details on exploitable results from April 2006 to April 2007

Elaboration of information events

Results

Documentation papers and questionnaires of all information events from the first and second reporting period have been sighted and evaluated. As a result an evaluation report has been written that summarises all information events and gives answers to the most important and most frequently asked questions of the audience. A conclusion at the end of the report makes suggestions for the future work to increase effectiveness of ASSESS-HKH and understanding of ecological river assessment (Deliverable 18).

Partners involved in exploitation

The Deliverable 18 was written by ICIMOD and UDE. In advance all partner countries have written elaborations of the information events that have been carried out in their countries.

How to exploit the results

For ASSESS-HKH the deliverable 18 provides a basis for subsequent information events since it may help to improve the effectiveness of these events.

Awareness creation

Results

Different activities were planned to inform the general public about the objectives and background of ASSESS-HKH. Therefore, local public events were held at schools, town halls, or even while sampling in the field. The public was informed about the impacts on water, the resulting threats for drinking water supply and maintenance of other water uses. The concept and advantage of bio-indication was presented. The activities aimed to increase the local awareness of water-related problems, methods to quickly assess them in the field, and solutions to solve the problems. On a higher educational level, university information events aimed to inform the future generation of ecologists and water managers about ASSESS-HKH.

Partners involved in exploitation

Basically, the Asian partners were asked to hold these events, i.e. KU, PCRWR, AHEC, NECS, and BUET. European research people from BOKU and UDE participated in some of the events.

How to exploit the results

The knowledge gathered at information events provides input especially for Asian project partners to plan their further work in WP 8. A section that summarizes pre-defined answers to FAQs at such events was e.g. prepared by WP leader and Asian partners based on previous findings.

Section 2 - Dissemination of knowledge Dissemination of knowledge has furthermore been achieved by the project's website. The public area of the "Products" section now contains first products of ASSESS-HKH, namely posters and fliers, a report about the current state of policies, pressures and impacts in the HKH region and a list of all sampling sites that have been investigated within ASSESS-HKH. In addition dissemination of knowledge took place by means of information events, presentations on TV, newspapers, and conferences (see tables7 and 8).

project no. inco-ct-2005-003659 hkh... · second periodic activity report inco-ct-2005-003659...

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