Rivers revitalisation: approaches to decision

Abstract

The article is focused on the successful implementation of the global goals of restoring water objects in the context of sustainable development that is impossible without solving the regional problems of local watercourses and reservoirs reviving. It is emphasized that awareness of riparian spaces role as ecological corridors and importance of the healthy functioning of the river network through the revitalisation of even minor watercourses leads to growth attention to this problem in an increasing number of countries. On the example of the Slepiotka River in Katowice and Inhulets River in Kryvyi Rih the aspects, on which attention of revitalisation are accented in European countries and in Ukraine, are presented. In European countries, the basis for the approach to river revitalisation is their functioning as integral ecosystems. In Ukraine, nowadays, the main focus of river restoration is on cleaning them from silt sediment. In this article the approaches to decision of river revitalisation questions are presented. The main of them are: enhancing the ecological functionality of the watercourse as an ecosystem; providing flood protection; increasing the residential, cultural and recreational value; securing permanently sustainable use of watercourses and their river valleys.

Full text

* Corresponding author: Alohkina@gmail.com
Rivers revitalisation: approaches to decision
Tetiana Alokhina*
Center for Problems of Marine Geology, Geoecology and Sedimentary Ore Formation National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Section
of geology and environmental problems of ore deposits, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine
Abstract. The article is focused on the successful implementation of the global goals of restoring water
objects in the context of sustainable development that is impossible without solving the regional problems of
local watercourses and reservoirs reviving. It is emphasized that awareness of riparian spaces role as
ecological corridors and importance of the healthy functioning of the river network through the revitalisation
of even minor watercourses leads to growth attention to this problem in an increasing number of countries.
On the example of the Slepiotka River in Katowice and Inhulets River in Kryvyi Rih the aspects, on which
attention of revitalisation are accented in European countries and in Ukraine, are presented. In European
countries, the basis for the approach to river revitalisation is their functioning as integral ecosystems. In
Ukraine, nowadays, the main focus of river restoration is on cleaning them from silt sediment. In this article
the approaches to decision of river revitalisation questions are presented. The main of them are: enhancing
the ecological functionality of the watercourse as an ecosystem; providing flood protection; increasing the
residential, cultural and recreational value; securing permanently sustainable use of watercourses and their
river valleys.
1 Introduction
Nowadays science provides a better understanding of the
extent to which our shared progress as human beings is
undermined by the ways in which we have gone about
achieving it, and too recognizes the Earth as a closely
linked human-environment system. Science and
technology in the modern time are powerful agents of
change, depending on how and where they are headed.
Increased science-policy-society cooperation can use
achievement in our understanding of coupled human-
environment systems and the shaping of innovative
pathways towards achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals. The fact that a large number of
countries are now incorporating science, technology and
innovation in their national development agenda is a
promising sign [1].
Governments can lead the transformation of the
world’s social, economic and environmental status
towards universally beneficial outcomes when guided by
the Sustainable Development Goals. But they must
recognize that such transformation will involve tough
choices and trade-offs. There is a growing tendency for
governments and companies to invest in sustainable
technologies. Over the past 10 years, at least 101
economies across the developed and developing world
(accounting for more than 90 per cent of global GDP)
adopted formal industrial development strategies, which
increased opportunities for formulating new ways to
promote innovations toward sustainable development.
However, developing technology alone is not enough:
technology must be made accessible and sufficiently
attractive to encourage widespread adoption. Hence, in
addition to research and development, the scaling up and
the adoption of sustainable technologies are critically
needed [1].
Understanding of an interconnection all the water
resources of the Earth requires solving an issues of
preservation and revival of not only the oceans and seas,
but also a river network as a whole [2].
The situation of river spaces, especially of urban river
spaces, in the European countries and in Ukraine, in the
end of XX century, was in one sense very similar. In the
context of industrialisation processes that occurred from
the end of the 19th century through the first half of the
20th century, rivers and streams were used for sewage
discharge, regulated and straightened for land reclamation
and agricultural use, paved, channelled for flood
protection (technical solutions) or even culverted. Areas
by the riverside were often used commercially. Industrial
zones and technical infrastructure such as roads or railway
tracks were built in the floodplains. Large rivers were
extended and used as waterways. During the second half
of the 20th century riverside areas were subject to
structural changes – industrial zones were partly
abandoned, resulting in brownfields and deteriorated open
spaces. Thus, up to the present day, urban river spaces
suffer from lack of ecological functions (such as lack of
habitat and biotope network function, lack of passability,
contamination), lack of social functions (lack of
accessibility of watercourses, lack of attractive open
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
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spaces next with water, inadequate perception of rivers by
the public) and other problems.
With increasing awareness of role of riparian spaces
as ecological corridors and areas for social activities,
active protection and restoration of such areas has been
recognized as a fundamental element of measures
implemented to shape the special order and sustainable
development of cities. Since the 1980s, awareness of
ecological issue has risen, although at different speeds in
western and eastern European countries. In the western
countries revitalisation and renaturation rivers began in
the 1980s whereas in the central European countries it did
not commence until after 1990s.
In West Germany, since1980s an increasing number
of river management projects have been developed and
realised based on the insight that attention to ecological
aspects of river maintenance does not hinder but can
indeed play a role in improving flood protection [3, 4]. In
the Eastern European countries Poland and Czech
Republic, these processes did not begin until after the fall
of the Iron Curtain. As for such countries as Ukraine – this
practice is only beginning to appear [5, 6, 7]. Also, the
potential recreational function of rivers is differently
appreciating in the West and East.
In densely populated and industrialised areas,
revitalisation of urban river areas contributes to a high
quality of the environment as well as to a high quality of
life. Urban river spaces are often the only functioning or
potential reservoirs of biodiversity and open spaces in
cities. Thus, the active protection and restoration of such
areas is part of the repertoire of fundamental practices for
shaping cities’ spatial order and sustainable development.
The aim of our work was a comparative analysis of
approaches to river revitalization, which are used in the
European Union countries and in Ukraine. As examples,
the Slepiotka River in the Polish city of Katowice and the
Inhulets River in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih were
selected.
River revitalisation is not just about rivers. The
preparation and implementation of a revitalization project
is not limited to technical questions of hydraulic
engineering but touches all aspects of sustainability.
Issues related to the restoration of river ecosystems
can be considered from different angles. In our country,
the revitalization is most often understood as a process of
bottom dredging, which is necessary either for shipping
purposes or in the context of the removal of contaminated
sediments. Whereas in European practice much more
attention is paid to restoring the hydrodynamics of the
watercourse, the formation of characteristic ecotopes, as
well as the recreational component.
The concept of revitalization was formulated by
V. K. Khilchevsky [5, 6]: “This is the complete
restoration of watercourses or certain sections thereof at
the level of the river's existence, which preceded the
industrial development of this region; when the river
network was undisturbed and no centralized or point
sewage discharges were made”.
The issues of rivers revitalization in Ukraine at the
state level are not yet considered comprehensively. The
focus is on aspects such as dredging to improve shipping
or the comprehensive programs for the elimination of
consequences of flooding in the cities and towns of
Ukraine. The latter is the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
resolution of 15.02.2002 No. 160.
In last years the processes of the bottom purification
and dredging are activated in different regions of Ukraine.
Cases of fragmentary manifestation of elements of
modern river revitalisation are beginning to emerge at the
level of urban communities. So, in Lutsk, elements of
revitalization of the Saralaevka River – the right tributary
of the Styr River was accomplished in 2013-2014
years [7]. The work was carried out on a small plot of
0,5 km in the central part of the city jointly by the city
authorities and business structures. A revitalisation
project consists of many different tasks and requires the
cooperation of many different experts and also laypeople,
who are convinced of the project`s success.
2 Objects and actions
Current planning methods in the European countries and
in Ukraine have an impact on the implementation,
realisation and acceptance of urban river revitalisation
projects. Legal and technical regulations, generally
available information and information provided by local,
regional and state authorities as well as the development
of planning criteria, the “planning philosophy” and the
self-understanding of landscape architects and town
planners all affect the outcomes of urban river
revitalisation projects.
Below, the certain aspects and approaches to the
revitalization of the Slepiotka River in Katowice and the
Inhulets River in Kryvyi Rih are presented. We will
consider the main points on which attention was focused
in the projects, of which the author was a participant.
It is well known that the basis of large rivers water
balance is a flow of small rivers. Small rivers hydrology,
hydrochemistry, water quality is closely related to local
geological-geomorphological, soil-plant conditions and
anthropogenic processes that occur at a specific
catchment. The formation of small rivers and their basins
is determined by the surface runoff from regional
landscape complexes, therefore an effect of natural and
anthropogenic factors on such sites manifests faster and
more clearly. It makes ecosystems of small rivers more
vulnerable both a result of the direct impact on them of
pollutants and indirect influence.
Transformation of Slepiotka River in Katowice.
Katowice is a city in southern Poland, where in mid-18th
century was discovered rich coal reserves. In the first half
of the 19th century intensive industrialization transformed
local workshops into industrial steelworks, mines,
foundries. Now Katowice is a large coal and steel centre.
For decades if not a century, in this region, rivers and
streams were regulated and straightened for land
reclamation and industrial use. They were paved or even
tubed. For a long time, streams of all scales were adopted
to discharge excess water and sewage. The regulation and
channelisation of river beds, construction of drainage
works and the implementation of active flood protection
contributed to degradation of the river valleys.
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The main goal of the revitalization action in Katowice
was to recreate a blue-green river valley corridor in the
highly urbanized, mid-part of Slepiotka River [8]. This
particular stretch of the river was chosen for special,
ecological and social reasons. The local catchment
features numerous forms of land use and an advantageous
land-owners structure, since most of the riparian area was
municipal property. This river has quite suffered from the
discharge of untreated sanitary sewage, but the flood risk
was insignificant (figure 1). Additionally, it was located
in the neighbourhood of a large housing estate in the direct
Ochojec in the centre of Katowice. Access to the river and
recreational facilities would improve the living conditions
for thousands of inhabitants in the adjacent area. Thus,
public support for the idea of revitalisation was high.
Fig. 1. Slepiotka River before transformation [8].
The authorities of Katowice city wanted to integrate
the concept of a river corridor into special planning and
management practices in post-mining urbanized areas, to
re-establish a green axis along the river valley and to
enlarge the public open leisure space. Furthermore, semi-
natural wetland was to be created in order to increase the
retention capacity and amphibious as well as water
habitats and to establish a new paradigm for urban water
management.
The revitalisation project on the Slepiotka River in
Katowice is the opportunity to illustrate ways to
implement the proposed transformation of the complete
corridor of Slepiotka River. Not only did they want to
increase the habitat diversity, establish a stable plant
cover by using native plant species, and re-establish
riparian forest, dry forest and wetlands habitat. They also
aimed to show applications of soil bioengineering
methods in order to establish buffer-zones that would
protect the river from contaminations (figure 2).
The project included, among other things, the
reconstruction of 210 m2 of the dry old river bed and
950 m2 of the wet old river bed, formation of a sand dune,
construction of wooden bridges across the river and the
old river bed, and setting-up of information boards.
The Slepiotka River action achieved several goals:
The planned revitalisation was successfully implemented
and the pilot action served as a very good starting point
for preparation of the valley development plan. Most of
the expectations of the City of Katowice and the
researchers at the Central Mining Institute concerning
revitalisation effects, development of habitat diversity and
land use transformation were fulfilled. Moreover, the
river corridor concept developed and tested in the pilot
action area proved to be suitable for implementation along
other parts of Slepiotka River and even at sites along other
rivers.
Fig. 2. Slepiotka River after transformation [8].
Public involvement proved to be one of the most
important aspects of the Slepiotka River revitalisation that
had not been discussed previously. The City of Katowice
as the coordinator of public participation and cooperation
managed to involve numerous actors.
Besides city representatives, administrative partners
included managers of the Slepiotka Valley, educational
institutions as well as maintenance and safety services.
Several universities and research institutes also
participated in the partnership. Furthermore, the local
community and private land owners from Slepiotka
valley, NGOs, architects, artists, historians, and the
media, among others, participated in workshops and
meetings on the development of a long-term vision for the
Slepiotka valley.
The workshops proved the potential of institutional,
public, private and research-based cooperation and
resulted in models of cooperation for the river valley
partnership that increased the problem-solving
competences by combining interests and ensuring the
convergence of goals. Thus, public participation
procedures helped to develop a coherent vision of spatial
management for Slepiotka valley and led to overall
satisfaction in the local community.
Riverbed purification in the Inhulets River in Kryvyi
Rih. Kryvyi Rih is the largest iron ore mining and
processing centre in Ukraine. The territory, where from
narrow meridional strip 1,0–3,0 km wide and 100–150 km
long, has mined 2,2–2,8 billion tonnes of chemically pure
iron over the last 125 years [9]. Undoubtedly, long-term
and large-scale man-made activity in this region has
reflected on all components of the biosphere: lithosphere,
atmosphere, hydrosphere. Technogenic origin products
are constantly occur in compound of rivers sediment
which flowing though this territory: particles of
metallurgical slag, sludge, tailings of ore-dressing and
other wastes. And the rivers look more like sewage gutter.
The accumulation of environmental problems and the
consequent increase in community dissatisfaction has
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prompted city authorities to seek solutions to the situation.
At the same time, community awareness of the role of
river valley as a network of environmental corridors and
places of social activity was increased.
In 2014, the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Water
Resources Administration entered an agreement with the
private enterprise “Universalgasbud” for the
implementation of the project “Anti-flood measures and
improvement of the hydrological status of the Inhulets
River in Dnipropetrovsk region”.
The main purpose of the planned activities was
implementation the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
resolution from 15.02.2002 No 160 “The comprehensive
program for the elimination of consequences of flooding
in the cities and towns of Ukraine”. And also an
implementation the regional program “The elimination of
the effects of flooding the territory in cities and towns of
Dnipropetrovsk region for the period till 2030” which was
approved by the decision of the regional council of July
18, 2003 No 184-9/XXIV.
Among other works, significant of works were
planned to clean up the Inhulets River in different parts of
the Kryvyi Rih city. A project was planned to clear up
4,3 km of the riverbed and 0,5 km an old tributary of the
Inhulets – the Saksahan River. Elements for a
revitalization of the Inhulets River section and it tributary
of Saksahan River, in the central part of the city in the
park area, were implemented. The works included the
riverbed purification, clearing the banks, arranging the
territory (figures 3, 4). Sediment, removed from the river,
was mainly deposited at landfills. The works which
carried out in the city centre contained elements of
revitalization, but the main goal was not done ‒ to restore
the flow of the river. The cleared areas are little flowing
part of the riverbed.
Fig. 3. Works for purification of the Saksahan River [10].
The main goal of the second stage of works the
riverbed purification in the Inhulets River (in 2017) was
the removal of a large amount of contaminated sediment.
Contaminated sediment was formed as a result of activity
the ore-dressing factories and the metallurgical plant,
which are located higher on the river flow. The initiative
to carry out these works came from community of a
nearby area.
During dredging and purification operations, a
significant amount of subaquatic polluted and man-made
transformed sediment was raised to the surface. A method
of carrying out the cleaning operations included lifting of
bottom silt in a semi-liquid state with the help of a dredge
and burying it in ditches, which were located on the low
bank of the river at a distance of 10-20 m from the river
bank (figures 5, 6). The issues of storage and/or burial of
the raised sediment are relevant and important, because it
contains significant concentration of heavy metals,
radionuclides and other pollutants.
Fig. 4. The intermediate stage of revitalisation project on the
Saksahan River [10].
Fig. 5. Inhulets River. Stage of bottom purification (author’
photo).
As you can see from the photo (figure 6), the ditches
bottoms did not have any waterproofing, so in a short time
a variety of pollutants (including heavy metals) can return
end up in the river again. Also, there is a constant washing
away of the upper soil layer, because after the backfilling
of the ditches, phyto-recultivation works were not
implemented.
3 Analysis and discussion
Thus, the features of the implementation of river
revitalisation works of the Slepiotka River in Katowice
and the Inhulets River in Kryvyi Rih were presented.
Environmental aspects and nature conservation have
only gradually become incorporated into legal and
regional programs; as a consequence, this contributes to
reducing water pollution and tackling river revitalisation.
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Fig. 6. Inhulets River. Ditch along the river which intended for
burial of sediments (author’ photo).
The main tasks of the revitalisation in European
countries, and in Poland in particular, are questions of
flow restoration, improved hydrodynamics, self-
purification and ecosystems restoration. In the same time,
the main goal of the revitalisation in Ukraine are still the
issues of purification the riverbed from silt or questions
relevant to preventing flooding. And on large rivers, the
main problem of cleaning operations is the restoration of
navigation. In rare cases, the purpose of revitalisation is
to increase the recreational attractiveness of the territory
(most often we are talking about the central areas of
cities).
Waterfront areas, were often used commercially, start
to using more and more as recreational zones. However,
industrial zones and technical infrastructure such as roads
or railways tracks, factories are staying in the floodplains.
Even after industrial utilisation of inner-city began to
decline, riparian post-industrial areas are still left
abandoned. The visual and functional attractiveness of
rives as well as the perceptibility of water courses are low.
Public access to the river continues to be of little
importance as are its ecological functions.
Here we will try to lay out main aspects of successful
river revitalisation. One of the main aims of revitalisation
addresses the enhancement of the ecological functionality
of the watercourse. Secondly, river revitalisation is a
means to implement flood protection. Onwards, it
contributes to increasing the residential, cultural and
recreational value of the area, and finally, it helps to
secure the permanently sustainable use of watercourses
and their flood plains.
From the experience such countries as Poland, Czech
Republic and Germany [3, 4, 8, 11-14] and the own
experience a participation in a some revitalisation projects
[8, 9, 15] have been developed the following approaches
for urban river revitalization. The approaches are intended
to help planners, decision-makers, executing authorities
and stakeholders consider the wide range of aspects
(ecological, economic and social) relevant to the specific
requirements of river revitalisation in an urban
environment. The approaches are divided into four basic
groups which are shown on the scheme (figure 7). Each
of these four basic components consist of a range of
issues.
Fig. 7. The scheme of an approaches to a river revitalisation.
Enhancing the ecological functionality of the
watercourse as an ecosystem can include next aspects:
 Renewal the hydrodynamic regime of
watercourses. It can be achieved by increase the
morphological diversity of the riverbed as well as the
discharge diversity and its dynamics; by modify of the
sediment regime through a suitable longitudinal profile of
the watercourse.
 Renewal minor watercourses can be done by to
remove the channeled underground stretches of the
watercourses and prevent further channeling; by
deepening a shallow section of riverbeds; if possible, by
re-meander straightened river beds in minor watercourses,
according to their historical development.
 Improve the water quality can by support the
self-cleaning capacity of watercourses; by addition water
infrastructure (build separated sewer systems, wastewater
treatment plants); by pre-treat rainwater before it reaches
the river. One of the main solutions – to eliminate
pollution sources.
 Increase the biodiversity of the biotopes in river
valley can achieved by improve local habitats according
to the local conditions of each river valley; by remove
invasive plant species; by support the reintroduction of
native plant species and habitats.
 Assurance migration permeability of
watercourses can be achieved by build fish passes; by
provide migration permeability by transversal objects
(stepped weirs and chutes), and technical alterations
(shallow water column and high flow speed) to the
watercourse.
 Need to give an advantage nature-like
adaptations over technical modifications to the landscape.
Providing flood protection can include next aspects:
 Mitigation the risk of flood damage with help:
adopting the idea that rivers need more space; need to
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avoid artificial elevation of terrain due to building
development in active flood zones.
 Increase the retention capacity of the landscape
can be achieved by allow the natural overflow of rivers
into the alluvial plains; need to renew and create wetlands,
where it is possible; to implement elements of the systems
of ecological stability.
 Reducing direct outflow from the drainage area
(especially important for small watercourses) by the
increase the rate of rainwater infiltration in the area by
allow its infiltration into the soil profile; reuse excessive
rainwater in households and the municipal sector.
 Implementation technical measures to catch
extreme flow rates: use retention tanks and dry polders in
the river valley.
Increasing the residential, cultural and recreational
value may be consist of next elements:
 Incorporate water into the city’s image as a major
landscaping feature of the urbanised space. So, we can use
the alluvial plains as significant urban spaces with a
unique potential for recreation and leisure.
 Access to the water as a security and pleased
moment to leisure: building play facilities providing
interaction with the water element; provide possibilities
for fishing; allow direct public access to the watercourse
in some places where it is safe and possible.
 Creation sport and recreational paths
(greenways) along watercourses. Creation or combination
paths for pedestrians, cyclists, in-line skaters and other
non-motorised users, following the terrain in the alluvial
plains. Improve a connection of the city with the
surrounding landscape
 Building sport and recreational facilities in the
alluvial plains. Creation places for short-term recreation
of the public along the sport and recreational paths.
 Ability to provide supplementary infrastructure.
Building an information system along the sport and
recreational paths (signposts, information boards, panels
along educational paths providing information about
natural and cultural features and values in the area).
Installation street furniture; presentation artefacts and
temporary exhibitions.
Securing permanently sustainable use of
watercourses and their river valleys can be achieved:
 By improving the applicability of the land use
planning process in terms of flood control and
watercourse protection. Need to use the instrument of land
use planning to apply the above-mentioned principles in
the revitalisation of watercourses in urbanized areas. Need
to develop more detailed rules for the use of built-up areas
concerning the risk of potential.
 Set rules for water withdrawal to secure a
sufficient flow volume for maintaining the dynamic water
regime of watercourses.
 Minimise conflicts with infrastructure (bridges,
roads, pipelines).
Main steps of successful river revitalisation include:
planning (with all stakeholders’ involvement),
implementation, scientific and educational compound,
public relations activities and financing.
Planning. It is very important to consider the aims and
requirements of sectoral planning (especially plans and
regulations of the water management authorities, nature
conservation management authorities and land use
management authorities) and of spatial planning and
include the revitalisation project in these aims. So need to
have the revitalisation project incorporated into the
relevant region and local spatial management plan,
especially if the project is not limited to a single site but
will affect the whole course of a river or a creek within
the city or urban spaces with adjacent river banks and
flood plains. In this way the project will be protected
authorities and will have to be taken into account in
subordinate planning. Additionally, an environmental
impact assessment might be required. On the figure 8 a
planning model of the river revitalisation is introduced.
Fig. 8. Scheme of planning the river revitalisation activities.
Furthermore, improving the availability, visibility,
attractiveness and safety of riverside areas has to be
incorporated into the revitalisation project; secure access
to the water and continuity of waterside routes should also
be ensured. Waterfronts are socially as well as
Definition of targets;
development of river- and river basin-specific
principles (holistic, cross-sectoral approach
considering ecological, economic, social and
spatial aspects)
Analysis of conflicts
(current and anticipated conflicts)
Coherent river development plan
(including land use plan)
Informal plans,
Feasibility studies
Analysis of conditions
(ecological, economic, social and
spatial aspects).
Analysis of superior planning
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economically important determinants of a city’s
attractiveness.
A combination of necessary (flood protection) and
desirable activities fosters public and also political
acceptance of urban river revitalisation measures.
Implementation. Preferable, start revitalisation of a
river or stream from the upper reaches downstream.
Otherwise, the current emerging from a paved stretch and
encountering the stronger coarseness of a renaturated
stretch may develop strong erosive forces and require
comprehensive pavements in the transition area.
Upstream drainage conditions always determine the flood
prevention measures in the territory considered for
revitalisation.
The surveys of the project area must be thorough and
qualified. Need to eliminate sources of pollution in the
catchment area as a precondition for proper revitalisation
and increase the self-cleaning capacity of water bodies.
Ensure that construction is supervised with respect to
ecological issues so that the goals are met.
Take a priority bio-engineering measures rather than
technical solutions.
Scientific and educational compound of the river
revitalization project and public relations activities. A
prerequisite for a successful project should be a
comprehensive study of the ecology of the river.
Attracting educational institutions will help not only to
collect the necessary information, but also increase the
knowledge of schoolchildren and students about the
features of the region. It is possible to provide an
implementation public education programs and improve
training in revitalisation principles that target different
social groups.
A significant role is efforts to secure positive media
coverage and public perceptions of the project by
implementing an on-going information campaign for the
project. Remember to use always the same logos and
graphic design. It is very important to promote the project
and its benefits by organizing events, celebrations,
ground-breaking ceremonies, inaugurations, guided tours,
leaflets, press relations, exhibitions, display boards, etc.
Raise awareness of the manifold benefits of revitalisation
project promotes successful implementation of it. So it is
important to disseminate information about good and best
revitalisation practices examples among decisionmakers
and the general public.
Financing. Including solutions to water management
tasks in the revitalisation project makes its funding and
implementation more likely.
It is important to respond quickly to available funds is
a frequent experience in public administrations, as
payments from environmental impact mitigation
regulation or other fees may suddenly become available
or funds have to be spent before the fiscal year ends.
Endeavour to find adequate co-financing, because the
municipal budget is characterised by fundamental
restrictions in many places. Analyse opportunities for
dividing the project into several stages that are realised
step-by-step and financed from different sources. Obtain
information on possible grants from various sources. Find
institutions (sponsors) that are able to make a permanent
contribution to the project, even if it is small (particularly
during maintenance). Use impact mitigation regulation /
impact mitigation fees to finance revitalisation projects.
Explore possibilities for private funding (e.g. foundations,
Private-Public-Partnerships, sharing costs with private
developers).
Try to consider the costs as completely as possible in
order to avoid miscalculation. Budget enough funding to
allow for good planning and maintenance. A river
revitalisation project can be sustainable only if the
investment is well prepared during the planning phase and
if future maintenance is assured. Try to reduce
maintenance costs. Maintenance costs can get expensive
and are often not taken into account at the start of a
project. Factor in enough funding to cover unforeseen
minor and major changes during the construction work.
Calculate enough funding to provide adequate resources
for public participation.
4 Conclusions
1. The successful implementation of the global goals
of restoring the Earth’s water objects in the context of
sustainable development is impossible without solving the
regional problems of local watercourses and reservoirs
reviving. Awareness of riparian spaces role as ecological
corridors and areas for social activities and also of the
importance of the healthy functioning of the river network
through the revitalisation of even minor watercourses
leads to growth attention to this problem in an increasing
number of countries. Ukraine, as an integral part of the
world community, is striving to restore its water resources
and revive rivers.
2. Current approaches to solving the problem of river
revitalization have their differences in different countries.
These differences are based on the purpose of using a
watercourse. In European countries, the basis for the
approach to river revitalization is their functioning as
integral ecosystems. The result of this approach is an
attempt to maximize the restoration of the river to it
natural state, minimize the anthropogenic pressure,
harmonize the relationship between people and nature. In
Ukraine, today, the main focus of river restoration is on
cleaning them from silt sediment. At the same time, the
following goals are being pursued: of an economic nature
– the restoration of river navigation; flood control
measures; solving a number of environmental problems.
However, the latter are often not prioritized and, as a
result, the real tasks of restoring hydroecosystems are not
fully resolved.
3. Based on the analysis of participation experience in
various river revitalization projects, the main approaches
to solving this problem are presented and characterized:
1) Enhancing the ecological functionality of the
watercourse as an ecosystem; 2) Providing flood
protection; 3) Increasing the residential, cultural and
recreational value; 4) Securing permanently sustainable
use of watercourses and their river valleys. The main
stages of the implementation of river revitalization
projects, especially in urban areas, are presented, and
ideas are proposed for a comprehensive consideration of
emerging problems.
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E3S Web of Conferences 166, 01010 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202016601010
ICSF 2020

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E3S Web of Conferences 166, 01010 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202016601010
ICSF 2020