Inspections of Water Bodies on the Black Sea Coast: Violations and Measures

Less than half of the inspected water bodies along the Black Sea coast meet regulatory requirements, a check conducted by teams from the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) has established. This became clear after an analysis of the results of the inspections carried out after the floods of October 3 in the Elenite holiday village.

The checks, covering over 20 water bodies located in 52 river sections – 16 on the northern and 36 on the southern Black Sea coast, reveal a worrying picture. According to data provided by the MOEW, violations of the law were found in almost every third of the inspected sites. Violations were found in 27% of the surveyed river basins, while 38% complied with the regulatory framework. Measures such as cleaning and monitoring are required for the remaining sections.

The Minister of Environment and Water, Manol Genov, emphasized the seriousness of the situation. "In almost every third of the inspected sites, violations of legal requirements have been committed," he said.

It was found that in many sections the water bodies are missing from the cadastral map. This has led to construction on riverbeds and ravines, as well as to the backfilling or covering of watercourses without coordination procedures with the relevant authorities under the Water Act.

The results of the check provoked an immediate reaction. "Therefore, I ordered that combined maps with information about the water bodies on the cadastre be prepared from the findings of the checks, which have already been sent to the MRRB and DNSC," Minister Genov announced.

The teams that carried out the inspections found that 14 river sections have impaired permeability, 7 are covered or put into pipes, and in 9 there is construction. In six sections, corrections have been made, while in 5, they have been corrected and cleaned. Only 8 sections have been cleaned but not corrected, and 10 have not been corrected or cleaned. It is gratifying that no violations were found in only 20 sections.

The settlements of St. Vlas, Elenite, Lozenets, Tsarevo, Sunny Beach and Varna are most seriously affected by the violations. On the other hand, natural areas under protection, such as those along the rivers Ropotamo, Veleka, Karaagach and Butamyata, are in good condition.

The inspections also revealed the causes of the disaster situation. The floods along the Southern Black Sea coast, including in the areas of Elenite and Tsarevo, are the result of a complex impact of natural and anthropogenic factors, as well as non-compliance with legal requirements.

As a natural factor, the intensity of short-term rainfall is indicated, which leads to a rapid accumulation of water masses. Small watersheds and steep terrain, in combination with the immediate proximity of the erosion base, are a prerequisite for high runoff velocity and a sharp increase in water levels in the ravines. This, in turn, leads to the formation of large amounts of water in a short time and their rapid passage to the coastal urbanized areas.

The ministry emphasizes that anthropogenic factors, including infrastructure facilities such as culverts and bridges, are often not designed and maintained in accordance with the current hydro-climatic conditions. Construction in the floodplains and the covering of riverbeds further retain and divert water masses, deepening the problem.

The MOEW is taking measures for a full inventory and updating of data on water bodies along the coast. At the same time, control under the Water Act is being strengthened, including the imposition of sanctions for unauthorized corrections and construction on riverbeds. "We have already imposed our flood risk management plans on the existing cadastre maps and have seen many inconsistencies. In many sections, the water bodies are not reflected in the cadastral map, which has allowed construction on riverbeds," confirmed Minister Manol Genov.

The checks were carried out by experts from the MOEW, the Black Sea Basin Directorate - Varna, the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) - Varna and RIEW - Burgas. The detailed report with the findings will be provided to the competent authorities, including the regional governors, mayors of municipalities, MRRB and DNSC, for taking further actions.

In the context of the events, Minister Genov announced that no documents for coordination of construction in the Elenite holiday village were found in the MOEW archives. This statement was made during a forum organized on the occasion of Black Sea Day, celebrated on October 31.

On October 3, heavy rains caused serious damage in the holiday village, taking the lives of several people. The tragedy underscored the need to take decisive measures to protect coastal areas and prevent future similar incidents.