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Publications Freshwater in Europe Major European Watersheds Oder

Freshwater in Europe - Facts, Figures and Maps
- Contents, Credits
- Summary
- Freshwater Resources
- Freshwater Consumption
- Freshwater Quality
- Freshwater Ecosystems
- Major European Watersheds
- Water Policy and Institutions
- Glossary
- llustrations

Fresshwater in Europe in PDF

Danube - Dniepr - Don - Douro - Ebro - Elbe - Garonne - Guadalquivir - Guadiana - Loire - Oder - Po - Rhine - Rhone - Seine - Tagus - Vistula - Volga

ODER

German Oder, Czech and Polish Odra.

Length (km): 906
Drainage Area (km2): 125 000
Discharge (m3/s): 540
Countries: 3
Population: 10 000 000
Sea at Mouth: Baltic
Ramsar Sites: 4

The second longest river emptying into the Baltic Sea, the Oder River flows northward from the Oder Mountains of the Czech Republic to form, with the Neisse River, the border between Poland and Germany. It is an economically important transport route, navigable for more than 700 km of its 903 km length, and connected by canal with the Vistula River and with western European waterways. Most of the river basin is densely populated lowland less than 200 m above sea level.

The Oder valley, with its old riverbeds, floodplain forests and wet meadows, constitutes one of the most vital ecological corridors in Central Europe.

Known for catastrophic floods in 1997, the Oder River and its tributaries have valuable natural floodplains that are of great importance for effective flood prevention. However, lack of traditional ecological methods of flood prevention is one of the most important problems hindering the realisation of effective and permanent flood control in Poland. An effective, cheap and longlasting flood prevention method along the Oder is the restoration of the natural floodplain areas, including the forested areas.

The Oder estuary at the German/Polish border is charcterized by various water quality problems. Due to the heavy nutrient load, the Oder river is one of the most important sources of eutrophication and pollution in the southwestern part of the Baltic Sea.

ICPOAP

The International Commission on the Protection of the Oder against Pollution (ICPOAP) is one of thirteen international commissions for the protection of rivers, lakes and seas whose catchment areas fall within the territories of more than one country. The ICPOAP was established on the basis of a Convention signed by the Governments of the Republic of Poland, the Czech Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany and by the European Community.

In May 2002 ICPO received the mandate to coordinate the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive within the international Oder River basin.

1997 Flood

As a result of extreme rain during July 1997, Poland was affected by a devastating flood, the worst in the past 200 years. Areas in seven voivodships in the upper and middle Oder river basin and upper Vistula river basin were flooded over more than 25% of their territory, causing flood damage of approximately 3 billion US dollars.