Post by L Roebuck on Jun 6, 2006 8:21:34 GMT -5
Dobra is Too Good to Sacrifice for Too Little Electricity
Zelena Akcija
. 06 June 2006
The Zelena Akcija environmental NGO and its partners organized, last Friday, June 2, 2006, a symbolic rafting tour on the Dobra River, to warn the public about the dangers that the announced construction of “Lesce” hydro-electric power plant would present to the bio-diversity of the river and the long-term bad investment that this HEP (Croatian Energy Company) project is likely to turn into.
The construction works have already started, with parts of the Dobra Canyon already irreversibly lost. The environmental effects study was prepared in the 1980s, when environmental protection standards were at a much lower level, and the legislation didn’t have many of the provisions they have today. Zelena Akcija demands new, adequate and contemporary study.
"The dam will create a catastrophe for the flora and fauna of the Dobra”, says Irma Popovic, a biologist working with Zelena Akcija.
The Lower Dobra (the part of the river that reappears 5km after the Upper Dobra dives underground in downtown Ogulin) is the home of the endemic human fish and the Ogulin Cave Sponge, the only sweet-water sponge known in the world. In addition, Dobra is a home to a number of other protected species, both under national and international law. The changes in the temperature and water level will further endanger the life-forms living in the river.
"The exploring of the Dobra has not been completed, and the river might hide some species that are yet to be discovered. Only last month, for example, a new species of crayfish was discovered”, said Kresimir Zganec from the Faculty of Natural Sciences in Zagreb.
Upstream from the dam, the canyon of the river will be flooded, which will result in a rising levels of underground water, meaning more flooding. Downstream, on the other hand, the underground water levels will fall, wells and agricultural land will dry out. Is it all worth a production that would cover only 1% of the total consumption of electricity, which is the planned capacity of Lesce?
The local population is also opposed to the construction.
“Dobra has one of the best known and popular rafting routes in Croatia. The dam will destroy about 13 km of the route, reducing it to a length of about 2 km. Any attempt to develop tourism in the area is doomed with the construction of the dam”, said Dejan Mihelic from the Ogulin Rafting Club.
Zelena akcija addressed the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Environmental Protection, the CEC, the State Bureau for Protection of Nature, as well as the Ministry of Economy. Only the Ministry of Economy responded to their request, saying that research of alternative sources of energy is important and should be implemented, but also that Lesce power plant is extremely important.
On several occasions, Zelena Akcija has proposed to reduce the electricity losses through updating of the systems of production and distribution, and through analysis of the possible alternative sources of electricity and implementation of measures to ameliorate the negative effects of construction of dams.
One World
Zelena Akcija
. 06 June 2006
The Zelena Akcija environmental NGO and its partners organized, last Friday, June 2, 2006, a symbolic rafting tour on the Dobra River, to warn the public about the dangers that the announced construction of “Lesce” hydro-electric power plant would present to the bio-diversity of the river and the long-term bad investment that this HEP (Croatian Energy Company) project is likely to turn into.
The construction works have already started, with parts of the Dobra Canyon already irreversibly lost. The environmental effects study was prepared in the 1980s, when environmental protection standards were at a much lower level, and the legislation didn’t have many of the provisions they have today. Zelena Akcija demands new, adequate and contemporary study.
"The dam will create a catastrophe for the flora and fauna of the Dobra”, says Irma Popovic, a biologist working with Zelena Akcija.
The Lower Dobra (the part of the river that reappears 5km after the Upper Dobra dives underground in downtown Ogulin) is the home of the endemic human fish and the Ogulin Cave Sponge, the only sweet-water sponge known in the world. In addition, Dobra is a home to a number of other protected species, both under national and international law. The changes in the temperature and water level will further endanger the life-forms living in the river.
"The exploring of the Dobra has not been completed, and the river might hide some species that are yet to be discovered. Only last month, for example, a new species of crayfish was discovered”, said Kresimir Zganec from the Faculty of Natural Sciences in Zagreb.
Upstream from the dam, the canyon of the river will be flooded, which will result in a rising levels of underground water, meaning more flooding. Downstream, on the other hand, the underground water levels will fall, wells and agricultural land will dry out. Is it all worth a production that would cover only 1% of the total consumption of electricity, which is the planned capacity of Lesce?
The local population is also opposed to the construction.
“Dobra has one of the best known and popular rafting routes in Croatia. The dam will destroy about 13 km of the route, reducing it to a length of about 2 km. Any attempt to develop tourism in the area is doomed with the construction of the dam”, said Dejan Mihelic from the Ogulin Rafting Club.
Zelena akcija addressed the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Environmental Protection, the CEC, the State Bureau for Protection of Nature, as well as the Ministry of Economy. Only the Ministry of Economy responded to their request, saying that research of alternative sources of energy is important and should be implemented, but also that Lesce power plant is extremely important.
On several occasions, Zelena Akcija has proposed to reduce the electricity losses through updating of the systems of production and distribution, and through analysis of the possible alternative sources of electricity and implementation of measures to ameliorate the negative effects of construction of dams.
One World
