Odra

Highlights:

•    According to current analyses by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (GIOŚ), the highest abundance of 'golden algae' currently persists in the Oder River at Słubice, Bytom Odrzański and Widuchowa.
•    For the past few days, there have been about a few dozen fish per day in the Lubuskie and Pomorskie Voivodeships (Nietków marina, Głogów marina, Bielinek area).
•    In recent days, the Oder River has been overtopped, and water contaminated with 'golden algae' has entered marinas, canals, oxbow lakes and reservoirs connected to the river.
•    In the coming days, locally in such places, there may be development and even toxic blooms of this alga.
•    A team from the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute is currently surveying endangered water bodies, canals, marinas and oxbow lakes for the presence of the 'golden algae.'
•    At the same time, on 11 June, the services received the recommendations of the Crisis Management Team of the Ministry of Climate and Environment (ZZK MKiŚ) as countermeasures. Among them is the installation of special nets to prevent fish from entering areas where 'golden algae' are found.
•    Pilot tests of formulations to reduce 'golden algae' populations in condemned reservoirs/channels are being conducted.
•    According to the recommendations of the Crisis Management Team of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the services of the voivodes, the State Fishery Guards, and the employees of the Polish Waters conduct daily field inspections.
•    Due to the current situation, the meetings of the Crisis Management Team of the Ministry of Climate and Environment have been moving to a weekly inter-ministerial format since 19 June.
•    The Inter-Ministerial Team for Emergencies and Environmental Hazards on the Oder River is made up of the Ministries of Infrastructure, Climate and Environment, Industry, Agriculture and the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. Leading the way is the Ministry of Infrastructure, which is currently working on the implementation of comprehensive conservation measures for the Oder, including amendments to the regulations on water permits for industrial plants.  

Extended information:

The cause of fish deaths is a toxin produced by a 'golden alga' – a single-celled alga. The toxin of this alga is fatal to fish and other aquatic organisms with gills.   As of May 2024, ' golden algae' had favourable conditions for growth: low water velocity, increased salinity, and the availability of nutrients. The spring season and vegetation are conducive to the growth of various algal species in the waters.
The low water levels recorded in May caused the 'golden alga', which entered the Oder from the Gliwice Canal, to develop in the river's current. The surge of rainfall at the beginning of June allowed the 'golden algae' to be flushed through and restored more favourable hydrological conditions. However, water from the Oder River contaminated with this algae has entered reservoirs, canals, marinas and oxbow lakes that are connected to the river. In these water bodies and bays, where the water stagnates, there is a severe risk of proliferation and toxic blooms of 'golden algae' and spot fish die-offs.
In the next few days, in line with the recommendations of the Crisis Management Team of the Ministry of Climate and Environment ,increased monitoring of endangered sites by the services of the provincial governors, the State Fishing Guards and the employees of the Polish Watersis necessary. A team from the Institute of Environmental Protection is surveying endangered reservoirs, canals, marinas, and oxbow lakes for the presence of 'golden algae.' The services have also received recommendations from the Crisis Management Team of the Ministry of Climate and Environment on the remedial measures indicated, such as the installation of special nets to prevent fish from entering places that could be a trap for them. Formulations for reducing algal populations in condemned reservoirs and canals are being pilot-tested.
From 5 March 2024, weekly meetings of the Crisis Management Team of the Ministry of Climate and Environment have been held. The team develops recommendations and conclusions on an ongoing basis in the area of prevention as well as risk prevention. The meetings are also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Industry, as well as the relevant Security and Crisis Management Departments of the Oder River Voivodeship Offices, i.e. Zachodniopomorskie, Lubuskie, Śląskie, Dolnośląskie, and Opolskie.
The team's recommendations, such as the Polish Water's regulation of water flow in the Gliwice Canal or the Oder River, are subject to updates depending on, among other things, the forecast meteo-hydrological conditions, the physicochemical parameters of the waters, and the dynamics of the development of 'golden algae.' Consequently, the extent of emergency action depends on the development of the situation and the risk of a toxic 'golden algae' bloom on the Gliwice Canal or in the River Oder. Remedial action requires the involvement of several ministries, including the Ministry of Infrastructure, which oversees the Polish Water and leads on water management.
Due to the increasing risk of 'golden algae' blooms during the summer is the need for close cooperation between the institutions involved, meetings of  the Crisis Management Team of the Ministry of Climate and Environment will be held weekly in the format of the Inter-Ministerial Team for Emergencies and Environmental Threats on the Oder River from 19 June this year. This team has been in place since 20 February this year and is in the process of analysing system solutions. This analysis includes measures to permanently reduce the salinity of the Oder River waters, such as desalination of mine waters by mining operations and increasing retention capacities by mining operations. Most aspects of the situation in the Gliwice Canal and the Oder River, such as the issuing of water permits, the setting of environmental objectives for the waters, and the management of water flows, are the responsibility of the Ministry of Infrastructure. The ministry is carrying out work related to the amendment of the Oder River Act, which concerns water permits for industrial plants, among other things. The Ministry of Climate and Environment will seek to ensure that this law also includes provisions to facilitate investments aimed at building post-mining water desalination infrastructure. The management of the Ministry of Climate and Environment is holding meetings with the managements of mining companies to develop and implement the above-mentioned long-term measures.
The results of the Oder monitoring studies and significant information are available at: www.gov.pl/odra