Odra

The Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (GIOŚ) has developed and implemented an Emergency Monitoring Procedure for Prymnesium parvum 'golden alga' in the Oder River and all major rivers in the country where there are conditions possible for the algae to grow

- said K. Gołębiewski GIOŚ at a press conference summarising the work of the Team for the Situation Arising on the Oder River.

The procedure implies three alert levels. In the event of the detection of a mass bloom of 'golden algae' and the threat of toxin contamination, GIOŚ notifies services and institutions within one hour. An instruction to entities and services related to the active application of the alert procedure is currently under development. The monitoring procedure was prepared and implemented before the start of the growing season.

The development of the alert procedure was made possible by continuous water monitoring covering the Oder and the largest rivers in Poland. Water samples are taken twice a week at 20 locations on the Oder River. At the same time, an automatic system is being calibrated to additionally provide basic measurement data in a continuous system. The pilot project implemented by the Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute and the Inland Fisheries Institute - National Research Institute first covers the Oder River. All measurement data becomes available to the Central Research Laboratory - GIOŚ. The results will be published on the website of the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (GIOŚ), as are the monitoring analyses to date.

In parallel, work is underway to find an effective method of preventing 'golden algae' blooms. The Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute is performing a scientific task using a natural clay-based agent. Scientists will verify the countermeasures against the growth of these algae.

The first test results are promising as the substance 'glues' the invasive algae together, preventing them from releasing toxins

– emphasised Prof. Tomasz Heese from the Koszalin University of Technology. The full results will be known at the end of April this year.

Inter-ministerial work involving the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is ongoing.
There is a continuous provision of information at the central and regional levels. The various services and institutions cooperate at central and regional levels.

Ongoing cooperation and data exchange also takes place between the Oder voivodeships, including the voivodes and their subordinate services.

The procedures implemented result from recommendations from the Team for the Situation Arising on the Oder River established in the summer of 2022 by the Minister of Climate and Environment. The Team was set up to investigate the phenomenon of mass fish die-offs. The experts involved in the work of the Team prepared two reports - the Preliminary Report to clarify the causes and analyse the course of the incident and the Final Report summarising the findings of all experts and institutions involved in the expert work.

The highlights were presented on 31 March 2023 during a press briefing presenting the main findings of the final stage of clarifying the situation concerning the Oder River. The final report of the Team for the Situation Arising on the Oder River is available on the website.