Interdisciplinary assessment of water resource management in two transboundary lakes in South Eastern Europe (DRIMON)

The main objective of the DRIMON project is to contribute towards an increased knowledge base and dialogue between stakeholders for improved transboundary management of water resources in the Balkan area through the integration of natural, socio-economic and policy sciences. The DRIMON objectives will be met through a comparison - or twinning - exercise, in which data and experiences within both natural and social sciences from three lake basins (namely Lake Prespa and Lake Skadar in the Balkans, and Lake Vansjø in Norway) will be used. This twinning exercise will facilitate the assessment and transferability of relevant knowledge and results from the case studies. The NIVA experiences from Lake Vansjø will be used extensively throughout the project, alth ough the actual studies performed in this lake are not a part of DRIMON proposal. DRIMON will contribute towards improved governance and democratic decision making, through integration of various disciplinary variables in the two lake basins by twinning a ctivities. To that end, the project will: * Establish nutrient budgets for the lake basins of Prespa and Skadar and assess the trophic status of the lakes * Suggest environmental goals for lakes Prespa and Skadar in dialogue with stakeholders; * Establi sh and/or strengthen networks nationally and across borders between scientists, water managers and end-users * Assess the current status of transboundary water management in the two lake basins and stakeholder responses to the achievement of the set envir onmental goals * Enhance the dialogue between decision-makers, end users and scientists for improved transboundary IWRM * Assist the transferability of case study results between stakeholders across borders * Disseminate data and information to stakehold ers, especially, environmental authorities to promote participatory planning and decision-making.