The Danube and Black Sea sub basins includes the following river basins: Cahul Ialpug, Kirgij- Kitai, which flow into the estuaries of Danube, Cogilnic, Saca, Ceaga, Sarata, Copceac, Bobeica, Hadjider and Caplani, which in their turn flow into the Black Sea’s estuaries. All these rivers except the river Cahul, are transboundary rivers, starting their courses in Moldovan territory and extend to the territory of Ukraine.

General features:

Basin area: 14 770 km² (43.6% of Moldova territory)

Population: ~ 1 242 800 inhabitants (Prut RB- 798,7 th. people, Danube and Black Sea- 444,1 th. people)

Main activity: Agriculture (on 3/4 of the basin area) Agriculture is a traditional economic sector in Moldova. Food sector now provides more than 1/3 of the total GDP, which employs currently about 40% of the active population. Most industrial enterprises are concentrated in cities and only small businesses, dealing with the primary processing of agricultural raw materials (oil mills, mills) meet and in some rural centers.

Average annual rainfall: 560 mm

Topography: hills and plains (max. elevation: 429m)

Prut average annual outflow: 78 - 94 m³/s

Main pressures on the basin:

- Diffuse pollution from agriculture and livestock farming

- Point source pollution from domestic wastewater

- Water abstraction for irrigation purposes

- Hydro-morphological alterations

Most of the localities are lacking sanitation, the collection and transportation services and recycling is not performed. The Creation and operation of these services would reduce the amount of waste and minimize their impact on the environment.

Status of the monitored Water Bodies: to be done during implementing RBMP

- 3/4 of the surface water bodies are identified as heavily modified 

- The downgrading parameters are most of the time chemicals

- 98% of the surface water bodies are at risk of failing to reach the good ecological status; no groundwater body is at risk

The following are some of the major water and environmental problems in the river district of the Danube-Prut and Black Sea within the territory of the Republic of Moldova:

1. The intensive development and lateral plowing of the slopes facilitates the occurrence of certain geodynamic processes, mostly erosion and earth flow.
2. The results of monitoring indicate an apparent pollution within the territory of Moldova with organic chemicals, coming from the point (discharge of insufficiently treated or untreated waste water of rural communities) and diffuse (considerable number of unorganized garbage dumps and landfills for solid industrial and domestic wastes, transportation, agriculture and other types of anthropogenic activity) sources of pollution.
3. The analysis of hydro-chemical monitoring over 2005-2012 indicates a significant increase in the level of surface waters pollution when the flow rate of the river decreases.
4. The results of hydro-biological monitoring indicate that the quality of waters in the river Prut remains at the same level from one year to the next without any major changes.
5. Ground water monitoring does not comply with the WFD provisions. Lack of monitoring database with the integration into GIS.
6. The impact of hydraulic engineering structures and infrastructure, drainage and intensive use of bottomland area for agriculture resulted in a deterioration of hydrological regime and living environment for many valuable species of animals and plants conserved.
7. Lack of hydro-morphological monitoring according to the WFD provisions.

Programme of measures for first cycle (2018-2023):

The DPBS programme of measures focuses on knowledge improvement, reduction of point source and diffuse pollution, better quantitative management, better access to drinking water and sanitation, and preservation and restoration of natural habitats. Preliminary total cost for implementation is 3 089 857 thousand lei. This reference panning document will be implemented with the support of the DPBS river basin district committee