The Smart Rivers Network Action Group intends to contribute to the diffusion of participative governance in the management of European hydrologic basins, through the activation of a cooperative network.

The public agreements or covenants on water have demonstrated to be very useful participatory tools to promote the involvement of the local communities in making decisions on river basins management. These processes have taken various forms, often in compliance with national policies and the most widespread tool is the so called River Contract, currently used in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain.

During the Esonda Expo in Ferrara on September 23rd 2016, the first Smart River International Conference has been organized. The aim of the conference is to promote an exchange of experiences between different countries toward a new participatory governance in the perspective of a revision and update of the European Directive 2000/60/CE. The international guests represented Romania, France and Moldova.

Following the Smart Rivers Network International Conference , a visit to the counterparts in Moldova has been organized during week starting with October 3rd. The team visited also the Stanca Costesti dam on the river PRUT ( border with Romania) , an USSR 1973-1978 construction holding 1.3 billion cubic meters of water. A RIVER SMART protocol of colaboration has been signed, for the PRUT but also for BOTNA rivers, paving the road for collaboration with Moldova and Romanian local water authorities.

The TV Moldova coverage of the final conclusions can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTRwhTHjlaI&sns=fb( Source: Smart Rivers Network Action Group, TV Moldova)