Transboundary surface water resources management. Cost-Benefit Analysis

The thesis deals with the management of transnational surface water resources and focuses on addressing the flood risk in the transboundary basin of river Evros/Maritza/Meric, by using the method of Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA). Starting with the basic principles of hydrodiplomacy and focusing on European Legislation on water management, the most important transnational river basins around the world and the international committees set up for the management of their waters are presented. Then, the method of Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) on flood management is introduced, describing its rational and key economic features as well as the case studies that have been applied. Afterwards, it focuses on the study area, with simultaneous analysis of both technical characteristics and land uses in each country (Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece). Then, the history of flood events in the basin is presented, the impacts that existed in every country and because of the inefficiency of cross-border agreements to deal with them so far, there are proposed some necessary interventions from the Greek side, by constructing flood defenses. Finally, the method of Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) is getting in practice in the study area and among its results, appears the necessity of an integrated flood protection planning in the Greek part of the river Evros/Maritza/Meric basin, along with transboundary cooperation.