Joint Danube Survey

JDS5 is set to launch in mid-2025 at sampling sites in 14 countries across the Danube River Basin. This latest edition will introduce cutting-edge techniques, including environmental DNA (eDNA), microplastics monitoring, and enhanced citizen science initiatives. The findings from JDS5 will help fill critical information gaps ahead of the 2027 update of the Danube River Basin Management Plan.

JDS5 will feature specialized monitoring teams conducting advanced research, including:

• Environmental DNA (eDNA) Analysis: JDS4 pioneered the use of eDNA for biodiversity monitoring in the Danube, marking a significant leap in how species are detected. JDS5 builds on this progress, enhancing sampling methods, refining data analysis, and expanding the scale of monitoring. This improved approach will provide even deeper insights into species diversity, making it easier to track elusive and endangered species while better understanding the overall health of aquatic ecosystems.
• Microplastics Monitoring: Microplastics have been found in rivers worldwide, but data on their presence in the Danube is still limited. JDS5 will expand research into microplastic pollution in water, sediments, and aquatic species to assess its impact and provide the first detailed dataset for the river basin.
• Effect-Based Monitoring & Non-Target Screening: Traditional water quality testing focuses on known pollutants, but what about the thousands of chemicals that may be affecting the ecosystem? This approach allows scientists to screen for a wide range of contaminants (including those not yet regulated) while also studying their biological effects, helping us understand how pollution impacts aquatic life and human health.

The JDS will help Danube governments to implement the Danube River Protection Convention which they signed in 1994. It will also help them to meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive. The Directive's goal is to ensure that rivers and lakes have "good chemical and ecological status" by 2027 - meaning that they should provide clean water as well as good conditions.

The findings of the JDS allow governments to decide about environmental measures. The survey therefore draws the attention of high-level decision-makers throughout the basin. 

To learn more, go to the website of the Joint Danube Survey 5. On that page, you will find more information on events related to the survey and results when published.