Criteria for the assessment of processes for sustainable river basin management and their congruence with the EU Water Framework Directive

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Hedelin
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Eu Water Framework Directive ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
The Eu

scholarly journals Transforming European Water Governance? Participation and River Basin Management under the EU Water Framework Directive in 13 Member States

Water ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Jager ◽  
Edward Challies ◽  
Elisa Kochskämper ◽  
Jens Newig ◽  
David Benson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Eu Water Framework Directive ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Member States ◽  
European Water ◽  
The Eu

Fresh Groundwater Monitoring in Georgia, EUWI+ project support to Georgia in implementing the EU Water Framework Directive and improvment the monitoring network

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nana Kitiashvili ◽  
Merab Gaprindashvili ◽  
Christoph Leitner ◽  
Franko Humer
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Groundwater Monitoring ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Eu Water Framework Directive ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Fresh Groundwater ◽  
Groundwater Monitoring Network ◽  
The Eu

<p>Georgia is among the countries which have fresh groundwater distinguished for significant resources and drinking qualities of naturally high quality. Hydrogeological exploration and monitoring works for the purpose of identification, study and protection of fresh groundwater were not conducted in the period of 1990–2013. Considering the long-term termination of centralized researches and the intensively increasing anthropogenic pressures on the environment and on water in particular, the assessment and protection of groundwater resources becomes a very pressing issue. For this purpose, in 2013, on initiative of the Geology Department of LEPL National Environmental Agency of Georgia and the Czech Development Agency, restoration of the hydrogeological monitoring network and research of fresh groundwater using modern methodology began. The modern equipment was gradually installed on the water objects to obtain information about quantitative and qualitative characteristics in "online" mode and taking water samples for chemical and bacterial analysis twice a year. Currently, 56 water points (mainly wells) are being monitored. The database on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of fresh groundwater of Georgia is being expanding based on information received online from water points, fieldwork results, laboratory analyzes (chemical and bacteriological), and on the processing, analyzing and generalizing of the collected actual materials. As the issue concerns fresh groundwater (which is used by at least 90% of the population), it’s necessary to expand the state monitoring network. According to the EU Water Framework Directive, based on the basin management principles of water resources, conduct of researches is granted particular significance in the trans-boundary zone.</p><p>The „European Union Water Initiative Plus for Eastern Partnership (EaP) Countries (EUWI+)″, which is the biggest commitment of the EU to the water sector in the EaP countries, helps Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to bring their legislation closer to EU policy in the field of water management, as identified by the EU Water Framework Directive. The EUWI+ project addresses existing challenges in both development and implementation of efficient management of water resources.. Monitoring data are an important basis for water management, for risk, status and trend assessment and for the design and implementation of an effective and cost-efficient program of measures .</p><p>Within the EUWI+ project, the following key activities were undertaken in Georgia: „Delineation and characterization of groundwater bodies and the design of a groundwater monitoring network in the Alazani-Iori and Khrami-Debed River Basin Districts in Georgia“, „Performed hydrogeological preliminary field works in the Alazani-Iori and Khrami-Debed River Basin“. Currently „Geophysical, isotope, hydrochemical, bacteriological and hydrodynamic assessment of twelve selected wells to be included in the national groundwater monitoring network in the Alazani-Iori River Basin District in Georgia“ is in progress. The results of this study are a basis for the improvement of the groundwater monitoring network and the development of River Basin Management Plans. As a part of the EUWI+ project, several new monitoring stations are planned.</p><p>The results are important in the process of implementation of integrated management of water resources, which should finally ensure sustainable management of water resources and reliable health protection of the population.</p>

scholarly journals Law and Politics in River Basin Management: The Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in The Netherlands

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3367
Author(s):  
Erik Mostert
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
Binding Effect ◽  
Law And Politics ◽  
Environmental Objectives

This article discusses the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Netherlands and shows how law and politics combine in river basin management. Initially, the implementation of the WFD in the Netherlands was approached as a technical and administrative issue, handled by water quality and ecology experts, but, in 2003, this approach was broken open by the agricultural sector, who feared stricter regulation. Subsequently, the environmental objectives of the WFD were set as low as possible and they play no role when authorising new projects. In July 2015, however, the European Court of Justice determined that the environmental objectives have a binding effect and that Member States have to refuse authorisation of projects that jeopardise the achievement of these objectives. This example shows the important role that law as a social phenomenon or “field” can play in river basin management, provided the courts enjoy sufficient social and political support and function relatively independently, as they do in the Netherlands. The article discusses the origin of the juridical field and its relation with politics and concludes that, to understand river basin management fully, it is essential to understand how (water) law functions.

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