Water Framework Directive - river basin management planning
The River Basin Management Planning process is now underway. It involves setting objectives for each water body, and developing programmes of measures to meet those objectives. It aims to:
- Help us better manage the water environment as we look at how the water and land environments interact and how interaction between waterbodies occurs
- Help ensure that management is based on a better understanding of environmental processes
- Require us to consider cost effectiveness and social and economic impacts when deciding which programmes of measures will be used to protect and improve the water environment
- Provide a defined time frame to meet the objectives for each waterbody
- Improve links to other planning activity, for example that of land uses
- Encourage more people to get involved in management and planning by widespread consultation and by communicating what we are doing
Background
First we identified water bodies and divided the country into planning units - called River Basin Districts – based on river catchment areas. We then 'characterised' these areas by assessing the pressures and impacts on the water environment, such as pollution or overuse and the risk of them failing to meet the Directive’s objectives if no action was taken.
Further information
- On 25 February 2008 Defra launched a second consultation on guidance to the Environment Agency, in relation to river basin planning in England and Wales. This follows the River Basin Planning Guidance issued in August 2006 (see below) and further covers the approach the Environment Agency should take in carrying out its river basin planning functions. In particular, it will help the EA to develop the River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) which it will submit to Ministers for approval.
- River Basin Planning Guidance (PDF 700 KB)
Principles and key steps for the river basin planning process. Focuses on the nine river basin districts in England and Wales, and one of the two cross-border river basin districts in England and Scotland - River Basin Management Planning in the Solway Tweed River Basin District – Guidance (PDF 250 KB)
This guidance sets out the expectations for the joint delivery of the WFD in Solway Tweed, a cross-border river basin district shared between England and Scotland
Page last modified: 25 February 2008
Page published: 23 March 2001