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Environmental information systems
over
surface waters
Km2
of groundwater area
were monitored for the
3rd River Basin Management Plans
Under the Water Framework Directive, countries identify sections of rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters and groundwater into units called “water bodies”. These are grouped into a river basin district, which is the area of land and sea identified as the main management unit.
Assessment of status is done at the level of the water body.
Surface water bodies in the 3rd River Basin Management Plans
“Categories” refers to the different types of surface water - rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters. This chart shows the relative proportion of the number of categories of surface water in the EU or country.
Typically, there is a higher proportion of rivers, because these are broken down into many water bodies. Lakes, transitional or coastal waters may cover a large area but not seem significant in the number of water bodies. To further investigate the significance of these categories, use the expert dashboards to look at the area (km2) covered.
This chart shows the relative proportion of the number of categories of surface water in the EU or country.
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Groundwater bodies in River Basin Management Plans
The Water Framework Directive is concerned with aquifers which allow a significant flow, or abstraction of, a substantial quantity of groundwater. A groundwater body provides at least 10 m3 of water per day, or is sufficient to supply at least 50 people, or to maintain ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
A groundwater body may consist of one or more aquifers. Deep aquifers that do not affect surface ecosystems or are not used for groundwater abstraction need not be identified as groundwater bodies.
This chart shows the proportion of groundwater body area in porous, fractured, fissured and other aquifers for the EU-27 or selected country.
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Development in the numbers of surface water bodies in the River Basin Management Plan cycles
Since the first River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), many countries have reviewed their water bodies, and in some cases decided to change the boundaries. For example, one river water body may be made longer, incorporating some small ones. This would have the effect of lowering the number of water bodies. Such changes made to water bodies may need to be considered when comparing change over time.
Hover over the bars to see the number of water bodies in each category for the three RBMP cycles.
First River Basin Management Plan
Total number of reported surface water bodies: 116,822
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Second River Basin Management Plan
Total number of reported surface water bodies: 108,942
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Third River Basin Management Plan
Total number of reported surface water bodies: (see the Note)
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Development in the area of groundwater bodies in the River Basin Management Plan cycles
Since the first River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), many countries have reviewed their groundwater body boundaries. For example, a groundwater body identified in the first RBMP may include multiple aquifers, but in subsequent RBMPs, may be changed to include fewer or more aquifers. Such changes can expand the horizontal extent of a groundwater body or consolidate smaller ones into larger units, which would change the total area or number of water bodies. Such adjustments may need to be considered when assessing changes over time.
First River Basin Management Plan
Total areas of reported groundwater bodies:
4,336,081 Km2
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Second River Basin Management Plan
Total areas of reported groundwater bodies:
4,336,081 Km2
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Third River Basin Management Plan
Total areas of reported groundwater bodies:
Km2 (see the Note)
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