Czech Republic
Contribution to the complexity of the plans for IWRM
presented by the delegation of the Czech Republic
Mr. Chairman,
The Czech Republic as one of the accession countries to the European Union
strongly welcomes the effective water policy based on the integrated water resources
management principle, which is introduced by the Water Framework Directive within
the European region .
I would like to share some of the experience of the Czech Republic with the
implementation of the integrated water resources management in particular with
respect to the complexity of the water management planning in the hydrological
watersheds .
The territory of the Czech Republic is located on the divide of three seas and
all significant watercourses outflow to the neighbouring countries . As a consequence,
the Czech water resources are fully dependent on the atmospheric rainfall .
This fact definitely increase our high interest on the water resources
management and has lead to the high attention paid historically to the water
management planning. The first plan of the water resources use and management
was prepared at early fifties, the second national plan containing water protection
activities was accepted at the beginning of seventies . Both these plans were based
on the hydrological watersheds . In spite of the fact that the preparation of these plans
was typical for centralistic planning of the socialist economy, i .e . "top-down" process
without involvement of users and public, the essential system based on watersheds
was established . Further, the River Boards as water management authorities were
also established for the particular watersheds, too .
Hence, the necessary background for recently introduced comprehensive
planning already existed which was advantageous for the implementation of Water
Framework Directive .
However, the large floods occurred during last 6 years on our territory lead to
the necessity of the improvement of flood prevention . For this reason, the flood
protection activities and measures have been included to the plans .
Similarly, the need for the development and enlargement of the water
management infrastructure for water supply and sanitation lead to the additional
enlargement of the contents of the plans under preparation according the Water
Framework Directive .
Thus the complexity of our plans prepared for the particular watersheds
substantially increased, which is certainly in agreement with the objectives of the
Integrated Water Resources Management.
In addition, the international character of our planning has to be mentioned as
our watersheds form upstream parts of the river basins of Danube River, Elbe River
and Oder River . Hence, international collaboration is running under the co-ordination
of International Commissions for the respective rivers .
Thank you, Mr . Chairman .
presented by the delegation of the Czech Republic
Mr. Chairman,
The Czech Republic as one of the accession countries to the European Union
strongly welcomes the effective water policy based on the integrated water resources
management principle, which is introduced by the Water Framework Directive within
the European region .
I would like to share some of the experience of the Czech Republic with the
implementation of the integrated water resources management in particular with
respect to the complexity of the water management planning in the hydrological
watersheds .
The territory of the Czech Republic is located on the divide of three seas and
all significant watercourses outflow to the neighbouring countries . As a consequence,
the Czech water resources are fully dependent on the atmospheric rainfall .
This fact definitely increase our high interest on the water resources
management and has lead to the high attention paid historically to the water
management planning. The first plan of the water resources use and management
was prepared at early fifties, the second national plan containing water protection
activities was accepted at the beginning of seventies . Both these plans were based
on the hydrological watersheds . In spite of the fact that the preparation of these plans
was typical for centralistic planning of the socialist economy, i .e . "top-down" process
without involvement of users and public, the essential system based on watersheds
was established . Further, the River Boards as water management authorities were
also established for the particular watersheds, too .
Hence, the necessary background for recently introduced comprehensive
planning already existed which was advantageous for the implementation of Water
Framework Directive .
However, the large floods occurred during last 6 years on our territory lead to
the necessity of the improvement of flood prevention . For this reason, the flood
protection activities and measures have been included to the plans .
Similarly, the need for the development and enlargement of the water
management infrastructure for water supply and sanitation lead to the additional
enlargement of the contents of the plans under preparation according the Water
Framework Directive .
Thus the complexity of our plans prepared for the particular watersheds
substantially increased, which is certainly in agreement with the objectives of the
Integrated Water Resources Management.
In addition, the international character of our planning has to be mentioned as
our watersheds form upstream parts of the river basins of Danube River, Elbe River
and Oder River . Hence, international collaboration is running under the co-ordination
of International Commissions for the respective rivers .
Thank you, Mr . Chairman .
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