Evaluating river restoration measures in draft River Basin Management Plans in Spain
To determine the extent to which ecological restoration measures were included draft River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), CIREF reviewed the plans from the Duero and Ebro river basins in Spain. Where deficiencies were detected, and the measures proposed do not aim to improve ecological status, efforts have been made to propose restoration measures that do so (according to geographical criteria, hydromorphological quality or expert criteria).
These analyses are available here in Spanish.
Summary reports in English are also included.
Under the EU’s Water Framework Directive, each river basin in each Member State establishes a programme of measures to achieve the objectives related to good ecological status. The drafting of the third cycle RBMPs for the period 2022-2027 will define the actions to achieve the WFD objectives for healthy water by the legal deadline in 2027.
The RBMPs must have sufficient ambition and resources to meet not only the goal of the WFD, but also contribute to the EU Biodiversity Strategy’s target of restoring at least 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers by 2030 and contribute to achieving the goals of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives and Eel Regulation.