Zur Umsetzung der Ziele der EU-Wasserrahmenrichtlinie sind in Sachsen bis 2015 für Gewässereinzugsgebiete entsprechende Maßnahmen zur Erreichung bzw. Sicherung eines guten Gewässerzustandes durchzuführen. Für die hierzu erforderliche integrierte Planung und Entscheidungsfindung auf Einzugsgebietsebene stellen Entscheidungshilfesysteme den daran beteiligten Akteuren (Flächennutzer, -besitzer, Fachbehörden usw.) die technische Unterstützung bereit. Am Beispiel des überwiegend landwirtschaftlich genutzten Fließgewässereinzugsgebietes der Jahna (Sächsisches Lösshügelland) wurde ein Entscheidungshilfesystem entwickelt und erprobt. Es umfasst zum einen Werkzeuge zur Analyse der Belastungen der Oberflächengewässer und des Grundwassers durch Nährstoffaustrag (z.B. Modell Stoffbilanz) bzw. durch Wassererosion (Modell EROSION 3D). Zum anderen bietet das Entscheidungshilfesystem verschiedene Modelle und Verfahren an, mit deren Hilfe stoffaustragsmindernde landwirtschaftliche Maßnahmen ausgewählt und hinsichtlich ihrer Wirksamkeit abgeschätzt werden können. Ergänzend dazu wurde ein computergestützter Maßnahmenkatalog zur Unterstützung bei der Auswahl stoffaustragsmindernder Maßnahmen im Bereich Landwirtschaft erstellt. Die Priorisierung der verschiedenen Maßnahmenalternativen unter Berücksichtigung ökologischer und ökonomischer Ziele wurde beispielhaft mit Hilfe der Nutzwertanalyse durchgeführt.

In 16 sächsischen Landwirtschaftsbetrieben wurde das Stickstoff-Management umfassend analysiert. Das Projekt hatte zum Ziel, die N-Bilanzüberschüsse zu reduzieren und betriebsbezogene Maßnahmen zur optimalen N-Nutzung abzuleiten. Es geht konform mit der Vorgabe der Wasserrahmenrichtlinie, die Nährstoffeinträge in Gewässer und Grundwasser wirksam zu verringern. Bilanziert wurde mit dem in Sachsen entwickelten Programm BEFU und dem Umwelt- und Betriebsmanagementsystem REPRO. Die untersuchten Betriebe wiesen aufgrund der Standortbedingungen eine hohe Auswaschungsgefahr für N-Überschüsse auf. In den Szenariorechnungen mit REPRO zeigte sich, dass durch den Anbau von Zwischenfrüchten und einem reduzierten N-Einsatz die N-Salden und die potenzielle Nitratauswaschung deutlich reduziert werden können. Der Bericht enthält zahlreiche Vorschläge zur Optimierung des N-Managements im Betrieb und beweist das erhebliche Potenzial zur Minderung der Nitratverluste und Nitratbelastung.

Η οδηγία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης 2000/60 για τα νερά θέτει το πλαίσιο δράσης όλων των κρατών μελών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης για σωστή διαχείριση των υδάτινων πόρων τους προκειμένου να επιτευχθεί «καλή» οικολογική ποιότητα των επιφανειακών και υπόγειων υδάτων τους μέχρι το έτος 2015 και να αποτραπεί η περαιτέρω υποβάθμισή τους, με στόχο να διασφαλισθεί η υγιής λειτουργία των υδρόβιων οικοσυστημάτων. Προκειμένου να εκτιμηθεί η οικολογική ποιότητα των υδάτων των ποταμών Πείρου-Παραπείρου και Βουραϊκού, πραγματοποιήθηκαν δειγματοληψίες και εν συνεχεία χημικές, υδρομορφολογικές και βιολογικές αναλύσεις σε έντεκα θέσεις, επιλεγμένες με συγκεκριμένα κριτήρια κατά μήκος αυτών. Συγκεκριμένα, η συλλογή των δειγμάτων πραγματοποιήθηκε και τις τέσσερις εποχές του έτους 2006, ενώ στους ποταμούς Πείρο και Παραπείρο υλοποιήθηκε μια επιπλέον δειγματοληψία κατά την άνοιξη του έτους 2007. Η υδρομορφολογική ανάλυση πραγματοποιήθηκε ακολουθώντας τη μεθοδολογία River Habitat Survey, ενώ η βιολογική ανάλυση περιελάμβανε τη συλλογή δειγμάτων βενθικών μακροασπον-δύλων σύμφωνα με τη μεθοδολογία STAR AQEM. Παράλληλα, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν τεχνικές στατιστικής ανάλυσης προκειμένου να εντοπιστούν οι σημαντικότερες περιβαλλοντικές παράμετροι που επηρεάζουν τις βιοκοινότητες των μακροασπον-δύλων. Για τον υπολογισμό της οικολογικής ποιότητας εφαρμόστηκε η μεθοδολο-γία REFCOND προκειμένου να εκτιμηθεί αυτή με βάση την επιμέρους συμβολή των χημικών, υδρομορφολογικών και βιολογικών παραμέτρων στη διαμόρφωσή της. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας περισσότερο του ήμισυ του μήκους των ποταμών Πείρου-Παραπείρου και των 3/5 του μήκους του ποταμού Βουραϊκού δεν ικανοποιούν τις απαιτήσεις της οδηγίας 2000/60/ΕΕ, εκτιμώμενη η οικολογική τους ποιότητα από «φτωχή» έως «μέτρια». Για τους Πείρο και Παραπείρο, η ποιοτική υποβάθμιση αποδίδεται σε αγροτικές και κτηνοτροφικές δραστηριότητες καθώς και στην παρουσία αστικών και βιομηχανικών αποβλήτων στις κατάντη θέσεις. Η αντίστοιχη του Βουραϊκού, εν μέρει οφείλεται σε αγροκτηνοτροφικές δραστηριότη-τες αλλά κυρίως στην παρουσία σημαντικών ποσοτήτων τυροκομικών αποβλήτων. Επιπλέον, τα ευρήματα στο συγκεκριμένο ποτάμι πιστοποιούν τον καθοριστικό ρόλο της παρόχθιας βλάστησης στην απορρύπανση των υδάτων των ποταμών. Κατόπιν των ανωτέρω κρίνεται επιτακτική η ανάγκη να ληφθούν τα ενδεδειγμένα μέτρα προστασίας των νερών των ποταμών από τα παντοειδή απόβλητα, προκειμένου να αναβαθμιστεί η ποιότητά τους με τελικό στόχο να ικανοποιηθούν οι απαιτήσεις της οδηγίας 2000/60 για διασφάλιση «καλής» οικολογικής ποιότητας μέχρι το έτος 2015. / One of the main issues of the EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60 is the achievement of “good” ecological status for the surface waters by the year 2015. All European countries are obliged to assess the ecological quality of their surface water bodies and classify them into a five-quality class system, with a final purpose to ensure “good” status for Europe’s water bodies and prevent their further deterioration. Eleven sites located in the rivers Peiros - Parapeiros and Vouraikos (Western Greece), were sampled seasonally and analyzed using physicochemical, hydromorphological and biological data, in order to classify the water quality according to the aforementioned directive. Physicochemical classification was performed using the Nutrient Classification System, while the habitat quality was estimated by applying the River Habitat Survey methodology. Biological sampling was performed by application of the STAR AQEM methodology, while the ecological classification was achieved by utilizing the “REFCOND guidance for the relative roles of the physicochemical, hydromorphological and biological quality elements”. Various multivariate techniques (Canonical Correspondence Analysis, Cluster Analysis and MDS) revealed the most important environmental factors that affected the macroinvertebrate communities. According to the results of the study, half length of the rivers Peiros-Parapeiros and the 3/5 of the river Vouraikos were found not to fullfil the demands of the WFD, with their quality being assessed from “moderate” to “poor”. Agriculture, urbanization and hydromorphological alteration were the main factors that contributed to the water quality degradation of the rivers Peiros and Parapeiros, while the presence of dairy wastewaters has been assessed as the main reason for the quality degradation of Vouraikos river. Moreover, the results of the study revealed the valuable role of the riparian vegetation in absorbing a large part of the incoming pollution. Finally, the results reveal the obligation for focused actions to be taken for monitoring and improvement of water quality, in order to meet the demands of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EU for “good” ecological quality, by the year 2015.

Water governance worldwide is going through a shift towards more holistic and participatory approaches. In Europe, the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) adopted in 2000, aims at protecting surface water and groundwater. The WFD emphasizes the importance of stakeholder participation in planning and implementation of the directive, and in order to reach environmental objectives. However, the empirical findings are insufficient regarding how stakeholder participation can lead to improved decisions and implemented plans. In Sweden, a major water quality problem is eutrophication caused to a large extend by diffuse nutrient leakage from agriculture. Therefore, it is important to involve farmers in water management, since their participation can lead the commitment of mitigation measures for reduced nutrient leakage. The overall aim of this study is to contribute the knowledge and understanding of active stakeholder participation in water management, in particular how it can lead to implementation of water quality objectives. The thesis addresses stakeholder participation in eutrophication management in local Swedish catchments, with a particular focus on farmers’ participation in the commitment of mitigation measures. The results are based on case study research, involving four catchment areas in Sweden with severe eutrophication problems. The thesis identified socio-demographic factors, farmers’ knowledge, and the level of existing information and economic support for wetland creation, as factors affecting farmers’ willingness to participate in wetland creation to mitigate nutrient leakage. In the local catchment groups studied, farmers and other local stakeholders participated to discuss potential mitigation activities. In these, farmers emphasized other emitting actors’ responsibility and commitment in local action plans. Where this was realized, social capital within the group increased and led to further collaboration. The thesis also analyzed large-scale wetland programmes at catchment scale, where the organizational and institutional arrangements were central to realize farmers’ participation: inter-municipal agreements entailed sufficient resources, the organization involved the most relevant actors; and leadership resources were important. The thesis argues that organizing water management at a catchment level can be important to cope with challenges related to stake-holder participation for mitigating diffuse nutrient leakage. In particular for dissemination and collection of information, suggesting potential measures for all concerned actors, provide resources needed to realize actions, and to build trust and collaboration. The thesis also emphasized that stakeholder participation has to be underpinned by a genuine meaning, both for the initiators and the participants. / <p>QC 20150506</p>

Für die Erstellung von Bewirtschaftungs- und Maßnahmenplänen (FFH, EU-WRRL) ist es erforderlich, den bislang noch sehr hohen Aufwand für die Datenbeschaffung und -generierung im Rahmen der Modellierung mit EROSION 3D zu senken. Erreicht werden soll eine schnellere sowie effizientere Abschätzung von Landnutzungsänderungen, Landschaftseingriffen, des Klimawandels usw. auf Oberflächenabfluss, Bodenabtrag sowie Sedimenteintrag in Gewässer mit EROSION 3D. Im vorliegenden Projekt ist es gelungen, Parametrisierung und Modellanwendung so zu kombinieren, dass eine Bodenabtragssimulation mit dem Modell EROSION 3D flächendeckend für Sachsen mit vertretbarem Zeitaufwand durchführbar ist. Der korrigierte und angepasste Geo-Basisdatensatz liefert die Primärinformationen zur Datenbankabfrage der Parametrisierungssoftware DPROC. Durch eine interaktive Flächenauswahl, kombiniert mit einem Flächendatenzuschnitt, können Landnutzungs- und Bearbeitungsszenarien für hydrologische Einzugsgebiete oder Oberflächenwasserkörper schnell parametrisiert werden. Die grundlegend korrigierte und erweiterte Datenbank des DPROC erlaubt die verbesserte Abschätzung erosionsrelevanter Bodenparameter, besonders für die dauerhaft konservierende Bodenbearbeitung und die Direktsaat. Die umfangreiche Dokumentation der Arbeitsschritte und die Transparenz der Datenbank ermöglichen es, jederzeit Aktualisierungen (Geo-Basisdaten) und Erweiterungen (DPROC-Datenbank) vorzunehmen. Von den Projektergebnissen profitieren vor allem die Anwender des Programms EROSION 3D. Beim Druck des Dokumentes ist zu beachten, dass die Karten im Format DIN A3 erstellt wurden.

Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) involves the injection of water into an aquifer for subsequent recovery from the same well. Whilst ASR provides a competitive alternative to reservoir storage, a lack of precedence of successful schemes and uncertainties with respect to regulatory requirements, and abstracted water quality and quantity have limited its implementation in the UK. The ambition of this research is to improve understanding of these impediments with particular reference to the Sherwood Sandstone aquifer. Drawing on existing project review and risk management approaches, a decision support tool to help scheme designers scope ASR scheme potential and challenges was developed and tested. The tool provides practitioners with a systematic method for early stage evaluation of ASR schemes with testing confirming broad value and alignment with business processes. Limitations on the recovery of recharged water was investigated through a critical literature review on clogging with geochemical, biological, physical and gaseous binding processes identified as the most likely mechanisms to impact an ASR scheme in this aquifer. Water quality changes during storage and the impact of storage period on recovered water quality were investigated in the laboratory using ASR simulating columns, with storage times of 15, 20, 30 and 60 days. Water quality improvements such as biodegradation of disinfection by-products, denitrification and sulphate reduction were observed. However recovered water quality deteriorated with respect to iron, arsenic, manganese, total organic carbon and nickel. These results, together with the review of regulations conducted as part of decision support tool development, suggest that the current interpretation of the Water Framework Directive requirements is overly restrictive and is deterring wider implementation of ASR in the UK. Conclusions focus on the need for a more appropriate approach to regulating ASR schemes, in particular, one which adopts a risk based approach to determining water quality standards.

The chemical speciation of trace metals controls their potential bioavailability and therefore toxicity to exposed organisms. Despite previous studies demonstrating the ameliorative effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on metal toxicity, the effectiveness of ligands from varying sources and of potentially variable composition in controlling speciation has not been studied in detail in estuarine waters. In addition, the effect of DOC on radionuclide contaminants in combination with trace metals has not been investigated in any waters. This is of particular interest in the estuarine environment, where both anthropogenic and natural ligands, and contaminants that pose a potential threat to ecosystem health, can be present. Competitive ligand exchange adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE-AdCSV) with complexation capacity titrations was employed to determine the speciation of dissolved Cu and Zn, two metals that possess revised environmental quality standards (EQS) which now account for potential metal bioavailability. Dissolved metal concentrations in the < 0.4 and < 0.2 μm filter fractions of samples from the Tamar Estuary were determined during seasonal transects made over a calendar year. Samples were taken over a full salinity range (0-35) and from locations thought to contain DOC from a variety of sources (e.g. terrigenous, biogenic, sewage). No seasonal trends in metal speciation were identified, but a semi-quantitative assessment of DOC type using 3-D fluorimetry showed domination of humic and fulvic type ligands in the upper estuary, and biogenic-type ligands in the lower estuary, the former appearing the most important in controlling Cu and Zn complexation. Filter size fraction differences showed a major portion of the dissolved metal is associated with the 0.2 ≥ 0.4 μm fraction, indicating an importance of larger molecule ligands in controlling potentially bioavailable metal. Sample ligand concentrations ([L_x]) ranged from 1-372 nM (Cu) and 3-412 nM (Zn), and metal-ligand conditional stability constants (log K_(ML_x )) from 10.5-13.5 (Cu) and 7.5-10 (Zn), which are similar to reported literature. Calculated free metal ion concentrations ([M2+]) of 0.3 – 109 nM (Zn) and 1.4 x 10-13 – 7.3 x 10-11 M (Cu) compared well (92% showed no significant differences (P = 0.02)) with direct measurements of [Zn2+] made for the first time in estuarine waters using “Absence of Gradients and Nernst Equilibrium Stripping” (AGNES) after optimisation for estuarine waters. AGNES fully complements CLE-AdCSV in terms of analytical capability and shows that methods are now available that are capable of directly determining [Zn2+] in estuarine waters for use in environmental monitoring studies. Calculations made using the chemical equilibrium speciation programme Visual MINTEQ (VM) showed [Cu2+] and [Zn2+] could be predicted to within one order of magnitude of measured values when log K_(ML_x ) and [L_x] are determined and input into the model. This was in contrast to poor agreement between measured and predicted [M2+] when VM was used with the NICA-Donnan complexing model, which assumes a set portion of the total DOC concentration input is fulvic acid that actively complexes metals. These results corroborate a lack of identification of a relationship between metal speciation in the Tamar samples and DOC concentration, highlighting that knowledge of DOC type, log K_(ML_x )and L_x are important when assessing environmental risk, setting EQSs and for accurate modeling of [Cu2+]. Finally, a combined chemical and biological study investigating the effects of mixtures of DOC, Zn and the radionuclide tritium (3H) on the marine mussel presents the first evidence of a protective effect of Zn on DNA damage caused by 3H. The association of 3H with DOC remains elusive and an assessment of DOC type is recommended for future research, but the study emphasises the importance of investigating mixture effects in order to avoid inaccurate risk assessment and potentially costly site remediation.

This Ph.D. thesis focuses on the characteristic of littoral vegetation in reservoirs with a storage function and on the factors that may affect it. The current state of the littoral vegetation in different types of biotopes was detected by a detailed survey of the littoral in Lipno reservoir. Complexes of environmental factors characteristic for different types of biotopes were described. The dynamics of littoral vegetation in response to changes in water level fluctuations was monitored in a protected bay during three years. Based on the results, the vegetation zonation was described in the eulittoral zone of an aquatic ecosystem with irregular fluctuations in water levels. The thesis also deals with the use of a breakwater structure to protect littoral vegetation in erosion exposed biotopes. The results of all three studies are used as a basis for proposals for supporting the development of littoral vegetation in the eulittoral zone in reservoirs as defined in the Water Framework Directive.

In this study the practical work with the EU Water Framework starts on the island of Gotland. 33 lakes and 32 streams have been characterized and classified regarding to their ecological status. The aim with the characterisation is to create a uniform discription of all waterbodies and a comparable estimation for the future. The aim with the classification is both to study the waterbodies ecological status and to gain knowledge of where the resources should be concentrated so that the ecological status in all waterbodies will be good in 2015. The characterisation has been done according to the EU Water Framework Directive, and the factors that have been applied are the mean depth and area of the lake. The length and size on the catchment area are the factors that have been used on streams. The classification is issued from biological, chemical and hydromorphological elements. The biological elements in both lakes and streams are fish and benthic macroinvertebrates. The chemical elements in lakes consist of total phosphorus, total nitrogen, quotient total nitrogen/total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, alkalinity and pH-value. The chemical elements in streams consist of area-specific losses of total phosphorus and total nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand, alkalinity and pH-value. The hydromorphological elements are lakes that are regulated, streams that have been straightened out and streams that have something stopping sawing fish. The result of the characterisation shows five different sea types: large and deep seas, meanlarge and deep seas, meanlarge and shallow seas, small and deep seas as well as small and shallow seas. The result from the classification shows that 26 lakes have high or good ecological status. However, this still means that the seven lakes Asträsk, Bogeviken, Bondansträsk, Fridträsk, Inre Stockviken, Mjölhatteträsk and Paviken have moderate ecological status. 15 streams have good or high ecological status, while nine have moderate status. These nine streams are Burgsvikenån, Gothemsån, Ireån, Halorån, Lummelundaån, Närkån, Snoderån, Vägumeån as well as Västergarnsån. The ecological status could not be decided in eight streams, due to the low number of facts. All lakes and streams with moderate ecological status, except Bondansträsk, have recieved this estimation as a result of the high substance of nutrients. While fish in Bondansträsk is not good, the lake recieved the estimation moderate status. / I detta examensarbete inleds det praktiska arbetet med ramdirektivet för vatten på Gotland. I enlighet med vattendirektivet har 33 gotländska sjöar och 32 gotländska vattendrag karakteriserats och klassificerats utifrån ekologisk status. Syftet med karakteriseringen är att skapa en enhetlig beskrivning av samtliga vattenförekomster, vilket ger ett jämförbart underlag inför fortsatta bedömningar av sjöar och vattendrag på Gotland. Syftet med klassificeringen är att dels ta reda på den ekologiska statusen för gotländska ytvatten, dels att få kunskap om var resurserna bör läggas för att en god ekologisk status skall uppnås till år 2015. Karakteriseringen utfördes enligt vattendirektivets system B, och de faktorer som användes är maxdjup och sjöarea för sjöar samt längd och avrinningsområdets area för vattendrag. Detta resulterade i fem sjötyper: stora och djupa sjöar, stora och grunda sjöar, mellanstora och grunda sjöar, små och djupa sjöar samt små och grunda sjöar. Vattendragen indelades i fyra typer: långa vattendrag med stort avrinningsområde, långa vattendrag med mellanstort avrinningsområde, korta vattendrag med mellanstort avrinningsområde samt korta vattendrag med litet avrinningsområde. Klassningen utgick, i enlighet med vattendirektivet, från biologiska, kemiska och hydromorfologiska faktorer. Den biologiska klassningen i både sjöar och vattendrag gjordes med utgångspunkt från fisk och bottenfauna. Den kemiska bedömningen i sjöar gjordes utifrån totalfosfor, totalkväve, fosfor/kväve-kvot, kemisk syreförbrukning, alkalinitet och pH-värde. För vattendrag har arealspecifik förlust av fosfor och kväve, kemisk syreförbrukning, alkalinitet och pH-värde använts. Den hydromorfologiska bedömningen gjordes med hänsyn tagen till rätning av vattendrag, vandringshinder i vattendrag samt reglering av sjöar. Resultatet av klassificeringen visar att hela 26 av de 33 undersökta gotländska sjöarna har hög eller god ekologisk status, och sju sjöar, Asträsk, Bogeviken, Bondansträsk, Fridträsk, Inre Stockviken, Mjölhatteträsk och Paviken, har måttlig ekologisk status. 15 av de 32 undersökta vattendragen har hög eller god ekologisk status, medan nio vattendrag, Burgsvikenån, Gothemsån, Ireån, Halorån, Lummelundaån, Närkån, Snoderån, Vägumeån samt Västergarnsån, har måttlig ekologisk status. Vidare har ekologisk status inte kunnat bestämmas för åtta vattendrag, då inte tillräckligt med data funnits för att kunna genomföra en rättvis bedömning. Samtliga sjöar och vattendrag som har måttlig ekologisk status, förutom Bondansträsk, har erhållit denna bedömning på grund av alltför höga halter respektive transporter av näringsämnena kväve och fosfor. Bondansträsk har fått detta omdöme eftersom tillstånd och avvikelse från jämförvärde för fisk inte är helt bra.

The basic problem that this work wishes to address concerns the  unsustainable use of water resources in many places of the world. In some places, the problem leads to human suffering and death while also obstructing social and economic development. In other places, where the consequences are less severe, natural environments are seriously damaged. A significant part of the solution to this problem lies in the planning and decision-making domain. The overall aim of this thesis is therefore to contribute to the available knowledge on planning and management for the sustainable use of water resources. Planning as a process is in focus, both in itself and in the organisational and legal contexts that affect how planning processes are performed.   The main methodological approach used, and the theoretical contribution made here, is the deriving and discussion of a set of deductive criteria for the development and assessment of planning processes for the sustainable use of water resources (Papers III and IV). The criteria were derived using a multi-disciplinary approach, where the relevant literature on how to transform the concepts of ‘integration’ and ‘participation’ – both key principles for sustainable development in relation to planning – into an analytical framework of twelve criteria, was reviewed and synthesised. The derived criteria concern issues such as, how to integrate knowledge and values into the planning process and how to generate commitment, legitimacy or acceptance for the resulting plan, by democratic means. The criteria are then used to assess the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) – an extensive legal framework which will steer water planning in the EU Member States for several decades to come – and to assess the planning processes that follows on from WFD implementation in Sweden.   The analysis contained in (Paper V) showed that the WFD erects few formal barriers to good planning practices. The analysis also showed however, that the planning processes that follow on from its implementation will need to be adapted to compensate for the weak legal support in a number of important areas, namely, the use of knowledge from beyond the natural sciences, the use of methodologies for the explicit handling of values and the use of procedures for democratic participation. Several recommendations are also made in respect of how the WFD could be supplemented in order for it to become a stronger support in planning processes for the sustainable use of water.   The analysis of the ongoing water planning processes in Sweden (Paper VI) showed that knowledge of how to work with values and how to create forms and methods of participation and collaboration remain clearly underdeveloped. In consequence, the main objectives behind participation – the provision of knowledge and perspectives for the process and the creation of legitimacy, acceptance or engagement – are actually at risk. Recommendations include complementing the existing knowledge base with insights from the social sciences and the humanities, to create well informed learning systems within the new water administration and to make use of alternative methods for the handling of values.   In addition to this, two papers from the thesis (Papers I and II) concern the situation pertaining before WFD implementation in Sweden. By comparing the system for municipal land and water planning (the former main system for long-term water planning in Sweden) with WFD prescriptions, and with the organisation of the new water administration bodies, some potential implications of WFD implementation were identified. From here it followed, that the development of forms of co-operation between the concerned administrative organisations, and in respect of the democratic involvement of the public and other concerned actors, were crucial in creating an integrative, effective and democratic system for water planning in Sweden.   The thesis also illustrates the use of a tentative model for the operationalisation of ‘sustainable development’. The tentative model is described in the thesis, and it constitutes the methodological baseline for the thesis, since five of the papers contained herein use various approaches related to this model.