The main objective of the Water Regulation is in accordance with the WFD:

provide a framework for establishing environmental standards that ensure integrated protection and sustainable use of the water resources, and to reach good environmental status in all water bodies, including rivers, groundwater and coastal waters, ‘Good ecological potential’ is the objective for ‘heavily modified water bodies’.

 

The status of all water bodies will be determined, and a monitoring programme to keep track of their status will be established.

The integrated management of water should be

• comprehensive from the mountains to the sea,
• coordinated across different sectors,
• coordinated across different levels of authorities and administrative borders, and
• secure broad participation by all stakeholders and the public.

An important tool is the integrated River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) including a Programme of Measures for each river basin district.

 

In Norway the RBMPs for each RBD will be prepared as county plans in accordance with the Planning and Building Act, approved by the County Council (the elected body at county level in Norway) and finally affirmed by the Norwegian Government.

 

As the Competent Authority, the Office of the County Governor is coordinating the planning process. As in the WFD, the Planning and Building Act requires active participation from all interested parties in the planning process.