The notion of river basin management, by focusing on a spatial unit (the river basin), goes beyond the usual sectoral management of water. The use of the river basin as a territorial management unit lies at the heart of the EU Water Framework Directive. The level of decentralisation provided by river basin management makes it possible to deal with local water challenges that may be tackled less effectively by a central state administration. By taking into account the needs of different water users as well as the balance between the economy (uses) and ecosystems (protection), management at the river basin level provides for equal access to water and the sustainability of water resources in the long-term.
Ukraine is divided into nine river basin districts, all of them discharging directly or indirectly into the Black Sea, except the Western Bug, which flows towards the Baltic Sea. Different projects have helped to initiate river basin management plans (RBMPs) for the Southern Bug River Basin, the Prut River Basin (Danube RBD) and Upper Dnipro River Basin. Ukraine’s largest river basin, the Dnipro, covers approximately 65% of the country with an estimated population of 30 million inhabitants, and thus requires significant policy attention. The EU4Environment – Water and Data programme supports the finalization of the Dnipro RBMP, whose development began in the frame of EUWI+ project, in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive requirements.
