ABSTRACT
Water resources planning is essential to ensure that the balance between water availability and demand is maintained, that water requirements for different uses are satisfied and that water quality, as well as the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems, is protected. A water resources plan should be based on a careful assessment of the resource to be planned, in terms both of water quantity and quality, and of climate conditions. It should pay attention to the interdependence of surface water and groundwater, and to the relationship between water and other natural resources. Among other things, it should consider socio-economic conditions and the existing sectorial plans. Water resources planning may take place at different territorial levels, but the water legislation of an increasing number of countries places emphasis on the river basin as the basic unit for planning. This chapter illustrates the types and characteristics of water resources plans and the methods for planning processes, including the approach adopted by the European Union.
