The RiverLife project and implementation of the Water Framework Directive

Abstract

Abstract In Finland, 61% of classified river kilometres were below good water quality in 1994–1997. Diffuse loading originating from land use in river basins has the most important role in the deterioration of water quality. Therefore, practical tools for planning sustainable land use in river basins are important. In the RiverLife project (1998–2001) a decision support system, RiverLifeDSS, was developed to be used through the Internet ( http://www.environment.fi/riverlife ). The system contains information packages, tools and methods for planning water pollution control and management of river basins. The use of RiverLifeDSS was demonstrated during the project in three Finnish target river basins for which also management plans were drawn. The RiverLifeDSS is useful in the implementation of the WFD in river basins as it gives information on river environment, ecology and biology and the factors affecting them, and on methods in river water pollution control. The system helps to make integrated river basin management plans, in which the whole river basins are taken into account.