Elements of water management planning according to EU Water Framework Directive in the catchment of Upper Narew

Analysis of the national and regional plans shows that the current year, 2006, shall determine the key lines of national and regional development practically till 2015, that means till the time when, under the Water Framework Directive, Poland should have achieved its major objectives. This year shall witness decision making not only on the key objectives, priority strategies and measures undertaken for social and economic development of the country and regions, but also allocation of the main streams of funds from the EU and public funds from national sources. This is a sort of challenge for administration bodies responsible for water management, particularly in respect of programming water management tasks and their incorporation into documents which are strategic for development on national and regional level. Over 2006-2008 efforts of water management administration bodies should be focused on incorporation of water management issues into the consecutive edition of the National Ecological Policy and environmental protection programmes - at regional level, to be followed by county and community levels. This paper is a part of the broad stream of methodology and pilot work on the implementation of provisions of the Water Framework Directive in Poland. The main body of the paper consists of the summary of work done for the pilot river basin of Upper Narew.