Approach to Support Water Quality Watershed Project. JOANNA BOGUNIEWICZ, ANDREA CAPODAGLIO*, FRANCO SALERNO, GIANNI TARTARI** Opole University of Technology, ul.Mikolajczyka 5, 45-271 Opole, POLAND *Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering,University of Pavia, via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia, ITALY ** Water Research Institute National Research Council, I-20047 Brugherio, MI, ITALY Abstract: Current European water law inspires research, within which it is necessary to investigate numerous phenomena, with the aim to place responsible authorities in the conditions for the correct application of the norm. The attention is addressed mainly to the attainment of good water quality status, according to Water Framework Directive (WFD). This paper briefly presents a methodology used for implementation of watershed approach, with an aim of defining water quality in the lake’s immissary as a result of all different pollution-generating activities within the watershed. This paper describes therefore research lines of monitoring and modelling efforts to characterize nutrient loads in watershed scale. Following this integrated approach, it has been possible to identify satisfactory solutions to develop watershed project. Key-Words: WFD, integrated approach, watershed, water quality. 1 Introduction Rivers and streams are an important component of the natural environment, and need to be protected from all sources of pollution because man’s own survival depends on their sustainable use. Rivers, however, are increasingly under threat from different pollutants, despite the fact that the river water quality can be influenced by natural phenomena such as climate and geology, the main sources of pollution are related to anthropogenic activities: mining, agriculture, forestry cutting, cattle farming and urbanisation [1]. As a result, both point and diffuse sources of pollution affect water quality. Currently, both sources of pollution have resulted in two important water quality problems in surface waters: eutrophication (nutrient enrichment) and contamination by hazardous organic compounds. To tackle these typical water quality problems, and for the sake of both ecological and human welfare, rivers (all water resources in general) must be protected, restored and sustained. This needs appropriate nationwide environmental regulations and assessment tools. The most widely applied environmental regulation is European Water Framework Directive (WFD)[2]. Directive requires reaching a good ecological status for all surface water. Following its implementations, river water quality models are an integral part of environmental assessment tools, as they assist the environmental regulators to reach water quality objectives. However in order to implement models usually large set of data is needed. As such, the monitoring becomes an important issue in a watershed holistic approach. The benefits of the synergy between modelling and monitoring are often mentioned by number of authors and the linkage of both, monitoring and modelling makes possible to apply the cost-benefit measures [3], [4]. Such integrated project approach is suitable to investigate nutrients sources and theirs effect on receiving water. One of the long-term project of this type is carried out at IRSA-CNR (Water Research Institute of the Italian National Research Council), Brugherio in co- operation with number of institution and universities. The project involves a wide spectrum of water resources management and its methodology, once proven, could be accepted as a keystone in the planning process for lake water recovery strategies in the future. Project final goal is to obtain an integrated model for the Lake Pusiano watershed. Models can be implemented to develop support to the restoration plan of lake ecosystem, in agreement with the recent European Water Framework Directive, and to contribute to the application of Piani di Tutela (Regione Lombardia; provided by Italian national law) [5]. Proceedings of the 5th WSEAS International Conference on Environment, Ecosystems and Development, Venice, Italy, November 20-22, 2006 39