Implementation Lead(s): Scottish Environment Protection Agency in conjunction with local authorities; Scottish Water; Forestry Commission Scotland; Scottish Natural Heritage

Locations: All Scotland

Further reading:
Scottish Environment Protection Agency Flood Risk Management
Scottish Environment Protection Agency – River Basin Planning:

Environmental Mitigation:

Scotland River Basin District Strategic Environmental Assessment

Scotland River Basin Management Plan – Screening Report

Solway Tweed River Basin Management Plan Strategic Environmental Assessment

Solway Tweed River Basin Management Plan – Screening Report

Ongoing Activity and Milestones:
Implement River Basin Management plans, including through development plans

Implement Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Flood Risk Management Plans

2015 – Publication of second round of River Basin Management Plans

• At present, 63% of water bodies in Scotland are at good status. Water bodies which are not at good status are affected by impacts on their water quality, physical condition, accessibility to migratory fish, or water flows and levels. The need to make significantly greater progress in the 2015-21 period underpinned the development of the second Plans. This revised work programme aims to ensure that 87% of our water bodies achieve a good status classification by 2027.
• In particular the RBMPs reflect a step change in approach for addressing our most significant challenges – rural diffuse pollution, barriers to fish passage, and impacts on the physical condition of our water environment.
• This work will also support improvements in a range of protected areas – designated bathing waters, shellfish waters, and conservation areas; and is essential for the delivery of Scotland’s National Marine Plan.

2015  – SEPA published Flood Risk Management Strategies with Local Flood Risk Management Plans following in 2016 setting out how the strategies will be implemented locally.

2015-2021 – Implement River Basin Management Plans and Flood Risk Management Strategies

2020 – Completion of Dynamic Coast 2 which considers how climate change will affect erosion rates along the coastline.

2021 – Publish third round of River Basin Management Plans and Flood Risk Management Strategies

2027 – 87% of water bodies to be at good ecological status

Figure 1 – Expected improvements to Scotland’s water bodies as a result of the actions planned for the period 2015-2027