River Basin Districts

Scotland is divided into three River Basin Districts. One lies wholly within Scotland the other two span the border with England. For general information about river basin planning see:

(https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/water/river-basin-management-planning/)

Scotland River Basin District

This lies wholly within Scotland and has been designated by Scottish Ministers through the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003. (WEWS). See SSI 2003 No. 610:

(http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2003/610/contents/made)

See Map ﾑRiver Basin Districts in Scotlandﾒ

In 2005 SEPA published a strategy for the Scotland River Basin District (River Basin Planning Strategy for the Scotland River Basin District) to lead and inform river basin planning in this area:

(http://www.sepa.org.uk/media/37453/rbmp_planning-strategy_scotland.pdf)

This strategy presents actions to:

• Establish effective and efficient administrative arrangements and working principles to support RBMP production
• Deliver opportunities for participation and consultation
• Integrate and coordinate River Basin Management Planning with other plans and planning
   

The Solway Tweed River Basin District

The Solway Tweed River Basin District has been designated through The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Solway Tweed River Basin District) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/99).

(http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/99/contents/made)

This River Basin District spans the border with England and the general responsibility for ensuring that the Directive is given effect in relation to the district is placed on the Secretary of State and the Scottish Ministers, acting jointly. SEPA and the Environment Agency, as Competent Authorities, are jointly responsible for co-ordinating the basin planning process. Each agency is responsible for regulation on their side of the national border.

SEPA is responsible for co-ordinating the basin planning process in the Scotland River Basin District and for co-ordinating this jointly with the Environment Agency in the Solway Tweed. They worked together to produce a joint river basin planning strategy entitled River Basin Planning Framework for the Solway Tweed River Basin District (2006):

(http://www.sepa.org.uk/media/37466/rbmp_planning-strategy_solwaytweed.pdf)

The regulations were amended in 2016:

The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Northumbria and Solway Tweed River Basin Districts) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

Statutory Instrument 2016 No. 139

(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/139/body/data.pdf)
 

The Northumbria River Basin District

The Northumbria River Basin District has been designated through The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Northumbria River Basin District) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/3245). The Regulations have been issued to adapt the WFD Regulations for England and Wales and the WEWS Act so that the WFD’s requirements are met for the District.

(http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/3245/contents/made)

The regulations were amended in 2016:

The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Northumbria and Solway Tweed River Basin Districts) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

Statutory Instrument 2016 No. 139

(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/139/body/data.pdf)

A small part of the Northumbria River Basin District lies in Scotland, however there are no currently identified surface water bodies in this part of Scotland. The groundwater underlying the Scottish part of the Northumbria River Basin District is allocated to the Solway Tweed River Basin District.

 

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