Geographical classification of water systems, 19/07/2013

The Flemish government is committed to the sustainable development of water systems in Flanders. A water system is a coherent and functional set of surface water, groundwater, water soils and banks, including their communities of life and all associated physical, chemical and biological processes and the related technical infrastructure. The water policy of the Flemish Government has been elaborated in the “Decree on integrated water policy of 18 July 2003”. This classifies water systems on the basis of hydrological, geomorphological, ecological and functional properties. There are different levels of water system boundaries: river basin districts, river basins, sub-basins or basins and sub-basins. The Decree on Integrated Water Policy translates the classification into water systems into the organisational structure and the planning for the integrated water policy.