Water Framework Directive

The European Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60EC) provides the framework to achieve good ecological status or potential for all surface waters. These requirements have been implemented in Germany in the Water Resources Act and in North Rhine-Westphalia in the State Water Act.

After a detailed inventory in 2004, the water bodies classified into surface water bodies were first assessed with regard to their biological, chemical and structural characteristics. Subsequently, a programme of measures and a management plan were drawn up by the state of NRW in order to thereby achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.

Since the 1990s, the city of Beckum has been developing the Werse and other streams in the city area in a near-natural way. In addition, flood protection and water quality are being improved and near-natural floodplains restored. Finally, experiencing nature also plays an important role in these projects.

Many built positive examples in Beckum already meet the requirements of the Water Framework Directive in a special way.

On the basis of the respective programmes of measures and management plans, the district of Warendorf has taken on the task of drawing up implementation roadmaps for water bodies with a catchment area larger than 10 km2 together with the towns and municipalities and the water and soil associations. These implementation roadmaps contain more concrete measures on water bodies to establish continuity and improve the water body structure on the basis of the stream effect and stepping stone concept.

In coordination with the water and soil associations, the city of Beckum intends to continue the proven measures for near-natural watercourse development and to ecologically improve many streams in Beckum by 2027 in accordance with the Water Framework Directive.

For the urban area of Beckum, the implementation schedules for the following water bodies have been drawn up and can be viewed on the website of the district of Warendorf:

• Fishing rod upper reaches
• Hellbach
• Liese headwaters
• Olfe headwaters
• Quabbe 3
• Quabbe 4 - Dreinbach
• Stockumer Bach 2
• Stockumer Bach 3
• Werse - Kollenbach
• Wiesendahlbach