Progress in Implementing the Water Framework Directive in Croatia

The paper presents a description of the current status of groundwater in Croatia as elaborated in the Water Management Master Plan of the Republic of Croatia set up in line with the provisions of the EU Water Framework Directive. A special attention is paid to defining locations, boundaries and properties of groundwater bodies, which has resulted in the determination of major aquifers of different hydraulic and hydrogeochemical properties. The pressure on groundwater quality was preliminarily determined on the basis of natural aquifer vulnerability, point and diffuse sources of pollution and groundwater quality.