EUROLAKES - Integrated water resource management for important deep European lakes and their catchment areas

The aim of the Eurolakes project was the qualitative and quantitative identification of conflicting uses of large deep lakes (mostly glaciated lakes) and the lakes basins where undoubtedly the drinking water aspect is of primary but not exclusive importance. Using 6 case studies (Bourget Lake (FR), Lake Geneva (FR/CH), Lake Constance (DE) and Loch Lomond (UK)) solutions for these conflicts have been sought with minor overall disadvantages. Moreover some scientific investigations were essential in this field to look at annual or even longer-term evolution of key processes in such lakes and their associated catchment areas. As a consequence of project investigations recommendations for European legislation and guidelines have been drawn to further water resource management objectives on the river basin scale.