Strategic environmental assessment as an instrument for sustainable spatial planning of water accumulation basins

Abstract

This paper highlights the latest developments in the spatial planning process for water accumulation in the Republic of Serbia. When working on the planning documents a special emphasis was given to the role of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) as an instrument for the sustainable planning of vulnerable areas, such as water supply accumulations. The field of water supply is relatively well defined it is arranged by a system of sectorial laws and plans, in accordance with the guidelines of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). However, the implementation of sectorial development policies and measures leads to many conflicts at water accumulation basins. These conflicts have predominantly spatial, environmental, economic and social effects. The role and importance of SEA lies precisely in the integral consideration of these problems and direction of the planning process towards the aims of sustainable development. In the preparation of recent spatial plans for special purpose areas for water accumulation basins and SEAs, the starting point was to identify/observe the development goals and principles for balancing these conflicts. This paper gives a critical overview of the methodology used in the spatial plans and SEAs analysed here. A specific methodological approach is presented to determine the territorial impacts which occur when planning and designing water accumulation basins for a water supply, in order to achieve the sustainable development of these specific and ecologically sensitive areas.