Opportunities for development of tourist potentials in protected areas of the water storage reservoirs, on the example of spatial plans of the special purpose areas in Serbia

Abstract

Areas of large and medium-sized water storage reservoirs whose hydropotential is used for water supply of settlements and/or as part of the energy system, at the same time, and under certain conditions and limitations, can represent the locations for the development of tourism. This potentially conflicting situation may be resolved through the planning process and development of Spatial Plans of the Special Purpose Areas (SPSPAs). A major challenge with water storage reservoirs of multiple purposes is in “sharing” water amongst competing users with an aim of providing sustainable development of a wider territory and, simultaneously, to safeguard the health safety of the water at the source (water storage reservoir).This paper deals with planning treatment - by a new generation of SPSPAs in Serbia - of the areas that cover new and already formed water storage reservoirs and with prudent activation of their tourist potentials.