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Water storage and natural water retention measures

Since the early 1900s dams have been constructed in a rapid rate across European rivers (Figure 4.15), advocated by the need to supply drinking and agricultural water and produce hydropower. The break-down of the reservoir water storage in Europe is 38% for the Mediterranean region, 30% for the Atlantic region, 20% for the Continental region, and 12% in the rest regions (EEA, 2018b). After 2000, the WFD provisions have provided a stricter framework for the justification and construction of dams. Nevertheless, despite their overall alignment with the above policy lines, several EU Member States (e.g. France, Greece) have reported their intention to further construct supply-oriented measures, such as reservoirs or diversions (inter-basin transfers), because they consider (whether or not correctly justified) that these measures could contribute to various goals, including water and energy security, adaptation to climate change, achievement of ecological flows in water-stressed aquatic ecosystems and protection of over-exploited groundwater bodies from further deterioration (Buchanan et al., 2019).