River basin management planning (RBMP) publications
A list of River Basin Management Planning publications, including the latest plans for Scotland and the Solway Tweed river basin district; consultation responses and strategic environmental assessments.
Unless stated otherwise, all publications will open as PDFs.
River basin management plans
Our river basin management plans summarise the state of the water environment, and how we can protect it. The plans are updated every six years.
View the most recent plans:
River Basin Management Plan for Scotland 2021 to 2027 (279kb).
River Basin Management Plan for the Solway Tweed river basin district, 2021 update (1181kb).
Previous river basin management plans
Scotland plan
Summary of the Scotland Plan (4.6mb)
Chapter 1
State of the water environment (2.9mb)
Appendices (6.1mb)
Chapter 2
Environmental objectives (5.8mb)
Appendices (696kb)
Chapter 3
Appendices (93kb)
Chapter 4
Appendices (90kb)
Chapter 5
Protected Areas (4.3mb)
Appendices (167kb)
Annex:
Competent authorities – Annex 1 (596kb)
Cost Recovery - Annex 3 (112kb)
Solway Tweed plan
Summary of the Solway Tweed plan (3.6mb)
Chapter 1
State of the water environment (1.4mb)
Appendices (691kb)
Chapter 2
Environmental objectives (3.6mb)
Appendices A and B (489kb)
Appendix C (1.2mb)
Chapter 3
Appendices (445kb)
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Protected areas (2.7mb)
Appendices (420kb)
Annex
Competent authorities – Annex 1 (1.1mb)
Cost recovery - Annex 3 (431kb)
RBMP: drafts and consultation responses
2021
The Draft River Basin Management Plan for Scotland 2021-2027: Digest of consultation responses (279kb)
2020
2015
Public consultations to inform the development of the second river basin management plans:
2009
Summary of responses to draft River basin plan Scotland (618kb)
Summary of responses to draft River basin plan Solway Tweed (814kb)
2008
Significant water management issues
2019
Scotland’s water environment 2019: A summary and progress report (279kb)
The challenges facing our water environment in the Solway Tweed (557kb)
2014
Current condition and challenges for the future: Scotland basin district (462kb)
Current condition and challenges for the future: Solway Tweed river basin district (462kb)
Inventory of emissions report (585kb)
2007
Significant water management issue in the Scotland river basin district (1.85mb)
An introduction to the significant water management issues in the Scotland river basin district (882kb)
Responses received to the significant water management issues consultation – Scotland (271kb)
Characterisation and impacts analysis
2005
An economic analysis of water use in the Scotland river basin district (501kb)
Solway Tweed river basin characterisation: An economic analysis of water use (725kb)
Strategic environmental assessments
2020
SEPA has determined that the revision to the RBMPs covering Scotland for the third cycle does not require a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The screening report is available: SEA RBMP screening (453kb)
2014
SEPA has determined that the revision to the Scotland RBMP for the second cycle does not require a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The screening reports are available:
Scotland Strategic Environmental Assessment screening report (100kb)
Solway Tweed Strategic Environmental Assessment screening report (97.3kb)
2009
Solway Tweed river basin district strategic environmental assessment (827kb)
Solway Tweed river basin district appropriate assessment (784kb)
Solway Tweed river basin district habitat regulation appraisal (1.6mb)
Scotland river basin district strategic environmental assessment (563kb)
Scotland river basin district appropriate assessment (470kb)
Summary of consultation steps
2024
2018
River Basin Management Planning in Scotland – Statement of consultation steps for the third plans (85kb)
Working Together – Statement of consultation steps for the Solway Tweed river basin district (384kb)
2013
Supporting documents
2024
2023
2021
2017
2013
Improving the physical condition of Scotland’s water environment: digest of consultation responses (295kb)
2012