The fact that 60 percent of the surface area of the Weser river basin district is made up of agricultural land makes nutrient pollution one of the region’s main environmental problems. The pilot river basin districts are elaborating proposals for programs of measures that address current pollution scenarios. Measures such as reducing nutrient input have long since been implemented, and EU agricultural policy is increasingly being aligned with the exigencies of sustainable nature and water protection. The lessons learned from measures realized in the pilot districts will be integrated into the process of elaborating EU agricultural policy.
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Geschäftsstelle Weser is a member of a phase II pilot river basin district working group that will be coordinating exchange of experience between the various pilot river basin districts under the aegis of the Joint Research Centre. The report "Experiences in Analysis of Pressures and Impacts from Agriculture on Water Resources and Developing a related Programm of Measures" compiles the contributions of the pilot river basins dealing with the agricultural issues nutrient pollution, pesticide pollution, water use and quantity, sediments, habitat loss and physical modifications and provides recommendations towards a programme of measures.

During the present phase III workshops are carried out dealing with issues:

selection of measures

evaluation of measures

preparation of the River Basin Management plan

implementation of the River Basin Management plan

involvement of farmers

nutrient pressures

water quantity

climate change and biofuels

In addition, the pilot river basins give information and assist towards an EU-wide catalogue of agricultural measures which aims at supporting the preparation of the programmes of measures.

Several regional pilot projects deal with agricultural issues.