The Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM) Catalogue included in the Learning Environment is a comprehensive guide that brings together a wide range of strategies designed to improve water retention across various sectors and land use types. Created as part of the European NWRM project, under the auspices of the European Commission and in alignment with initiatives such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD), this catalogue aims to support sustainable water management by promoting natural practices that retain water within catchments.
The purpose of this catalogue is to provide you with a set of tested and validated measures, applicable in different contexts, whether in agriculture, forests, urban areas, or natural environments. Organized by sector, these measures are designed to help you identify and implement solutions tailored to your needs, addressing water management challenges, reducing flood risks, preventing droughts, and improving soil and habitat quality.
NWRMs stand out for their flexibility: a wide variety of measures, even those with different names or variations depending on the region, can be classified under this category as long as they meet water retention criteria. The catalogue also offers an illustrated PDF version, with clear definitions and visual representations for each measure, to facilitate understanding and practical application.
As a user of the Learning Environment, this catalogue will not only allow you to discover and select the measures suited to your region, but also to better understand how these solutions can be effectively implemented and monitored. With the inclusion of technical information, case studies, and practical recommendations, this catalogue is an essential tool for strengthening territorial resilience to climate change while promoting sustainable water resource management.
By using this catalogue, you are contributing to the achievement of European goals for water protection and biodiversity, while improving the sustainability of practices in your field of activity.