Summary:

The subject of this paper is presenting actual of works involving the determination of reference conditions for defined categories and types surface waters according to II Annex of Water Framework Directive 2000/60/WE of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. The Framework Water Directive [WFD, 2000] makes the framework for the EU activities in terms of water policy, and the introduces in the member states the duty to plan and control water management within river basins. The main objective of the Water Framework Directive is to achieve good ecological status (till 2015) in all the defined water categories (rivers, lakes, transition water, coastal water and underground water). In the following years a good state of waters should be achieved in the areas where present natural, technical and economic conditions make it impossible to achieve in the first stage. In a planistic work over a sustainable development of river valleys and catchments one of the biggest tasks is ecological valuation. In solving this task a very efficient and practical tool includes REFERENCE CONDITIONS made according to Framework Water Directive. Reference conditions make a reference point according to which “the health” of an ecosystem of a given type of waters in assessed. Within this task WFD requires to monitor and assess hydro-morphological quality elements of surface waters including their support role in assessment of biological and physicochemical elements which are useful in classification of ecological status or potential of surface waters. So in article authors tried to look more closely on general assumptions and scope of works needed to elaborate methodology of monitoring hydro-morphological quality elements.