Government Decision No. HG977/2016 validating the Standard Regulation for the exploitation of reservoirs/ponds.

This Government Decision defines the scope of application, establishes that every reservoir must have its own operating regulation based on this model, and clarifies that the regulation forms part of the technical documentation for the hydraulic structures. It sets out responsibilities of holders of lakes/ponds, including the obligation to obtain environmental authorizations for special water use and to ensure access for other water users according to legal priorities. The Model Regulation lays down technical and operational rules for the safe and sustainable management of reservoirs and associated hydraulic works. It classifies lakes and ponds by volume and importance, requires verification and, where necessary, reinforcement of existing structures, and prescribes hydrological operating regimes that must ensure protection against floods, maintenance of ecological flows, limitation of siltation and prevention of eutrophication. Detailed provisions govern filling and emptying rates, winter operation, flood routing, cascade operation of multiple reservoirs, and emergency measures in case of accidents or heightened risk, including communication duties towards public authorities and downstream users. The text also regulates technical exploitation: daily operation, monitoring of water levels and flows, maintenance and repair of dams, spillways, outlets and drainage systems, and the organization and training of operating personnel. A substantial part of the Regulation concerns environmental protection and civil protection. It mandates the establishment and maintenance of riparian protection strips and anti erosion measures in the catchment, including forest belts, filters against siltation and hydraulic anti erosion works, and sets obligations to prevent pollution from agricultural, industrial and livestock sources. It prescribes systematic observations on the state of structures, reservoir siltation, bank erosion, landslides and ecological processes such as eutrophication, with defined frequencies and reporting duties. The Regulation further details safety and emergency planning requirements: preparation of civil protection plans, flood risk assessment, mapping of inundation zones, warning schemes, evacuation plans and rescue teams, as well as minimum stocks of materials and equipment for flood and pollution response. Finally, it establishes occupational safety rules for operating staff and a comprehensive documentation and record keeping system, including technical books, technical data sheets, operating graphs and multiple registers, and requires annual technical reports to be submitted to the state authority responsible for water resources management.