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Report on Monitoring Programmes in the Danube River Basin District according to Water Framework Directive Art. 8 of 2006. Documents are divided into groundwater and surface water, including all relevant annexes.

Groundwater constitutes the largest reservoir of freshwater in the world, accounting for over 97% of all freshwaters available on earth (excluding glaciers and ice caps). The remaining 3% is composed mainly of surface water (lakes, rivers, wetlands) and soil moisture. By incorporation into the Water Framework Directive (WFD), groundwater became part of an integrated water management system.

The Danube is a major economic, geographical and cultural force in Austria. Draining over 96% of the country’s territory, the basin is home to 7.7 million people. In a country dominated by the Alps, the flat lands provided by the rivers are vital for the agricultural sector, human settlements and infrastructure. The Austrian territory accounts for 10% of the total area of the Danube Basin.