Restoration of the ecological continuity for fish, macroinvertebrates, sediments and terrestrial animals by culverts, through its permanent suppression, or through its adaptation in order to reach natural conditions of substrate, depth, flow rate, luminosity and riverbank structure.

Triggering of river dynamics through placement of flow deflectors such as dead wood or rocks, in order to initiate the formation of diversified structures within the riverbed and the riverbanks (hydrodynamic scour, sedimentation zones, lateral bars, riverbank failure, etc.), creating microhabitats for aquatic flora and fauna.

Riverbanks improvement by permanent removal of heavy stabilization techniques or by their replacement with plant engineering solutions, in order to recreate near-natural riverbanks with typical vegetation and diversified structures, thus creating microhabitats for aquatic flora and fauna.

Typical river restoration technique. Re-meandering and restoration of the riverbed in order to recreate a new meandering course compliant with the river typology, with a riverbed and riverbanks rich in structures.

Preservation of a corridor for a dynamic river development, where the land is ever not – or extensively used, whose width is compliant with the river typology, which ensures a lateral connection to the alluvial plain, thus creating diversified aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

Restoration of the connection between the river and its floodplain, oxbow lake reconnection, floodplain extensification regarding land use in order to promote water retention and obtain periodic local inundations downstream. Reactivate a part of the alluvial plain by lowering soil level, thus creating an artificial alluvial plain. Measure promoting aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity of wetlands as well.

Enable an autonomous dynamic development of the river within clearly defined zones (ideally within a river corridor), leading to the formation of riverbed and riverbanks’ structures compliant with the river typology.

Restoration of near-natural flow regime at hydropower plants, discharges and diversions. Adapted operation of hydropower plants, verification and, if necessary, restoration of the natural state of discharge points and verification and possible elimination of water abstractions by means of specific studies of alternative solutions and proposals for mitigation measures.

Phytoplancon is one of the 4 biological quality elements (BQE) used for the assessment of the ecological status of the surface water bodies. The assessment is made in 5 classes : high (blue) - good (green) - moderate (yellow) - poor (orange) - bad (red). The evaluation of this BQE is only relevant for the large rivers where the quantity of phytoplancton is significant and can be evaluated. Therefore phytoplancton is assessed in natural water bodies of type VI an in heavy modified waterbodies (HMWB) presenting a lake character, as the HMWB Sûre (WB III-2.2.1) and the HMWB Our (WB V-1.2). The frequency for phytoplancton monitoring is annually with 6 samples between April and October.

The overall evaluation of the biological status per surface water body is based on the evaluation of the biological quality elements (BQE) : phytoplantcon, aquatic flora, macroinvertebrates an fish. In order to determine the overall evaluation of the biological status per surface water body the worst status assessed by the different biological quality elements ist retained („One out - all out“ principle).