Protected watercourses
The watercourse protection plan (Verneplan for vassdrag) is a national protection plan that makes sure a representative selection of Norwegian watercourses is preserved from hydropower development. Together, the protected watercourses cover different landscape types and natural regions in Norway, and the emphasis has been on protecting whole catchments with their dynamics and variation, not just single river channels.
The plan has been adopted by Stortinget in several stages, first in 1973 and most recently with the supplement in 2009. In total it covers around 390 watercourse objects, from mountain to fjord. The watercourses are divided into:
- Type watercourses, which represent regional variation in nature.
- Reference watercourses, which are little affected and are used as a basis for comparison in research and management.
The main purpose is protection against hydropower development, but the conservation values must also be taken into account for other interventions, such as road building, power lines and water abstraction. After a change in the law in 2005, licences can be granted for smaller power plants in most protected watercourses, as long as the measures do not weaken the conservation values. Larger watercourse installations are still prohibited.
Management is shared. NVE grants permission for smaller measures in and near protected watercourses and administers the licensing regime. Miljødirektoratet (the Norwegian Environment Agency) is responsible for biodiversity and assesses ecological consequences. Statsforvalteren (the county governor) handles regional management and can set conditions relating to the water environment.
Protection under this plan comes in addition to, and partly overlaps with, other protection regimes:
- Naturmangfoldloven (the Nature Diversity Act) provides the basis for national parks and nature reserves in the same area.
- Vannforskriften (the Water Regulations) sets environmental targets for each individual water body, whether or not the watercourse is protected.
- Plan- og bygningsloven (the Planning and Building Act) regulates land use through municipal plans and zones requiring special consideration.
For a developer, a location in or near a protected watercourse is an early signal that an impact assessment and special permits may be required. Distance requirements and restrictions in the catchment can limit land use some way from the river channel itself.
In Placepoint, protected watercourses and NVE's watercourse layers are shown as map layers, so you can quickly check whether a property is inside or close to a protected watercourse before you take a planning clarification further.
How the dataset is shown on the map
The dataset is part of the map layer Water as Protected watercourses:
From Placepoint's glossary: Protected watercourses
More information: NVE: Verneplan for vassdrag, Store norske leksikon: Verneplan for vassdrag
English: Watercourse conservation plan (Norwegian-specific protection scheme barring hydropower development).
Frequently asked questions
What is the watercourse protection plan?
The watercourse protection plan is a national protection plan in which the protected watercourses together form a representative cross-section of Norway's watercourse nature. The purpose is to preserve watercourses from hydropower development.
What does it mean that a watercourse is protected?
Watercourses in the protection plan are permanently protected against hydropower development and larger interventions. Strict land use requirements apply within the protection zone, and development or intervention nearby requires thorough impact assessments.
Who manages the watercourse protection plan?
The protection plan has been adopted by Stortinget and is managed by Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE) and Miljødirektoratet. NVE grants permission for smaller measures in and near protected watercourses.
How do I find out whether a property is near a protected watercourse?
Protected watercourses are shown in the map databases of NVE and Miljødirektoratet. Placepoint also gives you access to these map layers so you can check whether a property is in or near a protected watercourse.
Are there protection plans other than for watercourses?
The watercourse protection plan protects against hydropower development. There are also protection plans for natural areas (national parks, nature reserves) and cultural heritage sites. These are managed by different authorities.