Category: Flood Risk Management, Climate Change Adaptation, Water Infrastructure Rehabilitation, Water Quality Protection, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
Target Group: Water authorities, infrastructure planners, municipalities, EU and national policymakers, civil protection stakeholders, Environmental agencies, water utilities, agricultural sector stakeholders
Activity Type: Country Water Management Profile / National Water Management Update
In 2026, integrated water management in Slovenia is increasingly shaped by the need to strengthen climate resilience, protect water resources, and improve cross-sectoral coordination. Water policy has become a key area linking environmental protection, infrastructure development, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable spatial planning.
A major national priority is flood risk management and adaptation to climate change. The devastating floods of August 2023 caused extensive damage to water infrastructure across the country and highlighted the growing impacts of extreme weather events. In response, Slovenia has shifted from emergency recovery towards a long-term resilience-focused approach that combines infrastructure investments, improved spatial planning, and nature-based solutions.
Implementation of the largest post-flood watercourse restoration programme in Slovenia’s history
One of the most significant achievements has been the implementation of the largest post-flood watercourse restoration programme in Slovenia’s history. By 2025, restoration and rehabilitation works had been completed at more than 430 locations along rivers and streams affected by the floods, while additional measures continue under a multi-year programme extending beyond 2026. This effort has been supported by a substantial increase in national and EU funding, with annual investments in water infrastructure reaching unprecedented levels.
Scaling up flood protection through integrated basin management
Flood protection projects have already delivered tangible benefits for communities across the country. Interventions in major river basins, including the Savinja, Drava, Mura, Sava, and Gradaščica catchments, have significantly improved flood safety for an estimated 100,000–140,000 residents. Measures such as detention basins, riverbed regulation, spillways, and urban flood protection upgrades—including works in Ljubljana’s Mali Graben and the Gradaščica system—reflect a transition towards integrated, basin-scale planning that combines engineered solutions with ecosystem-based approaches.
Water quality protection as a core pillar of water management
Alongside flood resilience, protecting water quality remains a central component of Slovenia’s integrated water management agenda. Key challenges include agricultural runoff, nutrient and pesticide pollution, as well as insufficiently treated municipal and industrial wastewater. Given that groundwater serves as the country’s primary source of drinking water, safeguarding aquifers continues to be a critical policy objective. Ongoing efforts focus on reducing pollution pressures, improving wastewater treatment systems, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of water resources for both people and ecosystems.
Through these investments and reforms, Slovenia is demonstrating how integrated water management can strengthen resilience to climate change while simultaneously improving environmental protection and water security.