Society gets numerous benefits fromthewater environment. It is crucial to ensure thatwater management practices
deliver these benefits over the long-term in a sustainable and cost-effective way. Currently,
hydromorphological alterations and nutrient enrichment pose the greatest challenges in Europeanwater bodies.
The rapidly changing climatic and socio-economic boundary conditions pose further challenges to water management
decisions and the achievement of policy goals. Scenarios are a strategic tool useful in conducting systematic
investigations of future uncertainties pertaining to water management. In this study, the use of
scenarios revealed water management challenges for England and Wales to 2050. A set of existing scenarios relevant
to river basin managementwere elaborated through stakeholderworkshops and interviews, relying on expert
knowledge to identify drivers of change, their interdependencies, and influence on systemdynamics. In a set
of four plausible alternative futures, the causal chain fromdriving forces through pressures to states, impacts and
responses (DPSIR framework) was explored. The findings suggest that scenarios driven by short-term economic
growth and competitiveness undermine current environmental legislative requirements and exacerbate the negative
impacts of climate change, producing a general deterioration of water quality and physical habitats, aswell
as reduced water availability with adverse implications for the environment, society and economy. Conversely,
there are substantial environmental improvements under the scenarios characterised by long-term sustainability,
though achieving currently desired environmental outcomes still poses challenges. The impacts vary across
contrasting generic catchment types that exhibit distinct future water management challenges. The findings suggest
the need to address hydromorphological alterations, nutrient enrichment and nitrates in drinking water,
which are all likely to be exacerbated in the future. Future-proofing river basin management measures that
deal with these challenges is crucial moving forward. The use of scenarios to future-proof strategy, policy and delivery
mechanisms is discussed to inform next steps