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Society gets numerous benefits fromthewater environment. It is crucial to ensure thatwater management practicesdeliver 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 managementdecisions and the achievement of policy goals. Scenarios are a strategic tool useful in conducting systematicinvestigations of future uncertainties pertaining to water management. In this study, the use ofscenarios revealed water management challenges for England and Wales to 2050. A set of existing scenarios relevantto river basin managementwere elaborated through stakeholderworkshops and interviews, relying on expertknowledge to identify drivers of change, their interdependencies, and influence on systemdynamics. In a setof four plausible alternative futures, the causal chain fromdriving forces through pressures to states, impacts andresponses (DPSIR framework) was explored. The findings suggest that scenarios driven by short-term economicgrowth and competitiveness undermine current environmental legislative requirements and exacerbate the negativeimpacts of climate change, producing a general deterioration of water quality and physical habitats, aswellas 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 acrosscontrasting generic catchment types that exhibit distinct future water management challenges. The findings suggestthe 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 thatdeal with these challenges is crucial moving forward. The use of scenarios to future-proof strategy, policy and deliverymechanisms is discussed to inform next steps
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