Environmental Flow – Osanica River

In order to protect water resources, timely societal responses are required to address various forms of pressure, managing this exceptionally important natural resource sustainably. This involves the integrated management of both groundwater and surface water, including transitional and coastal waters. To maintain or restore the structure and function of water-related ecosystems and contribute to preventing water quality degradation and achieving environmental protection goals through sustainable water use, the Environmental Flow (EF) is determined. The Environmental Flow (EF) calculation was performed for the Small hydropower (SHP) Osanica profile (Osanica River) in accordance with the current legislative framework of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, several methods were considered following legal procedures in other countries such as France, Austria, the United States, Switzerland, and Croatia. EF was calculated for each method, and a comparative analysis of the results was conducted. Upon comparing the EF values, it is concluded that the EF value calculated using the methodology of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) aligns relatively well with the EF values obtained through the methods used in calculations in other countries.