Meand inland waters, except groundwater (all standing or flowing water on the surface of the land); transitional waters and coastal waters, except in respect of chemical status for which it shall also include territorial waters.

The inland surface waters are divided into:

1. flowing

• in natural watercourses, canals and springs, where these flowing waters begin,
• in lakes or other natural reservoirs with continous or periodical natural inflow or outflow of surface water,
• in artificial reservoirs situated on flowing waters;

2. standingwater

• water in lakes and other natural water reservoirs not directly and naturally connected with surface flowing waters.

• Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy
  Place of publication: (Dz. Urz. WE L 327 z 22.12.2000, str. 1, z późn. zm. – Dz. Urz. UE Polskie wydanie specjalne, rozdz. 15, t. 5, str. 275, z późn. zm.)
• Act of 20 July 2017, New Water Law
  Place of publication: (Dz. U. z 2025 r. poz. 960)

• Protection of water

• Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
• Chemical oxygen demand
• Land under waters