Application of the DPSIR Framework for the Assessment of Water Resources in Zadar County, Croatia

Water resources in Croatia, particularly in coastal regions like Zadar County, face significant challenges due to both natural and human-induced factors. The impacts of climate change, along with rapid tourism development, pose threats not only to freshwater systems such as rivers and aquifers but also to the quality of coastal waters. Sustainable water resource management requires balancing ecological, social, and economic needs, while also ensuring these needs can be met in the future. Therefore, it is essential to quantify and assess the current state of water resources, identify potential impacts, and understand how these may evolve over time. The DPSIR (Driving forces, Pressures, State, Impacts, and Responses) framework offers a comprehensive approach for assessing and managing environmental issues, particularly in the context of water resources. It helps identify the links between potential sources of environmental problems and their consequences. In this paper, the DPSIR methodology is applied to Zadar County, Croatia — a region facing potential water-related and environmental challenges. The analysis covers the driving forces influencing water resources, the pressures on water quality and availability, the current state of various water bodies, and the resulting ecological and socio-economic impacts, as well as the responses from different stakeholders. Population growth and tourism development have been identified as the main driving forces, while increased water consumption and wastewater discharge are the primary pressures. Although the current state of water bodies is generally satisfactory, it is subject to change, which could lead to ecological, social, and economic consequences. This paper explores the complex relationship between human activities and water resource management, providing a foundation for more sustainable water management policies in the region.