A piece of basic legislation concerning water resources in Germany. It shall apply to the following bodies of water: water permanently or temporarily flowing or standing in beds or flowing quickly from springs (surface waters); the sea between the shore line at mean high tide for the seaward limitation of surface waters and the seaward limitation of the sea at the coast (coastal waters); the groundwater. The Länder can exclude from the provisions of this Act small bodies of water which are of lesser importance to water management, as well as springs that have been declared medicinal springs. Moreover, the Länder shall determine the seaward limitation of those surface waters that are not inland waterways belonging to the Federation. The text consists of 42 articles divided into 6 Parts: Introductory provisions; Common provisions for the waters (I); Provisions for surface water (II); Provisions for coastal waters (III); Provisions for groundwater (IV); Water management planning; water register (V); Penalties and final provisions (VI). Two Annexes are enclosed.