The climate and land use changes have a major impact on the hydrological system, and the population growth and infrastructure development generate even greater dependence on the hydrological system. Pressure on the water resources can eventually lead to periods of scarcity, jeopardizing people’s access to water, energy and food, hindering the economic development, causing social and geopolitical tensions, and irreversible damage to the environment. To manage the water resources more effectively, a paradigm shift is needed, from a sectoral to a holistic approach, in order to optimize water use without any negative effect on other sectors.The current project aims to develop the solutions for optimizing the resource in the Danube River area, to satisfy both the economic-societal needs and the ecological functions of the river ecosystem. To achieve this goal, the project aims to deliver a series of results such as – the development and testing of new methodologies for the hydromorphological and water quality assessment of the Danube, the adaptation and development of nature-based solutions for flood risk reduction, improved navigation, as well as water quality and ecosystem status; the quantification of water resource use in the lower Danube; and the development of recommendations to improve water resource management and increase the ecosystem resilience.