Textbook. — St. Petersburg: RSMU Publishing House, 2009. — 220s. — ISBN 5-86813-140-1 . Protection of water bodies is considered from the point of view of taking into account the relationship between the quantity and quality of water, determining their environmental status when exposed to human economic activity. Methods of monitoring the state of water bodies, especially in case of influence of industrial enterprises on them are shown. The processes of self-purification of rivers and lakes and dilution of wastewater entering water bodies, as well as measures of their protection from pollution, clogging and depletion. Data on water protection zones. Ways to assess the effectiveness of water conservation measures. Much attention is paid to environmental expertise in water protection activities and, in general, the legal framework for the protection of water bodies. The textbook is designed for students of universities in the specialty "hydrology of land" and "geoecology", as well as for specialists in the use of water resources .