Legal protection of water bodies in cities: from problem statement to its solution

The research discusses the implementation aspects of water bodies protection in cities in the context of current legislation. The author identifies the problems of the legal protection regime of water bodies in cities that need to be addressed in view of local and regional characteristics. The research analyzes the requirements of legislation (Water Code of the Russian Federation, Land Code of the Russian Federation, Urban Planning Code of the Russian Federation, presidential decrees). The author proposes the main areas of improvement in the protection and development of water bodies in cities based on the multi-faceted legal, architectural and urban planning, social and economic and other measures, the capacity of the natural and social system, the specific relationship between its components. These areas include the integration of legal protective measures of water bodies, the improvement of their decentralized management in cities, the advancement of the legal institution of the environmental impact assessment.