Since 2016, there are new legal requirements for the assessment for nutrients and substances of the waters in Germany. New assessment procedures for hydromorphology were developed. These assessment instruments are described in the brochure "Waters in Germany: Status and Assessment". The results of the assessment clarify the still open problems in water protection. The long time series of data for nitrate and phosphorus document the development of the nutrient load of groundwater, rivers, lakes and the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Until now, there are only a few data available for exposure to marine litter and underwater noise in the sea.