This report deals with the identification of good ecological potential, and ecological status assessment for the European Water Framework Directive of artificial and heavily modified water bodies classified as being most comparable to natural alkaline, stratified freshwater lakes (regional water type Aw) in Flanders, Belgium. As it is the first lake-oriented study of this kind undertaken in the region, and member state, general concept development as well as methodological aspects are addressed. Also, a case study of two gravel pits connected to the Common Meuse River, near Maaseik in the province of Limburg, is documented. In order to develop a general framework to facilitate further monitoring obligations, an overview is presented of the major hydromorphological pressures resulting from specified uses affecting alkaline, stratified freshwater bodies in Flanders. These pertain, e.g., to changes in morphology, water level, substrate, land use, management and recreation. For artificial and heavily modified water bodies, the impacts of connection to a river or stream, e.g. on nutrient conditions or water level, can also be related to hydromorphological change to some extent. The presumed effects of such pressures on the status assessment of the biological quality elements, phytoplankton, phytobenthos, macrophytes, macroinvertebrates and fish, by methods proposed in Flanders is discussed. For various pressures and elements, the good ecological potential cannot (yet) be discerned from the expectations at good ecological status in natural conditions, due to insufficient knowledge and quantification of responses, interactions with other variables or lack of sensitivity of the assessment. However, guidelines can be given for some, e.g., for restraints imposed upon aquatic macrophytes by water level fluctuations and certain morphological changes. The general framework for alkaline, stratified freshwater lakes is applied to derive the good ecological potential for both gravel pits, taking specified uses, planned ...