The report says investment will help reduce flooding

The Water and Wetland Index focuses on freshwater ecosystems all over Europe and aims to assess the state of their management and ecological health.

The index shows that Scotland's rivers are in relatively good health, but concludes that lochs, wetlands and groundwater fare poorly in terms of management.

It says that only about 150 of the thousands of lochs in Scotland are monitored.

Elizabeth Leighton, senior policy officer of WWF-Scotland, said: "Scotland takes a 'hope for the best' approach to rivers, lochs, wetlands and groundwater.

"We aren't adequately measuring or tackling the effects of pollution - nor are we ensuring that consumption of water is not compromising groundwater supplies or river ecology.

"Monitoring is vital so we can act when a problem appears."

The WWF says that government agencies are insufficiently resourced to adequately monitor freshwater.

Onlay a handful of Scotland's lochs are monitored

It also says extensive diffuse pollution from agriculture is a key problem and will become much more apparent over the next 10 years if a coherent policy is not put in place.

Ms Leighton said: "The need for investment in rural Scotland has never been greater and freshwater needs to be part of the 'great debate' on stewardship of the countryside in the aftermath of foot-and-mouth."

The environmental charity said water management in Scotland is split between several bodies and is not sufficiently co-ordinated.

Ms Leighton warned that unless steps are taken quickly she believes Scotland will fail to meet standards demanded under new European legislation.

She added: "It is clear that Scotland needs to raise its games on nine distinct issues if it is to catch up with the leading pack on care for such a precious natural and economic resource.

"The fact that we lag behind England and Wales should make the Scottish Parliament sit up and take note."

Crop spraying is blamed for some pollution

But Scottish Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Martin Marsden said the executive was planning a consultation exercise on an European directive on water.

"This directive will improve the way we monitor the water environment and provide us with new powers to deal with different sorts of environmental damage," said Mr Marsden.

"I think it will look at groundwater in a more detailed way, it will make us look at wetlands, it will improve the way we monitor the lochs and coastal waters of Scotland.

"In particular, I think it will lead to a co-ordinated approach emerging across Scotland which I think will deliver very substantial benefits in improving our understanding of pollution allowing us to deal with it in an even better way."

The WWF says investment in freshwater care will be repaid by long-term savings in flood control, water treatment and public health as well as extra income from tourism.