Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

General introduction to the WFD Implementation

Birger Bjerkeng,Norwegian Institute for Water Research

Based on presentation by Nornan Green

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 23 October 2000

Agreed by the EU commission 29. June 2000 after over three years of debate and signed in December 2000

Establishes a framework for Community action in the field of water policy.

May mean extensive changes in regulations and monitoring programme

The Directive is legally binding and is to be reflected in national legislation within three years

Common approach with respect to interpretation, goals, legislative principles and methods

EU Water Framework Directive (WFD)

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

Legislation based on precautionary principle Local participation Remedial measures at source Polluter pays River basin management Planning and monitoring

WFD - Main principles

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

Water body categories Surface waters (ecological/chemical status)

Rivers Lakes Transitional Waters (in vicinity of river mouths,

partly saline but substantially influenced by freshwater) Coastal Waters (within 1 nautical mile of coast baseline) Territorial waters for chemical status

Ground water (chemical status, quantity)

Artificial water body Heavily modified water body

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

WFD - Main elements Environmental goal

Characterising water bodies

– Typology

– Define reference conditions

– Ecological Classification (intercalibration) Monitoring

River basin management plan General management plans Goal: Achieve good status

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

Surveillance monitoring: supplement and validate impact assessment procedure Basis for efficient and effective design of future monitoring programmes Assess long term changes in natural conditions Assess long term changes resulting

from widespread anthropogenic activity

Operational monitoring Establish the status of waterbodies identified as being at risk of failing to

meet their environmental objectives Assess changes in status of such bodies resulting from the programmes

of measures

Investigative monitoring Where reason for any exceedances is unknown Where surveillance monitoring indicates that the objectives are not likely

to be achieved and operational monitoring has not already been established

To ascertain the magnitude and impacts of accidental pollution As basis for establishing programme of measures

Types of monitoring:

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

2003 Districts defined, legislative proposals

2004 Characterization Pressures, discharge,

economic analyses 2006 Monitoring Assessment

Management plan proposal

2008 Discussion of management plan

2009 Management plan in operationand published

2012 First interim report

2015 (2020) Environmental (emissions) goal achieved

2027 Last deadline for reaching goal where

delays have been granted

Important milestones

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

WFD goals - Hazardous substances

Contribute to progressive reduction of emissions of hazardous substances to water.

Ultimate aim: eliminate occurrence of priority hazardous substances in

the environment achieve concentrations in the marine environment near

background values for naturally occurring substances.

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

Deviation from natural condition:

High Good Moderate Low Poor

No alteration, i.e. naturalconditions

Smallalteration

Moderate alteration

Major alteration

Severe alteration, i.e. large portion of bio.comm.absent

Acceptable condition Unacceptable condition

Ecological status - classification

Norman Green, NIVA26-27 Nov 2006, Belgrade Extension of the EEA European Topic Centre’s Work Programto the West Balkan Countries in the field of water

Environmental quality standards for pollutantsfor protection of aquatic biota:

Standards may be set for water, sediment or biota. Where possible, both acute and chronic data shall be

obtained. "base set" of taxa:

Algae and/or macrophytesDaphnia or representative organisms for saline watersFish

When setting maximum annual average concentration:Member States shall set appropriate safety factors in each case consistent with the nature and quality of the available data ...where data on persistence and bioaccumulation are available, these shall be taken into account.the standard thus derived should be compared with any evidence from field studies.