Water framework directive

Kari Nygaard, NIVA

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Main goal

• Document the environmental status for all

European waters – freshwater and coastal

• Stop degradation of the environment

• Identify environmental goals for all water bodies

that fails to achive good environmental status

• Produce action plans for all water bodies

• Implement measures, monitor and document the

effects

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Time scale

• Preoperational phase – water districts, national and regional laws to be adapted to the WFD 2000-2003

• Characterisation (Analysis of pressure and impacts for water districts) 2003-2004

• Develop classifications system 2003-2006• Intercalibration and establish environmental goals 2005-2006• Develop monitoring programs 2004-2006• Monitoring programmes to be operational 2006• Action and management plan (monitoring) 2005-2009• River Basin Management plans presented to the public 2008• Publishing first River Basin Management Plans 2009• Plan of measures 2009-2012• ”lag phase for measures to work” 2013-2015• Waters to meet ”good status” 2015

6-y RBWMP

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Challenges

• Typology – what is a body of marine nature that can be given an uniform reference value?

• Characterisation – how do we classify the status of this waterbody?

• Monitoring – how do we handle, choose and follow up a representative area for the waterbodies?

• Abatement strategies – where, when and how?

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TYPOLOGYWhy is it so important?

• Basic in the WFD is the theory that: – Physical and chemical (salinity) factors set the

limits for biological production in a waterbody– Similar physio-chemical conditions within a

biogeographic region will, in principle, contain the same species and similar communities

– if not any disturbing, pollution factors affect the environment

– The reference conditions can be set independent of country borders

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Marine characterization

Obligatory typology factors

Ecoregions Barents Sea - Norwegian Sea - North Sea - Skagerrak

Tidal range Macro tidal >5m - meso tidal 1-5m - micro tidal <1m

Sal in surf water Euhalin (>30ppt) -poly (30-18) -meso (18-5) -oligo (5-0,5) -fresh (<0,5)

Recommended optional factors

Wave exposure Extremely exposed - exposed - sheltered (the scale may be divided into 6)

Depth Deep (>50m) - intermediate (30-50m) - shallow (<30m)

Mixing of water column Fully mixed - partially stratified - permanently stratified

Residence time Short (days) - moderate (weeks) - long (months-years (~100 years)

Current velocity Weak (<1 knot) -moderate (1-3) - strong (>3 knots)

Substratum Hard bottom - Sand/gravel - Mud-silt

Intertidal area Small <50% - Large >50%

Duration of ice cover Irregular - short (<90days) - mean (90-150d) - long (>150d)

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Barents Sea

NorthSea

21°30'E

70°15'N

5°10'E

62°10'N

7°05'E

58°00'N

NorwegianSea

11°05'E

59°00'N

31°E

69°45'N

Skagerrak

North Sea (6 types)Euhaline, Micro tidal

V-exposed Open coast Exposed Archipelago Sheltered fjordsSheltered, Long Residence time Sheltered, PolyhalineSheltered, Mesohaline

Norwegian Sea

(7 types)Euhaline, Mesotidal X-exposed Open coastExposed ArchipelagoSheltered fjordSheltered, Long Residence time Sheltered, Polyhaline (<30)Sheltered, Mesohaline (<18)Strong Current Straits

Barents Sea

(5 types) Euhaline, Meso tidalX-exposed Open coast Exposed Archipelago Sheltered fjordSheltered, Polyhaline (<30)Strong Current Straits

Skagerrak (6 types) Polyhaline (<30), Micro tidal

Exposed open coast Mod.exp. archipelagoSheltered fjordsSheltered and Long Residence timeSheltered, Mesohaline (<18)Very sheltered meso/oligohaline

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Marine characterization – is the basic for classification

• Classification gives the status for any given waterbody• The status given, rules what kind of monitoring is

needed• Which again should lead to abatement strategies if the

status is less than Good

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Classification in WFD is based on the biological elements:

• Phytoplankton – species composition, biomass,

frequency of the blooming• Macroalgae and flowering water plants – species

composition, covering degree, sensitive spp.• Benthic animals – species comp., biomass,

individual number

Characterization of quality elements

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To support the biological elements, physical and chemical elements should be used to support the given status class:

General variables:• Nutrients (tot-N, NO3, NH4, tot P, PO4)• Oxygen concentrations (deep water)• Secchi depth• Thermal pollution

Specific pollution compounds:• Pollution class with toxic compounds of high priority• Pollution class with indicated toxic compounds

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WFD - the normative classification for the biological elements can be summarized as:

• high ≈ no or only minor deviations;

• good ≈ low levels of disturbance, but deviate only slightly;

• moderate ≈ moderate deviations and significant effects; • poor ≈ major biological alterations and substantial deviation;• bad ≈ severe biological alterations and large deviation.

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A major challenge is to link the normative definitions to physical and chemical elements – how does it influence the biology

• Physical and chemical supporting elements such as nutrients, oxygen etc.

• - and also decide level and effect of physical changes to the waterbody

HIGHHIGH

GOODGOOD

MODERATEMODERATE

POORPOOR

BADBAD

Ecological statusEcological statusNo or

minimal {

Slight {

Moderate{

Major {

Severe {

No

n-d

ete

rio

rati

on

Re

sto

rati

on

Intercalibration of biological monitoring results

Courtesy Peter Pollard, Scottish Environment Protection Agency

ImpactImpact

Intercalibration

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GIGs - KYSTGIGs - KYST

• Fremskaffe egnete grenseverdier vannkvalitet for hvert av de biologiske elementene.

• Benytte normative definisjoner • IC skal foretas innen GIGs• IC skal utføres for alle vedtatte

vanntyper (må ha felles vanntype med minst en annen nasjon)

• IC kan utføres på 3 måter.

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Interkalibrering - i NEA-GIG (CW)

ID Type B DK F D IR NL N P E S UK

NEA1 Eksponert

NEA26 Beskyttet

NEA34 Modifisert

NEA7 Dyp - Fjord

NEA8 Skagerrak Beskyttet indre

NEA9 Skagerrak Eksponert midtre, grunne

NEA10 Skagerrak dyp Eksponert ytre

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”One out – all out”

• If EQR-value for one biological element in a water body falls in a lower cathegory than good status – the whole waterbody is classified as ”bad”

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Milford Haven

94 94 HighHigh33 33 ModMod

54 54 GoodGood

Increasing:Increasing:HighHigh

65 65 GoodGood

65 65 GooGoodd

54 54 GoodGood

Green Macro:Green Macro:GoodGood

S.TownsendiS.Townsendi

PoorPoor

Green Macro Absent:Green Macro Absent:HighHigh

Phytoplankton, nuts & turbidityPhytoplankton, nuts & turbidity::

HighHigh//GoodGood

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Water Framework Directive

State of implementation November 2006

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First analysis shows that a high number of water bodies are at risk:

1. Hydromorphological alterations (inter alia from navigation, pressures of land use in urban and rural areas, hydropower, flood defences) are a common concern across Europe.

2. In several parts of Europe non-delivery on tasks already due (waste water treatment, nitrates pollution from agriculture) plays a considerable role in shaping our waters ‘at risk’. It is unjustified to attribute costs to the WFD, if in fact they are related to old obligations not complied with …

3. Over-abstraction is a problem in some regions.

Full Commission report to be published March 2007.

First analysis of article 5 reportsThe analysis is demonstrating your achievements

as well as non-achievements …

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Transparency: all WFD environmental assessments available on the Internet

http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/env/wfd/homeContact address env-water@cec.eu.int

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Daughter Directive Priority Substances “Combined approach”

• set out in article 10 Water Framework Directive

• pollution control measures set in a range of EU legislation (emission and process controls; marketing and use restrictions; and waste treatment and disposal measures): inter alia on existing chemical substances, plant protection products, industrial and other waste water emissions and the proposed REACH legislation

• water quality standards detailing “good chemical status” to be set for substances / parameters of EU-wide relevance by EU legislation (WFD Daughter Directives)

• for other substances / parameters at national / river basin level (within the river basin management plans) - under criteria set out in the WFD and taking into account local and regional characteristics

environmentalquality

standards

pollutioncontrol

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WFD – one coherent management frame; streamlining water legislation

Sampling and Analysis

Directive1979

Shellfish Water Directive 1979

Groundwater Directive 1980 Surface Water

Directive 1975

DangerousSubstances

Directive 1976

NitratesDirective

1991Urban Waste Water Directive 1991

Exchange of Information

Decision 1977

Fishwater Directive 1978

Drinking Water

Directive 1998

X

X

X

X

X X

X

X

DS DaughterDirectives1981-1986X

X repealed by 2007; X repealed by 2013; X repealed together with adoption of WFD Daughter Directive on Priority Substances

IPPC Directive 1996

WFD

Priority Substances

Directive2007

GroundwaterDirective

2006

FloodsDirective

2007

Bathing Water Directive

1976 / 2006

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Usefull guidelines available

• Typology

• Classification

• Monitoring

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That’s it!