Water Framework Directive

Taking over 10 years to develop, the new EU Water Framework Directive is the most significant legal instrument in the water field to emerge from Brussels for some time and will have a profound effect on how water is managed in Europe over the next 25 years. The book outlines its basic features. It explains how the current approach to water management will have to change in order that European Member states and those countries currently in accession negotiations can meet the requirements of the directive, describing a number of examples of current practices as possible systems which could be used in the new approach. The concept of river basin management is outlined, and the potential institutional problems associated with implementing such a system are discussed including the problems associated with cross-border river basins, a common situation in Europe. Examples of existing river basin authorities and international collaboration are given as possible models. The directive requires the establishment of programmes of measures to improve water status. Some countries already use such a concept, and examples are quoted. As a result of its implementation, the directive aims to achieve good water status in all natural surface waters and groundwater in 15 years. For surface waters, the definition of 'good' is based on a new concept of 'ecological quality' taking into account biology, chemistry and their physical features. For groundwater, it includes quantitative status. The approach taken is an integrated one which has to consider all the naturally occurring and human factors which affect the waters. The difficulties of interpretation of the new concept of 'ecological water status' are discussed and some of the examples of current biological and chemical classification schemes that are used in Europe are examined. The directive also alters the way in which pollution is to be controlled - the 'combined' approach. This concept is explained. The EU Water Framework Directive: An Introduction is an invaluable source of guidance on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive for all those concerned with water management including water quality planners and scientists, pollution control and environmental staff in the water and wastewater industries and environmental regulators who all have to adapt to the new approach to their work. Contents Introduction The EU Water Framework Directive Principal Obligations of the Directive Implementation of the Directive River Basin Districts River Basin Characteristics Environmental Objectives Programme of Measures River Basin Plans Groundwater Waters Requiring Special Protection Priority Substances Monitoring Economic Instruments Recording and Reporting Summary Timescales and Future Developments

Special Offer: Water Framework Directive Series Set. Visit www.iwapublishing.com to buy all four titles including Volume 3 and save £100! Water resources planning and management and the development of appropriate policies requires methodologies and tools that are able to support systematic, integrative and multidisciplinary assessments at various scales. It also requires the quantification of various uncertainties in both data and models, and the incorporation of stakeholders participation and institutional mechanisms into the various tools and risk assessment methodologies, to help decision makers understand and evaluate alternative measures and decisions. This requirement has been explicitly recognised in the context of the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD). This book is one of the concrete outcomes of the Harmoni-CA concerted action (supported by the European Commission). It provides a framework for model-supported participatory planning of measures at various river basin scales and practical guidance to water managers and other interested stakeholders on the model-supported implementation of the WFD. The objective of the book is to offer guidance to water managers on the model-supported implementation of the Water Framework Directive at the level of a river basin district and at other levels (such as sub-basins, national, or international scale in the case of international river basins). It should help water managers to better understand how models may be used for planning purposes, while special attention is given to the problem of predicting an uncertain future, one very likely to differ from the present. Six case studies from different parts of Europe are provided to illustrate the practical applicability of the planning framework in the WFD implementation. They are very important for illustrating how concepts from earlier parts of the document are applied to real-world situations. The case studies cover several aspects of mesoscale river basin management, water quantity and quality issues, and the role of modelling, with two case studies located in pilot river basins. This text is intended for use by water managers and hydrologists engaged in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. The other three volumes in the Water Framework Directive Series are: Modelling Aspects of Water Framework Directive Implementation - Volume 1 edited by Prof. Peter A. Vanrolleghem Integrated Assessment for WFD implementation: Data, economic and human dimension - Volume 2 edited by Peter A. Vanrolleghem Decision support for WFD implementation - Volume 3 edited by Peter A. Vanrolleghem

Special Offer: Water Framework Directive Series Set Click here to buy all four titles including Volume 3 and Save £100! Decision Support for Water Framework Directive Implementation: Volume 3 is a concrete outcome from the Harmoni-CA concerted action as part of a 4-volume series of Guidance Reports that guide water professionals through the implementation process of the Water Framework Directive, with a focus on the use of ICT-tools (and in particular modelling). They are complementary to the Guidance Documents produced by the EU Directorate General for Environment. Water resources planning and management and the development of appropriate policies require methodologies and tools that are able to support systematic, integrative and multidisciplinary assessments at various scales. It also requires the quantification of various uncertainties in both data and models, and the incorporation of stakeholders participation and institutional mechanisms into the various tools and risk assessment methodologies, to help decision makers understand and evaluate alternative measures and decisions. Visit the IWA WaterWiki to read and share material related to this title: http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/IntegratedAssessmentforWaterFrameworkDirectiveImplementation The other three volumes in the Water Framework Directive Series are: Water Framework Directive: Model supported Implementation - A Water Manager’s Guide edited by Fred Hattermann and Zbigniew W Kundzewicz Modelling Aspects of Water Framework Directive Implementation - Volume 1 edited by Prof. Peter A. Vanrolleghem Integrated Assessment for WFD implementation: Data, economic and human dimension - Volume 2 edited by Peter A. Vanrolleghem

Proceedings of a conference on ""Integrated River Basin Management under the Water Framework Directive"", held at Le Nouveau Siecle, Lille, France on 26th-28th April 2010. The book reviews technical challenges faced by EU Member States, stakeholder organisations and scientists while developing the first River Basin Management Plan under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). It focusses on aspects of multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary integration and how emerging issues such as adaptation to climate change will be considered in the future.

Does participatory governance benefit the environment? The European Water Framework Directive (WFD), which came into force in 2000 with the aim of revolutionizing European water governance, mandates participatory river basin management planning across the European Union. The belief of European policymakers and the European Commission is that participation will deliver better policy outputs and implementation. This book examines a range of approaches to participatory river basin management planning, and considers whether and how participation impacted on the environmental standard of planning documents, quality of implementation, and social outcomes. It draws on evidence from WFD implementation in eight case studies from Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom on the basis of a matched comparative case study design. The Directive sets common timeframes and procedural requirements, which provides a perfect test-bed and unique opportunity to study the effects of participation on implementation and outcomes in comparative perspective.

River Basin Management is a collection of papers presented at a conference on implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, held in Budapest in May 2005. The Water Framework Directive requires progressive protection and enhancement to rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and wetlands by the year 2015. At the heart of this major new piece of legislation is the requirement for all EU member states to prepare river basin management plans for all river basin catchments, providing the basis for coordinated improvements to water management, leading to better water quality and sustainable aquatic environments in lakes and rivers. The papers cover a wide range of topics including pilot studies for the development of river basin management plans, public participation in the planning process, water quality monitoring, modeling and analysis, identifying and addressing pollution and meeting environmental objectives. The book presents an array of experience from eighteen European countries in the implementation of the EU’s most far reaching environmental legislation. It is an invaluable source of information and ideas for the widespread preparation of river basin management plans now starting throughout Europe.