Steps for Defining and Assessing Ecological Potential for Improving Comparability of Heavily Modified Water Bodies

Guidance Document No. 37

Publication: Report
Citation: CIS working group ECOSTAT 2020: Guidance No 37 – Steps for defining and assessing ecological potential for improving comparability of Heavily Modified Water Bodies.

The CIS Guidance Document No. 37 proposes a common practical framework for defining the good ecological potential which is the environmental objective of heavily modified water bodies designated under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Guidance aims to assist the comparability of approaches between Member States. Its recommendations are based on a common understanding of the WFD requirements on this topic and good practice for implementation developed within the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the WFD.

This document is a deliverable of the CIS working group ECOSTAT. It was developed and drafted by a core-group of experts, with the support of Eleftheria Kampa (Ecologic Institute) as consultant. The Guidance was endorsed by the EU Water Directors at their meeting in Helsinki on 26 November 2019.

The Guidance is accompanied by a European library of mitigation measures for heavily modified rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters.

Hydromorphological Measures under the Floods and Water Framework Directives "Finding synergies and addressing challenges"

Year 2019

Publication:Document

The Working Group ECOSTAT of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) held a workshop on classification on 29-30 May 2018 in Tallinn. The aim of this workshop with respect to hydromorphology was to facilitate a better common understanding on the use of hydromorphological quality elements for the overall assessment of ecological status and potential. This is part of a wider work item on classification in the ECOSTAT work programme focusing on the linkage between supporting and biological quality elements (BQEs). The Workshop Summary Report presents the main discussions that occurred during this meeting and is available for download.

ECOSTAT Classification Workshop: Summary Report on Hydromorphology

Year 2018

Publication:Document

Ecologic Institute supported the European Commission and the Ad-hoc Task Group on Hydromorphology in organising a Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) workshop. This CIS workshop on the subject of significant adverse effects was organized on 23 and 24 April 2018 in Brussels. The Workshop Summary Report presents the main discussions that occurred during this meeting. In addition, prior to the workshop, Ecologic Institute prepared a discussion paper providing background information to workshop participants on the topic. The discussion paper is available for download.

Significant Adverse Effects on Use or the Wider Environment from Measures – Workshop Summary Report

Year 2018

Project

Under its ‘Framework contract for Evaluation, review and development of EU Water Policy', the European Commission DG Environment has issued a service request for a Specific Contract to provide "Support for the elaboration of guidance on WFD harmonised environmental requirements for HMWB and hydromorphology". The aim of this Specific Contract is to ensure support for the follow-up activities towards the further elaboration of deliverables as outlined in the Terms of Reference of the Ad-Hoc Task Group on Hydromorphology. The requested services include the provision to the Water Unit in DG Environment of independent and timely support and advice on scientific, socio-economic and technical issues related to the activities of the ATG. This includes the provision of products of high technical quality as specified in the description of tasks and deliverables.

Guidance on WFD Harmonised Environmental Requirements for HMWB and Hydromorphology

Apr 2018 - Nov 2019

Language: English
Credits: This documents was developed and drafted by a core-group of experts, with the support of Eleftheria Kampa (Ecologic Institute) as consultant.
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Environment (DG Environment), International
Published by: European Commission, Directorate-General Environment (DG Environment), International
Year: 2020
Dimension: 134 pp.
Project: Guidance on WFD Harmonised Environmental Requirements for HMWB and Hydromorphology
Project ID: 2626-02
Table of contents: Click to show full table of contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 A new Guidance Document No.37 on the ecological potential of heavily modified water bodies: What for?
1.2 Overview of CIS activities relevant to HMWB and GEP
2 ROLE OF HYDROMORPHOLOGY IN WFD
2.1 Overview
2.1.1 Characterization
2.1.2 Pressure and impacts and risk analysis
2.1.3 Monitoring
2.1.4 Ecological status
2.1.5 Reference conditions and typology
2.1.6 Measures
2.1.7 Exemptions
2.2 Hydromorphology in HMWB designation and assessment of ecological potential
3 WATER USES, WIDER ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
4 RE-CAPPING THE DESIGNATION OF HMWB
4.1 Recap of key issues relevant to the designation of HMWB
4.1.1 Substantial changes in character
4.2 Review of HMWB designation in the river basin management planning cycles
5 STEPS FOR DEFINITION OF ECOLOGICAL POTENTIAL
5.1 Approaches for defining ecological potential in 1st & 2nd RBMPs
5.2 Approximation of ecological continuum
5.3 Overview of key steps for defining ecological potential in a comparable way
5.3.1 “Route” of the reference approach
5.3.2 “Route” of the mitigation measures approach
5.3.3 Overview of individual steps
5.4 Detailed key steps for defining ecological potential in a comparable way
5.4.1 Information from earlier planning cycles (pre-step)
5.4.2 Identification of the closest comparable water category and related quality elements (Step A)
5.4.3 Is the closest comparable water category for HMWB always clear?
5.4.4 Identification of relevant mitigation measures (MEP) (Step B)
5.4.5 Derivation of hydromorphological conditions for MEP (Step C)
5.4.6 Derivation of physico-chemical conditions for MEP, taking into account the closest comparable water body type (Step D)
5.4.7 Derivation of BQE conditions for MEP (Step E)
5.4.8 Derivation of BQE conditions for GEP (Step F)
5.4.9 Derivation of supporting quality elements (SQE) conditions for GEP (Step G)
5.4.10 Identification of mitigation measures (GEP) (Step H)
5.5 Moderate, poor and bad ecological potential
6 IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES TO ACHIEVE GEP
7 INTERCOMPARISON OF ECOLOGICAL POTENTIAL
ANNEX I - ILLUSTRATIVE CASE STUDIES ON THE STEPS FOR DEFINING ECOLOGICAL POTENTIAL
Case study 1: River impoundment (reference approach and mitigation measures approach)
Case study 2: River straightening and bank fixation for navigation (reference approach and mitigation measures approach)
Case study 3: Estuary with flood defence/embanking (mitigation measures approach)
Case study 4: River affected by drainage (reference approach)
ANNEX II – EXAMPLE ARTIFICIAL WATER BODIES: Ditches - hydromorphological mitigation as an exception, mitigation by maintenance as a rule
ANNEX III – GLOSSARY
Keywords: Water

Guidance, Water Framework Directive, heavily modified water bodies, ecological potential, Common Implementation Strategy, hydromorphology

Europe

Further Links

PublicationReportWG ECOSTAT Report on Common Understanding of Using Mitigation Measures for Reaching Good Ecological Potential for HMWBs (Part 3)

JRC110959

Hydromorphological alterations for drainage are widespread pressures on water bodies in Europe. Because of the importance of the water uses relying on drainage schemes, such as agriculture and urban areas, not all necessary restoration measures can be taken without... Read more

Rouillard J, Kampa E, (eds), WG ECOSTAT report on common understanding of using mitigation measures for reaching Good Ecological Potential for Heavily Modified Water Bodies, EUR 29132 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2018.

PublicationReportWG ECOSTAT Report on Common Understanding of Using Mitigation Measures for Reaching Good Ecological Potential for HMWBs (Part 2)

JRC110957

One of the core activities for the Common Implementation Strategy Working Group ECOSTAT between 2013 and 2017 has been to try to compare the ecological quality expected by different countries for water bodies impacted by flood protection. The process involved the use of... Read more

Bussettini M, Kling J, van de Bund W, Eds: Kampa E & Bussettini M, Working Group ECOSTAT report on common understanding of using mitigation measures for reaching Good Ecological Potential for heavily modified water bodies - Part 2: Impacted by flood protection structures, EUR 29131 EN; Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2018.

ProjectHarmonisation of Good Ecological Potential for Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB)

In the latest Work Programme 2016-2018 of the Common Implementation Strategy of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Water Directors of European countries agreed that a specific Ad-hoc Task Groups (ATG) should be set up on best practice and guidance on dealing with... Read more

Harmonisation of Good Ecological Potential for Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB)

Duration: Sep 2015 - Aug 2016
Funding: Norwegian Environment Agency, Norway

ProjectCIS Guidance on Article 4(7), Inter-comparison of Good Ecological Potential and Hydromorphological Assessment Methods

In the latest Work Programme 2016-2018 of the Common Implementation Strategy of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Water Directors of European countries agreed specific Ad-hoc Task Groups (ATGs) should be set up on the following topics: (1) Best practice and... Read more

CIS Guidance on Article 4(7), Inter-comparison of Good Ecological Potential and Hydromorphological Assessment Methods

Duration: May 2017 - Nov 2018
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Environment (DG Environment), International

N° 37 - Mitigation Measures Library [xls, 1 MB, English]