Introduction to EUROWATERNET for transitional, marine and coastal waters

Types of information and data required Types of water body Physical characteristics of water bodies/ monitoring stations Data on determinands in water, biota and sediment Pressure information for each water body/stations

Types of water body Water Framework Directive definitions for transitional waters and coastal waters “Transitional waters are bodies of surface water in the vicinity of river mouths which are partly saline in character as a result of their proximity to coastal waters but which are substantially influenced by freshwater flows.”

Types of water body “Coastal water means surface water on the landward side of a line every point of which is at a distance of one nautical mile on the seaward side from the nearest point of the baseline from which the breadth of territorial waters is measured, extending where appropriate up to the outer limit of transitional waters.” Marine waters: “waters seaward of coastal waters”.

Water Framework Directive typology Transitional waters Obligatory Geographic location, salinity and tidal range Optional depth current velocity wave exposure residence time mean water temperature mixing characteristics turbidity mean substratum composition shape water temperature range

Water Framework Directive typology Coastal waters Obligatory Geographic location, salinity and tidal range Optional depth (System A) current velocity wave exposure retention time mean water temperature mixing characteristics turbidity mean substratum composition water temperature range

EUNIS habitat classification Pelagic water column salinity residence time mixing characteristics stratification Sediment habitats particle size species composition position on the shore

Selection of stations Reference catchments or drainage basins with little or no human activity and the percentage of natural landscape would be higher than 90% minimally impacted by adjacent waters

Selection of stations Representative stations reflect the general quality of water body with respect to pressures placed upon them representative in terms of nutrients, organic pollution indicators and hazardous substances used for an overview of the numbers of hazardous substances present and their concentrations, and of the general levels of nutrients and organic pollution indicators ‘surveillance monitoring’

Selection of stations Impact stations within the zone (area or volume of water) where initial mixing of the emissions takes place within the receiving waters. concentrations would be expected to be relatively high at these stations may be used by the regulatory authorities to assess the compliance of discharges with standards or limits ‘operational monitoring’

Number of stations Aim to make EWN representative of the pressures, and numbers and types of water body Information to do this currently lacking? EEA currently reliant on data submissions to Marine Commissions/ICES, supplemented by additional national data (MARINEBASE) Initially would request all monitoring data from national networks

Physical characteristics of water bodies/ monitoring stations 3 Tables presented in report Where possible, consistent with WFD and EUNIS typologies/ classifications Geographic co-ordinates Station type - B, R(PHYS), R(HZ), I(PHYS), I(HZ) Matrix Zone instead of station for transitional waters Distance from coastline Provided once

Determinands physico-chemical determinands and contaminants in water nutrients, oxygen, total organic carbon, chlorophyll a contaminants in biota and sediment Priority Substances and some List I/II substances disaggregated data for stations aggregated data for areas or zones updated annually biological data at a later date

Pressure information for each water body/stations Catchment and drainage basin information Population density Corine Land cover or equivalent Other anthropogenic activities directly affecting water body/monitoring station e.g. Direct discharges from industry and urban waste water Mariculture

Marine data and information flows - options National data obtained either from Commissions/ICES if they hold all national data and other required information, and country has given their permission to EEA Supplemented by additional national/ regional data and information if not held in existing international databases Or obtain all data and information from NRCs EUROWATERNET - first steps and piloting

Access by EEA to national data reported to Marine Conventions data can be accessed by EEA ? : no reply from country n.r: access not requested yet

Summary of data and information flows

Timetable

Summary Application of EUROWATERNET criteria to national monitoring networks during update of MARINEBASE for eventual inclusion in WATERBASE Transmission of your data used proposed formats downloading to ETC/WTR Interest Group on CIRCLE or national IG or by e-mail (http://eea.eionet.eu.int:8980/Members/irc/eionet-circle/etc_iwrm/library)

Summary Most recent quality data available - target year 2000 As long a time series as possible for each station/area Confirmation of your willingness to participate by 28 September Transmission of data by 31 December 2001 Further information and technical support from ETC/WTR (nixon@wrcplc.co.uk)