Principles and Key Issues Identification of Significant Human Pressures and Impacts, According to Annex II of the WFD. Principles and Key Issues Dave Foster, WFD Manager, Environment Agency for England & Wales

Main Elements of Discussion Paper Developed as a result of Belfast Workshop UK / Germany, plus 6 other MS Not intended as substantive guidance on the subject This is the role of CIS project on “Pressures & Impacts” Set out Requirements of the WFD Principles Relating to Identification of Significant Human Pressures and Impacts Further breakdown of categories of Pressures Sources of information on Pressures & Impacts Determining what is “Significant” Making an assessment of impact Level of detail of information on Pressures & Impacts Availability of appropriate tools Links to other elements of the WFD

WFD Requirements Set out in Article 5 and Annex II Analysis to be completed within 4 years

Further Breakdown of Categories Principles Relating to Identification of “Significant” Human Pressures & Impacts Further Breakdown of Categories WFD provides little further breakdown e.g. urban, agricultural, industrial Additional sub-division of categories is important Paper to be discussed this afternoon gives further breakdown (along with broad indicators / indices) for determining “significance” Based on work of German strategy paper

Sources of Information Principles Relating to Identification of “Significant” Human Pressures & Impacts Sources of Information Other existing EC legislation, e.g. UWWTD Existing national requirements “State of the Environment” reports National classification schemes Inventories from national legislation Operational information e.g. “pollution incidents”

Determining what is “Significant” Principles Relating to Identification of “Significant” Human Pressures & Impacts Determining what is “Significant” “Significant” can be considered in various ways: Broad indices / indicator approach Absolute size / magnitude, e.g. STW >5,000 p.e. Relative size / magnitude, e.g. STW’s contributing X% of total load to river basin Pressure is subject to specific EC legislation, e.g. GW Directive Significance limits should be chosen so that results provide a practical solution Future trends in pressure should be considered (in broad terms only)

Principles Relating to Identification of “Significant” Human Pressures & Impacts Determining Impact of a Pressure Impact of pressure - likely to cause failure of WFD objective Impact of pressure - contributes to upward trend Impact of pressure - contributes to / causes failure of existing standard (national or EC) Should take account of sensitivity of the water body Should take account of additive / synergistic effects

Principles Relating to Identification of “Significant” Human Pressures Level of Detail Required A variety of existing information will be available How much extra data should be obtained? Possible approach: 1st RBMP - maximum use of existing data, with limited additional data gathering 2nd RBMP - more detailed data will be available from monitoring required by WFD, and review of outcome of first Programme of Measures N.B. Data used most be robust enough to derive appropriate Programme of Measures

Principles Relating to Identification of “Significant” Human Pressures Availability of appropriate tools Not all tools / techniques needed to identify pressures may currently exist, e.g. for GW Three broad categories currently identified: Monitoring data (environmental/discharge/abstraction) Models, especially linking land use to water status Pollution inventories, e.g. under IPPC Directive Also what role for “expert judgement” Members States may have additional examples

Impact assessment framework Common strategy project Significant pressures Available information about ecological status Initial understanding of ‘good status’ Article 5 - Impact Assessment (2004) -->Identify bodies at risk Environmental objectives ---> Derogations?? Optimise operational monitoring programme RBD plan

? Common Strategy project guidelines on initial pressure assessment Available information on Impacts Categories: (e.g. existing classification system, morphology, additional monitoring information) Available information on Pressures Categories: ( e.g. point source, diffuse source, abstraction / regulation) Sources: (e.g. emissions inventories, licence records, incident reports) Current EC Directive compliance reports ? Common Strategy project scope EU Significance Thresholds ? Initial impact review -known impacts -model pressures --> impacts -expert judgement ? Sufficient information available? Member States optional collection of further data on pressures / impacts Final impact assessment

Principles Relating to Identification of “Significant” Human Pressures Links to several other elements of WFD: Design / implementation of monitoring programmes Use of derogations / designation of HMWBs Development of RBMPs and Programmes of Measures Economic analysis of water use The other half of Art 5 characterisation Scale issues Forecasting future trends

Other Issues Issues which need to be address in guidance What is “significant” (relation to environmental risk) Methods for data interpretation Methods of identifying direct and indirect pressures Pressures from past activities, e.g. contaminated land Forecasting future trends in pressures, e.g. population “Other” pressures, e.g. introduced species Combinations of pressures Common data management / reporting