WFD & Flood Risk Management February 26 - 27, 2008 Parallel Session 1a: Ireland’s Approach to designation Cliona Ní Eidhin – SWRBD Project

Presentation Outline CIS Steps 1-6: Article 5 screening – pHMWBs Approach Flood Protection Current focus 8 RBDs: 4 ROI 3 international 1 NI

Article 5 reporting ‘05

Steps 1-6: Article 5 - approach Screening for the identification of provisional HMWBs: Article 5 Morphological risk assessment Article 5 Hydrological risk assessment Pressures examined: Morphological: channelisation, dredging and river straightening, flood protection and embankments, impounding, water regulation; and intensive land use. Hydrological: abstractions, flow regulation methodologies and thresholds developed with reference to NI and UK TAG approaches towards harmonisation 2b Not at risk 2a Probably not 1b Probably 1a At Risk 490 1a water bodies

Steps 1-6: Article 5 - outcome Member State RBDs Waterbodies HMWBs % HMWB England 8 5018 2645 53 Wales 1 789 203 26 Scotland 2 2803 400 14 N. Ireland 4 601 186 31 Ireland 7 5521 37 Expert review 37 pHMWBs reported % of total number of wbs

Category Modification No Specified Use-breakdown River Artificial Bed 2 2 flood protection Impoundment 5 3 drinking water supply 1 power generation 1 power generation & drinking water supply Tidal Barrage Lake Abstraction 2 Drinking water supply 13 4 drinking water supply 6 power generation 3 power generation & drinking water supply Transitional Flood Defence Works 1 1 public transport infrastructure Port & related activities 7 7 port Coastal 3 3 port

Steps 1-6: Article 5 - outcome Specified Use No. of WBs Ports 10 Drinking Water Supply 9 Power Generation 7 Flood Protection 6 Power Generation & drinking water supply 4 Other (water body impounded by railway) 1 Examples…

pHMWB Examples Ports & Related Activity – Killybegs Harbour, Co. Donegal (NWRBD)

pHMWB Examples Drinking Water Supply – Vartry system, Co. Wicklow (EaRBD) Images courtesy EPA

Power Generation & Drinking Water Supply – Inniscarra Reservoir, Co Power Generation & Drinking Water Supply – Inniscarra Reservoir, Co. Cork

pHMWB Examples Flood Protection – Feale & Cashen Estuary

National Further Characterisation Studies Steps 7-11: Post Article 5 National studies were initiated to tackle areas of uncertainty Produce programmes of measures for the RBMP National Further Characterisation Studies Leading RBD Measures & Standards Study Name WRBD 1. On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems 2. Forest and Water ShRBD 3. Freshwater Morphology SERBD 4. Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards SWRBD 5. Industrial & Municipal Regulation 6. Dangerous Substances 7. Marine Morphology 8. Heavily Modified Water Bodies & Artificial Water Bodies 9. Water Balance Model for Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards ERBD 10. Abstraction Pressures 11. Groundwater Risk from Diffuse Mobile Organics 12. Urban Pressures in rivers, transitional and ground waters 13. Further Economic Characterisation

Study Objectives: pHMWBs Restoration measures test Alternative means test Delivering to RBMP 2008

Steps 7-11: Approach Pilot cases selected to represent each specified use: Each pilot examined in accordance with: WFD designation tests Restoration Measures Test – Article 4 (3) (a) Alternative Means Test – Article 4 (3) (b) UK TAG Rapid Designation – checking mechanism Towards roll-out to the National pHMWB list: Key decision points / junctures were identified Applicability to other pHMWBs of same use was appraised pAWB approached similarly: pilot case & national application

Steps 7-11: Approach General principles CIS recommendation of Pragmatic approach adopted Economic assessment where determined by complexity of case Rollout: 37 water bodies – relevant water body specific factors could be considered. CIS designation test sub-steps formed basis for examination of each pilot Step 7: Restoration Measures (RM) Test: 7.1 Identification of “restoration measures” to achieve GES. Is the physical alteration connected to a current “specified use”? 7.2 RM: Significant adverse effects on the “specified uses”? 7.3 RM: Significant adverse effects on the wider environment? Step 8: Alternative Means (AM) Test: 8.1 Are there ‘other means’? 8.2 Are other means technically feasible? 8.3 Are other means a better environmental option? 8.4 Are other means disproportionately costly? 8.5 Will the ‘other means’ allow the achievement of GES? Is the failure to achieve GES caused by physical alterations?

Steps 7-11 - Flood protection Two flood protection-related pHMWB pilots: River Fergus: Tidal Barrage & embankments scheme Feale & Cashen estuaries: channelisation & embankments scheme Pilot 1:Fergus Tidal Barrage: Ennis 2 river water body pHMWBs Tidal limit changed– category change Embankments throughout Bank reinforcement in urban areas Backwatering- lost spawning habitat Barrier to fish migration Clarecastle

Steps 7-11 - Flood protection Restoration Measures test (Art. 4(3)(a) Step 7: Restoration measures test: River Fergus Tidal Barrage Decision Substep 7.1 Is the physical alteration connected to a current “specified use”? Identification of “restoration measures” to achieve GES. Removal of the barrage Removal of embankments Fish passage measures: passes, stocking, by-pass channel Yes. Proceed to 7.2 Substep 7.2 Restoration measures: significant adverse effects on the uses? Proceed to 8.1 Substep 7.3 Restoration measures: significant adverse effects on wider environment? Areas designated for protection of habitats & wildlife (SACs, NHAs,+) Built heritage Recreation and amenity use Property and local economy Not applicable (a: no) (a: yes)

Steps 7-11 - Flood protection Alternative Means test (Art. 4(3)(b) Step 8: Alternative Means Test: River Fergus Tidal Barrage Decision Substep 8.1 “other means” of providing beneficial objectives served by physical alteration? Displacement Replacement No. Designate. Substep 8.2 Are these “other means” technically feasible?? Not applicable Substep 8.3 Are these “other means” better environmental option? Substep 8.4 Are these “other means” disproportionately costly? Substep 8.5 “other means” allow the achievement of GES? Is the failure to achieve GES caused by physical alterations?

The proposal to designate was approved by the HMWB & AWB Study Steering Group.

Steps 7-11 - Flood protection Pilot 2: Feale and Cashen estuaries: Agricultural land uses, primarily Designation Tests 4(3)a and 4(3)b concluded that further study required. Gap: classification of status. Trac MImAS run on this case for indication & support further study

Steps 7-11 - Flood protection Applicability of pilots to other pHMWBs: River Fergus Urban Flood Protection Pilot: applicable to: Santry River, Dublin. (ERBD) River Breagagh, Kilkenny. (SERBD) Some issues encountered WFD Status classification not available: Due to lack of monitoring data for many WFD Ecological Status elements, especially hydromorphology Particular issue for borderline cases Presented difficulty re: estimating achievement of GES & estimating restoration measures - Art.4(3)a Scale issues: addressed in ROI before Article 5 characterisation: Water body delineation considered profound pressures. Example: ports

National Further Characterisation Studies Did we miss any pHMWBs at Art.5 stage? Refinement of morphological & hydrological risk assessment thresholds Freshwater Morphology Marine morphology Abstractions study Reapplication of refined Risk assessment thresholds will be potentially flag new pHWMBS Other additions: newly delineated cross border water bodies . (River Erne u/s Belleek) National Further Characterisation Studies Leading RBD Measures & Standards Study Name WRBD 1. On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems 2. Forest and Water ShRBD 3. Freshwater Morphology SERBD 4. Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards SWRBD 5. Industrial & Municipal Regulation 6. Dangerous Substances 7. Marine Morphology 8. Heavily Modified Water Bodies & Artificial Water Bodies 9. Water Balance Model for Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards ERBD 10. Abstraction Pressures 11. Groundwater Risk from Diffuse Mobile Organics 12. Urban Pressures in rivers, transitional and ground waters 13. Further Economic Characterisation 2b 2a 1b 1a

Current focus Supporting EPA on establishment of MEP GEP Two suggested approaches: UK TAGs development of the alternative ‘measures’ approach- useful to Ireland- trialling of UK approach on each of the Pilot cases just started. Study underway to on how to approach biological assessment of HMWBs and to compare the biology approach with the ‘alternative’ measures approach. National application report includes harmonisation review, jointly prepared with NI. International workshops valuable. Stakeholder consultation – by sector Ports Hydropower Flood Protection Drinking water supply

Contact Details Cliona Ní Eidhin SWRBD Project Mott MacDonald Pettit 5 Eastgate Avenue Little Island Cork Ireland cliona.nieidhin@mottmacpettit.ie www.swrbd.ie www.wfdireland.ie

Thank you