1. Setting Classboundaries
Elaborated for the REFCOND partner of the Netherlands
RIZA - Ministry of Transport and Waterways by
Royal Haskoning
Roel Knoben & Arend de Wilde
RIZA
December 2001

2. Setting Classboundaries
This presentation
Based on a draft report
Intention is to discuss aspects related with the setting of Classboundaries for the Ecological Quality Status for Rivers and Lakes
RIZA
December 2001

3. Setting Classboundaries
This presentation
Our position within the WFD - 2 minutes
Interpretation of some relevant aspects of the WFD - 4
Principal results on Classboundaries of the Questionnaires - 8
Setting Classboundaries, theoretical and practical observations - 16
RIZA
December 2001

4. Our position within the WFD

5. Classification of waterbodies
within the WFD

6. Classification of waterbodies within the WFD

7. Classification of waterbodies within the WFD

8. Classification of waterbodies within the WFD

9. Classification of waterbodies within the WFD

10. Classification of waterbodies within the WFD

11. Classification of waterbodies within the WFD

13. Setting classboundaries is principally related to:
Reference conditions
Metrics - Methods of processing monitoringresults
Ecological Quality Ratio
Intercalibration excercise

14. Results of the Questionnaires

15. Results of the Questionnaires
Actual use of quality elements for setting Classboundaries

16. Results of the Questionnaires
Actual use of quality elements for setting Classboundaries
Physico-chemical elements most used
Hydromorphological elements seldom used

17. Results of the Questionnaires
Actual use of quality elements for setting Classboundaries
Biological elements
Benthic invertebrate fauna and fish most frequently used for rivers
Phytoplancton most frequently used for lakes

18. Results of the Questionnaires
Actual use of quality elements for setting Classboundaries
Physico-chemical elements
More elements used for rivers
Roughly the same importance for rivers and lakes

19. Results of the Questionnaires
Number of actually used Classes for quality-elements

20. Results of the Questionnaires
Number of actually used Classes for quality-elements
Rivers
Range 2-7
Average close to 5
Most variation in Physico-chemical elements

21. Results of the Questionnaires
Number of actually used Classes for quality-elements
Lakes
Range 3-7
Average close to 5
Most variation in Biological elements

22. Conclusions of the questionnaires
The questionnaire has given an insight in the actual use of the quality elements but not on how the classboundaries have been defined.
There is no clear preference for a method for the setting of classboundaries
There is insufficient knowledge of the inherent statistical errors of the used methods

23. Setting Classboundaries, practical observations
theoretical and
practical observations

24. The quality elements
“one out-all out”

25. The quality elements / one out-all out
Monitoring results

26. The quality elements / one out-all out

27. The quality elements / one out-all out

28. The quality elements / one out-all out

29. The quality elements / one out-all out

30. The quality elements / one out-all out

31. The quality elements / one out-all out

32. The quality elements / one out-all out
monitoring

33. The quality elements / one out-all out
WFD:Annex V:
+ Number of Q-elements
Rivers Lakes
High 10 9
Good 6 6
Moderate 4 4
+ Fits to national systems
+ Integrates information avoiding ecological complications
+ More flexible through descriptors (climate change, succession)

34. The quality elements / one out-all out
WFD:Annex V:
+ Number of Q-elements
Rivers Lakes
High 10 9
Good 6 6
Moderate 4 4
+ Fits to national systems
+ Integrates information avoiding ecological complications
+ More flexible through descriptors (climate change, succession)

35. Annex V: 1.2.1

41. The quality elements / one out-all out
WFD:Annex V:
+ Number of Q-elements
Rivers Lakes
High 10 9
Good 6 6
Moderate 4 4
+ Fits to national systems
+ Integrates information avoiding ecological complications
+ More flexible through descriptors (climate change, succession)

42. The quality elements and classes
Value Quality element
Value environmental factor
EQR = 1

43. The quality elements and classes
Value Quality element
Value environmental factor
EQR = 1

44. The quality elements and classes
Value Quality element
Value environmental factor
EQR = 1

45. The quality elements and classes
Value Quality element
Value environmental factor
EQR = 1

46. The quality elements and classes
Value Quality element
Value environmental factor
EQR = 1

47. Conclusions on Q-elements:
Setting classboundaries requires the definition of the Q-elements
The definition of the Q-elements has a fargoing practical impact
The WFD is not completely clear

48. Theoretical approach on
the classboundaries

49. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

50. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

51. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

52. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

53. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

54. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

55. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

56. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

57. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries?

58. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries

59. Theoretical approach on the classboundaries
Quality elements

60. Conclusions of the theoretical approach:
RC=High status; boundary High/good defined
boundary Good/moderate defined trough Q-elements + EQR

61. to set the Classboundaries
Taking decisions
to set the Classboundaries

62. Taking decisions to set the Classboundaries
Monitoring
Reference state
Evaluation
scientific
scientific
Classification
arbitrary
Quality classes
Class boundaries
political
Compliance testing
political
Standards

63. to set the Classboundaries
The process
to set the Classboundaries

64. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
EQR
Define metrics
Set the classboundaries
Classify waterbodies

65. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
EQR
Define metrics
Set the good/ moderate boundary
Classify waterbodies

66. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Define the number of the
Quality elements
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
EQR
Define metrics
Set the good/ moderate boundary
Classify waterbodies

67. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Define the
Quality elements
Taxonomic level?
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
Abundance?
Composition?
EQR
Define metrics
Linear gradient
Ordination
Scoring-system
Set the good/ moderate boundary
Classify waterbodies

68. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Define the
Quality elements
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
Standards
ISO, NEN
EQR
Define metrics
Research/
monitoring
Set the good/ moderate boundary
Classify waterbodies

69. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Define the
Quality elements
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
Standards
ISO, NEN
EQR
Define metrics
Research/
monitoring
Intercalibration excercise
Set the good/ moderate boundary
Classify waterbodies

70. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Define the
Quality elements
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
Standards
ISO, NEN
EQR
Define metrics
Research/
monitoring
Intercalibration excercise
Set the good/ moderate boundary
National authorities
European authorities
Classify waterbodies

71. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Define the
Quality elements
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
Standards
ISO, NEN
EQR
Define metrics
Research/
monitoring
Intercalibration excercise
Set the good/ moderate boundary
Classify waterbodies

72. The process to set the Classboundaries
Typify watertypes
Define the
Quality elements
Set the high/good boundary
Select the reference conditions
Select methods for monitoring
Standards
ISO, NEN
EQR
Define metrics
Research/
monitoring
Intercalibration excercise
Set the good/ moderate boundary
Classify waterbodies

73. Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise

74. Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise

75. Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise

76. Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise

77. Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise

78. Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise

79. Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise

80. Final conclusions
Most quality elements of the WFD are actually used for monitoring by the partnercountries
The actually used quality elements are roughly divided in 5 qualityclasses
Most partner countries utilize only a few of theses quality elements for monitoring
The Reference condition is represented by a range of values and coincide with the High Status
Setting Classboundaries is and arbitrary process based on political and scientifical concepts
Classboundaries can be set only after defining the quality elements
The quality elements should be only the 10 mentioned in the Annex V:1.2
Setting classboundaries has to be done in close interaction with the intercalibration exercise