1. Pilot River Basin
Outcome Report
of Phase 1b

2. Structure of the Outcome Report 1b
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Main aims of the PRB testing exercise
Context of the PRB testing exercise
CHAPTER 2. LINKING PHASE 1a AND PHASE 1b
Critical improvements/developments since Phase1a
by Guidance Documents
New perspectives/lessons learnt since phase 1a.
ANNEX I:
Collection of Case Studies
ANNEX II:
Answer to the ToR given by PRBs
summarised for each GDs
ANNEX III:
Complete answers to the ToR
given by PRBs
CHAPTER 3. OUTCOME OF THE TESTING
Interlinkages between GDs
Transvers issues – coherence between GDs
Planning Process and Best Practices
Monitoring
Wetlands
Public Participation
Other issues/other approaches (implementation)
Information management
Trans-national coordination
Dissemination of results
CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusions and Recommendations

3. Test Disseminate Main goals of Phase 1b
whether Guidance Documents respond to the needs of the PRBs
whether inter-linkages between Guidance Documents are sufficiently developed
Disseminate
valuable learning experiences from the PRB testing and point out similar experiences from outside the PRB exercise

4. Guidance Documents tested during Phase 1b of the exercise
Identification and Characterization of Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB) and Artificial Water Bodies (AWB)
Intercalibration Process
Monitoring
Planning Process/Best Practices
Geographical Information Systems and management of information in RBs
Management of wetlands in the WFD
Public participation in Phase 1b

5. Linking Phase 1b and Phase 1a
Some of the issues addressed during Phase 1a were of high relevance also to Phase 1b
PRBs improved their approach to the WFD implementation based on the experience gained during Phase 1a
The vision on some transverse issues changed since Phase 1a (water body delineation, monitoring, HMWB)
PRBs have produced more detailed results than in Phase 1a

6. Key issues to be tackled during the implementation
Agriculture and hydromorphology are recurrent topics, despite geographical distribution
Within most of the PRBs intensive agriculture constitutes one of the major pressures against the achievement of the environmental objectives in the WFD
Strong regulation of river basins for hydropower generation is considered as a major problem not only in Northern countries, but also in the Mediterranean area

7. Other pressures seem to have a strong geographical connotation
Water over-exploitation and increased tourism pressure during the summer period for all the Mediterranean PRBs
WFD calls for an integrated approach at watershed level
Ad hoc water management structures have been developed to cope with fragmentation of monitoring networks and administration of data

8. Conclusions & Recommendations
Outcome of the Report,
Conclusions & Recommendations
The PRBs exercise has shown at river basin level the practical implications of WFD implementation.
PRBs as powerful aid for communication and awareness raising.
Different perspectives in the PRBs reading of GDs. This gives room for regional diversification, which could lead to the need for regional case-studies, information exchange, etc.
The definition of River Basin District boundaries, spanning also groundwater, is perceived by PRBs as a fundamental issue to be fixed earlier in the process.
There is a strong need of integrating existing monitoring networks and complementing the actual deficiencies.

9. Conclusions & Recommendations
Outcome of the Report,
Conclusions & Recommendations
PRBs agreed on the fact that there is no need to introduce changes or produce new GDs. However, needs exist for documents related to national level of implementation and local scale problems.
PRBs generally highlighted the necessity to improve linkage and communication with other Groups and initiatives in the CIS (e.g. intercalibration process in the design of Programme of Measures).
Additional key points for active public participation highlighted by Ribble, Jucar, Scheldt and Danube (Good involvement takes time, start early!).

10. Follow up
TIMETABLE
2-3 December 2004: Water Directors comment and approve the Phase 1b Outcome Report.
20 December 2004: Final version of the Phase 1b Outcome Report available on CIRCA both under the PRB and Public sections.
January 2005: Merging the Phase 1b Outcome Report with the Article 5-related PRB Outcome Report (Phase 1a).
March 2005: Publication of the single volume PRB Outcome Report on the testing of the WFD Guidance Documents.