1. Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Implementation of the concept of natural conditions under WFD art 4.4 and 4.5 – Examples FINLAND
Marko Järvinen
Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
Freshwater Centre
Helsinki, Finland
Extraordinary ECOSTAT meeting, Bruessels ,

2. National guidelines for exemptions - 2nd circle
Setting of environmental objectives for 2nd RBMP followed the national principles of 1st cycle
Regional authorities identified the needs and  preconditions for possible exemptions during the planning  process
All information concerning the exemptions stored in RBM databases and partly in RBMP’s
For both planning cycles, the objective was to plan measures so that less stringent environmental objectives were not needed to set (cf. art 4.5)
-> no (#0) cases where environmental targets were estimated to not be reached by 2027 due to overwhelming natural conditions
Guidance: Planning of PoM’s for RBM in setting of environmental targets (10 pp., in Finnish).
Extraordinary ECOSTAT meeting, Bruessels ,

3. Extention of time limit
Finnish Act:
Act on the Organisation of River Basin Management and the Marine Strategy (1299/2004) 25§
National Guidance (2013): Planning of PoM’s for RBM in setting of environmental targets
Extraordinary ECOSTAT meeting, Bruessels ,

4. Extention of time limit due to natural conditions, 2nd circle
Ecological status
Extention of time limit due to natural conditions, 2nd circle
Total of 1049 water bodies where extension of time limit (until 2021 or 2027)
- 460 lakes, 433 rivers, 156 coastal water
Case: River Perniönjoki (type KSa)
Ecological status: GOOD, Chemical status: POOR
Pressures: diffuse loading from agriculture
Environmental target to be reached by 2021
Reason for time limit extension (art 4.4 a iii):
”Good status cannot achieved by 2015, because
the catchment area has several steep and/or
nutrient-rich fields. The decrease in P-value
of fields has a lag of years, even decades.”
Extraordinary ECOSTAT meeting, Bruessels ,
Source: RBM database of SYKE

5. Chemical status – Finland (i)
Chemical status poor in half of Finnish water bodies (3440 / 6806) in the 2nd reporting period (2015) – compounds causing it:
The judgement was calculated using a simple grouping model based on earlier data in sediment and fish, water body type (humus content/color) and latitude (North vs South)
Indirect human activity: drainage of the acid sulphate soils (historical sea bottom) for forestry and rural land caused 40 Cd exceedings and 13 Ni exceedings.
Pollution due to mining structures was reason for 8 Cd exceedings and 10 Ni exceedings.
The exceedings were based on human activity in past (e.g. TBT use as antifouling compound) => polluted bottom sediments in harbors
In several water bodies there were several compounds exceeding the EQS. Thus the number of exceedings was higher than the number of waterbodies classified to poor chemical status.
Extraordinary ECOSTAT meeting, Bruessels ,
Data: Katri Siimes/SYKE

6. Chemical status – Finland (ii)
Natural conditions in most cases the reason of poor chemical status.
In the sites the extension of the timescale to achieve good status (WFD 4.4, table below).
Less stringent target for water quality (WFD 4.5) not used in Finland.
Used exceptions for chemical status (in some water bodies several reasons)
Extraordinary ECOSTAT Bruessels
Data: Katri Siimes/SYKE

7. Chemical status – Finland (iii)
Natural conditions the reason for mercury exceedings in humic headwaters
Info: Katri Siimes/SYKE
Case mercury (Hg) - Finland:
Hg concentrations in soils and lakes lower in the North (Lapland).
Measured Hg concentrations in surface water (water phase) have been low in areas where no direct point sources are present.
However, organic forms of Hg (e.g. methylmercury) formed from inorganic Hg by microbes in aquatic systems. These more toxic than the inorganic pure element, and also accumulate into biota. The EQS value of Hg set to fish (perch).
Hg concentrations in fish highest in humic headwaters with moist conditions in catchment soils supporting microbial net methylation.
The catchment land-use and forest management after clear cut may have some effect on Hg concentrations in lakes, but the processes rather difficult to quantify without site specific research level data.
A simple grouping model created and used to classify the Hg-status in those water bodies where no measured data existed. The model based on measured data in known water body types. The Hg exceedings estimated to occur in most humic water types.
Extraordinary ECOSTAT meeting, Bruessels ,

8. Thank you marko.jarvinen@ymparisto.fi Tel. +358-400-148758
Extraordinary ECOSTAT meeting, Bruessels ,