1. Progress Report Working Group A Ecological Status Intercalibration (1) & Harmonisation (3) Activities Presented by Anna-Stiina Heiskanen EC Joint Research Centre Institute for Environment and Sustainability Ispra, Italy
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

2. Intercalibration register
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

3. v Technical Report on Intercalibration network
Composition and consistency
Contents on the metadata
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

4. Composition of the network:
- Are there sufficient number of sites per category & type?
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

5. WFD Annex V, (v)
For each surface water body type selected, the network shall consist of at least 2 sites corresponding to the boundary between the normative definitions of H-G status, and at least 2 sites corresponding to the boundary between the normative definitions of G-M status.
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

6. Number of sites in Common Types
Rivers 
Coastal
waters
Transitional
waters 
Lakes 
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

7. Consistency of the network:
- Do the selected sites fulfill the agreed type criteria?
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

8. Criteria for evaluation of consistency of the network (with common type criteria)
Numeric type parameters outside the agreed ranges, regardless of the extent of the deviation
Categorical type parameters (e.g. mixing intensity) not matching the agreed value or description
For those sites, which had gaps in reported typology parameters, the consistency with the type description could not be checked i.e., all outliers could not be revealed
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

9. Sites with outlying type parameters
23%
36% *
* As status in Nov. 04
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

10. Consistency of network
In most cases (ca 400 sites) type parameters deviated only little (1-2 fold or by one class)
Coastal sites deviated most from agreed type characteristics (ca 60% of sites, by several parameters)
Case-by-case checking of comparability of sites allocated to same types in GIGs
Re-defining common types in the course of intercalibration
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

11. Availability of data from IC sites
Benthic invertebrates:
Moderate data availability
Fish:
Mostly little data available
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

12. Conclusions
Mostly sufficient number of sites (acc. to minimun criteria, if common type properly defined)
Consistency with agreed criteria for common types relatively good, but requires checking during the intercalibration exercise
Lack of data for many biological QE
Network is a good starting point for the intercalibration exercise, and will be iteratively assessed during the process
Thanks for all the MS experts providing data
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

13. Progress in Intercalibration
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

14. GIG Milestone 3: Feb-Mar 2005
GIG milestone 3 – Progress report (through GIG questionnaire):
First report of boundary setting protocol (including principles to set reference conditions)
Overview of data requirements
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

15. WG A meeting March 2005 WG A meeting in March 2005:
Evaluation of Consistency between GIGs -> in prep.
Agreement on boundary setting protocols -> discussion
- Agreement on data requirements -> discussion
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

16. Progress in GIG work
Process following the agreed timetable => MI3 reported in March
Most MS are involved in process
Problems with resources
GIGs collect data & work on consistent definitions of boundaries
Strong focus on selected QE
limited intercalibration in
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

17. Phyto-benthos, Diatoms
RIVER-GIGS: Quality elements in focus (Green – yes, now; yellow – yes, later)
Macro-invertebrates
Phyto-benthos, Diatoms
Macro-phytes
Fish
Northern X
Central/ Baltic
Alpine
Mediterranean
Eastern Continental     

18. WGL & IC steering group activities
Summary of MI3 report in prep.
Intercalibration CIRCA established to facilitate GIGs information exchange1
Paper on reporting & public availability of IC data & reports in prep.
Specific technical guidance on Boundary Setting Process and outline of IC report in prep. 1)
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

19. Monitoring and Harmonisation activity (3)
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

20. Comments on final draft received Report will be finalised in May 2005
Harmonisation of
Freshwater Biological Methods
Compiled by A.C. Cardoso, A. Solimini, and G. Premazzi (EC-JRC) with contributions by S. Birk, T. Rafael, P. Hale, L. Serrano
Comments on final draft received
Report will be finalised in May 2005
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

21. CONTENTS
Overview and Comparison of current national, ISO and CEN methods
Evaluation of the usefulness of existing methods in relation to the WFD
Evaluation of the applicability of current methods & metrics as ‘common metrics’ for the intercalibration exercise
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

22. Planned Activities
Continue to monitor development of WFD compliant methodologies for ecological assessment and report regularly
Identify areas of ecological research relevant to the implementation of the WFD and ensure dissemination and, where appropriate, initiate standardization
Need of guidance/ discussion on planning of the biological monitoring programs will be discussed at the next WGA meeting (WGL will draft paper)
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005

23. Expected Overall Progress
Next GIG reporting MI4 in September
Status in BSP, incl. Ref. Conditions
WGA meeting in October 13-14
First outline of IC report
Summaries of status of GIG progress
Several GIGs meetings & all Coastal and Lakes Expert meetings expected in summer & early autumn
WFD CIS Strategic Coord. Group, 19 May 2005