1. WG C – Groundwater Activity WGC-3 Integrated Risk Assessment and Management
Wouter GEVAERTS
Thomas TRACK
Dietmar MÜLLER

2. Activity WGC-3 (IRAM) OBJECTIVES (Lisbon 2007)
Improved & Integrated Risk Assessment for Groundwater at River Basin Level
Update of characterisation under Art. 5 of the WFD (until 2013)
Supporting River Basin Management Planning (2nd cycle)
Adaptive management
‘lessons learnt’ by implementing the WFD during the last years!

3. Available: Structure proposals Conceptual models Risk Assessment
Activity WGC-3 (IRAM)
Available: Structure proposals
Conceptual models
Risk Assessment
Risk Management

4. Activity WGC-3 (IRAM) AIM & SCOPE
Conceptual models
Sound system understanding
Understanding of impacts and measures
Risk Assessment
Generic elements, specific WFD-implementation
Reviewing risk assessment approaches
Refining procedures (including monitoring results)
Risk Management
Reducing risks, feasible measures at proportionate costs
Balancing cost-benefit-aspects
Public acceptance

5. Suggestion for a guidance structure
CONCEPTUAL MODEL
Suggestion for a guidance structure
1 Introduction
2 Definitions
3 Basic CM procedure
4 Aims
4.1 Questions to be answered by a CM
4.2 Spatial & temporal scale
4.3 Processes to be considered
5 Data
5.1 Data needs
5.2 (existing) Data review
5.3 Data collection/acquisition
6 Conceptual model set-up
6.1 Groundwater
6.2 Interaction unsaturated zone & surface water
6.3 Affecting drivers, pressures, mechanisms
7 Validation of CM
8 Application of CM
8.1 CM in risk assessment
8.2 CM in risk management

6. 4 Review of Environ-mental Impacts
Risk Assessment
Guidance structure
1 Aim and Scope
2 Generic elements
relation to RM
Source-pathway-receptor
overview data needs
Extent of impact
Probability of occurrence
acceptability and tolerability
3 Groundwater RA
4 Review of Environ-mental Impacts
Quality & quantity
Surface water correlation
Relevant contaminants, transformation & transp.
extent/significance of impacts
Uncertainties
Conceptual Model
Sampling and analysis
Confidence levels

7. 5 Resources, services and uses
Risk Assessment
Guidance structure
5 Resources, services and uses
Relevant receptors
GW-body management objectives
6 Revision Art. 5 reports
7 Risk Characterisation
Status & trend assessment
Objectives vs. impacts
rough options of measures
Inventory & Comparison existing approaches
IMPRESS Guidance
groundwater RA (WG C workshop report 2004)
(Art. 5 reports)
how to include considerations on monitoring and status assessment
examples risk/exposure assessment models

8. 3 Risk characterisation
Risk Management
Guidance structure
1 Aim and Scope
2 General framework
relation to RA; analysis & translation of knowledge (and “non-knowledge”)
Informed evaluation of risks& generating options
evaluation
Options, economic impacts
public participation, decisions and implementation
monitoring & feedback
3 Risk characterisation
Collecting, reviewing & summarizing
Gaps by 2015
risk reduction options
recharge zone
reactive zone
towards the receptor
Combined strategies
Confidence & uncertainties

9. Guidance structure 6 PoM (measures) 7 Review RBMP Risk Management
4 Preparing decisions
effectiveness, efficiency
secondary impacts
legal requirements
stakeholder consultation
Evaluation and selection
5 Draft management plans
status compliance assessment
measures
cost-benefit analysis
public participation
6 PoM (measures)
Basic measures
Additional measures
monitoring
feedback to planning
adaptive management approaches
7 Review RBMP
Rework RBMP by 2013
Adapting during 2nd cycle

10. DG Leader meeting WG C-3 in Mechelen, 9/10 July 2008
Activity WGC-3 (IRAM)
DG Leader meeting WG C-3 in Mechelen, 9/10 July 2008
discussion of merging the 3 lines of action into 1 document
discussion of working mode and further procedure

11. Risk Management (techn. report)
Activity WGC-3 (IRAM)
2009 focused effort on
Risk Assessment and
Conceptual Modeling (preferred!)
Risk Management (techn. report)
as a separate working issue for 2010
specific topic on cost-benefit-analysis

12. Meetings Activity WGC-3 (IRAM) 2 Activity meetings
February: Drafting Group meeting (Vienna)
early autumn
2 meetings in parallel to WG C plenary (28.04 Prague, November Sweden)
 draft “integrated risk assessment and adaptive management“ approved by end of the year

13. Questions to the Paris WG C plenary :
Activity WGC-3 (IRAM)
Questions to the Paris WG C plenary :
agreement on the proposed change of scope
agreement on revising the work plan
WG C members interested to participate on Act. 3 for working on Risk Assessment and Conceptual Modeling by 2009 

14. WG C – Groundwater Activity WGC-3 Integrated Risk Assessment and Management
THANKS!