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Water Framework Directive - a framework for Community action in the field of water policy

Water Framework Directive - a framework for Community action in the field of water policy Marieke van Nood WFD Team, DG ENV.D.2, European Commission. Overview presentation. WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (2000/60/EC) Main WFD objectives Specific links WFD - hydropower

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Water Framework Directive - a framework for Community action in the field of water policy

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  1. Water Framework Directive - a framework for Community action in the field of water policy Marieke van Nood WFD Team, DG ENV.D.2, European Commission

  2. Overview presentation • WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (2000/60/EC) • Main WFD objectives • Specific links WFD - hydropower • Implementation in practice • Conclusions

  3. Main WFD objectives

  4. WFD – general principles Protecting all water bodies, including transitional waters and coastal waters. Covering all impacts on waters. Achievement of good status in all water bodies and no deterioration of status. Good status: Ecological status Chemical status Quantitative status Water quality defined in terms of biology, chemistry and morphology Attention paid to socio-economic impacts, e.g. through a process of duly justified exemptions Slide 4

  5. Diversity of uses, aspirations, pressures and impacts Tourism Nature protection Agriculture Flood protection Industry Waste Water Drinking water Navigation & hydropower

  6. Transposition into national law Dec 2003 Administrative arrangements Dec 2003 Environmental analysis: Analysis of characteristics Assessment of human impacts Economic analysis of water use Dec 2004 Monitoring programmes Dec 2006 Public Participation starts Dec 2006 Significant water management issues Dec 2007 Draft river basin management plans Dec 2008 Final river basin management plans Dec 2009 Measure to be applicable at the latest Dec 2012 Implementation, adjustment 2015 till 2027 WFD Timetable Slide 7

  7. River Basin Management Plans Principles 1-flexibility in WFD objective setting 2-integration with other policies 3-consider a wide range of measures 4-transparency in decision making 5-6 year cyclic approach

  8. WFD and hydropower

  9. Heavily modified water bodies • In case changes to the hydromorphological characteristics of that body which would be necessary for achieving good ecological status would have significant adverse effects on (e.g.) power generation, and • In case the beneficial objectives served by the artificial or modified characteristics of the water body cannot, for reasons of technical feasibility or disproportionate costs, reasonably be achieved by other means, which are a significantly better environmental option: • A water body can be designated as heavily modified and good ecological potential can be achieved instead of GES. Slide 10

  10. Exemptions • Time derogation (art 4.4) • Phased implementation to 2021 or even 2027 depending on technical feasibility and disproportionate costs • Lowered objectives (art 4.5) • Depending on technical infeasibility, disproportionate costs and/or natural condition • New modifications for sustainable human developments or physical alterations of surface water bodies, or alteration level of ground waters (art 4.7) • Benefits overriding public interest, consideration of alternatives – better environmental option Slide 11

  11. New modifications • WFD allows for deterioration by new modifications under strict conditions: • No better environmental options • Project is of overriding public interest/outweighing water protection benefits • All mitigation measures are taken • Project and reasons are reported in RBM Plan • Other water bodies are not impacted/other objectives not impaired • Often related to Habitats Directive Article 6.3

  12. New modifications • What do we expect in plans: • Assessment of project on all biological quality elements • Use WFD monitoring data and/or expert judgement • Assess alternatives and describe whether there are no better environmental options (e.g. type of measure, location of measure) • Describe overriding public interest/comparison to foregone water protection benefits • Describe assessment of mitigation measures • -> Article 4.7 assessment in early stage

  13. Good examples and guidance

  14. Good examples and guidance exist • WFD: • Guidance on application of exemptions • http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/guidance_documents&vm=detailed&sb=Title • Guidance on pressures from navigation, hydropower, flood protection • http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/thematic_documents/hydromorphology&vm=detailed&sb=Title and • CIS workshop outcomes • http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/implementation_conventio/workshop_hydropower/hydro-morphology/_EN_1.0_&a=d

  15. EC Guidance documents Natura2000 + important guidance on compensation (Art. 6 (4) 16

  16. How to integrate both • Early consideration of requirements WFD (&Habitats directive) • - Planning at river basin level, for e.g. consideration of alternatives • - Exchange information about mitigation measures • - Early involvement stakeholders and public

  17. More information • Water Information System for Europe: www.water.europa.eu • DG ENV webpages: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water • WFD - Circa webpage:http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive&vm=detailed&sb=Title • Or contact us: • Marieke.van-nood@ec.europa.eu • Thank you very much!

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