The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments The Water Framework Directive was transposed into law in EU Member States at the end of 2003. Nearly two.

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

The Water Framework Directive was The Water Framework Directive was transposed into law in EU Member transposed into law in EU Member

States at the end of 2003. States at the end of 2003.

Nearly two years on, do we understand Nearly two years on, do we understand the implications for sediment the implications for sediment

management?management?

Presentation by Jan BrookePresentation by Jan Brooke

2828thth September 2005 September 2005

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Scope of presentationScope of presentation

• WFD objectivesWFD objectives• Natural role of sediments in coastal and Natural role of sediments in coastal and

estuarine watersestuarine waters• Sediments and characterisationSediments and characterisation

• Sediments in River Basin Management Sediments in River Basin Management PlansPlans

• Article 16 (priority substances and priority Article 16 (priority substances and priority hazardous substances)hazardous substances)

• Practical implicationsPractical implications

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Introduction to the WFDIntroduction to the WFD

• Important, far-reaching legislation: ambitious Important, far-reaching legislation: ambitious in scope and programmein scope and programme

• New integrated approach to water protection, New integrated approach to water protection, improvement and sustainable useimprovement and sustainable use

• Applies to Applies to allall water bodies, including rivers, water bodies, including rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters, and man-lakes, estuaries, coastal waters, and man-

made water bodies (eg. docks, canals)made water bodies (eg. docks, canals)

• Various potential implications for sediment Various potential implications for sediment management management

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

WFD environmental objectivesWFD environmental objectives

• Sustainable water managementSustainable water management

• Prevent deterioration in status* Prevent deterioration in status*

• Restore to good status* by 2015Restore to good status* by 2015

• Reduce pollution from priority substances Reduce pollution from priority substances and phase out emissions, discharges, etc. and phase out emissions, discharges, etc.

of priority hazardous substancesof priority hazardous substances

• Achieve objectives for EU protected areas Achieve objectives for EU protected areas

* a measure of chemical and ecological quality* a measure of chemical and ecological quality

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Environmental targetsEnvironmental targets

WFD introduces status classes: WFD introduces status classes: high, good, moderate, poor and badhigh, good, moderate, poor and bad

Surface water bodies must achieve Surface water bodies must achieve • good ecologicalgood ecological status (GES) status (GES)

oror• if designated as a Heavily Modified or if designated as a Heavily Modified or

Artificial Water Body, good ecological Artificial Water Body, good ecological potential (GEP)potential (GEP)

andand• good chemicalgood chemical status status

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

HIGHHIGH

GOODGOOD

MODERATEMODERATE

POORPOOR

BADBAD

ECOLOGICALECOLOGICAL

STATUSSTATUS

No orvery minor{

Slight{

Moderate{

Major {

Severe {

Pre

ven

t d

ete

rio

rati

on

Restore

Ecological Status Explained

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

WFD timetableWFD timetable

• By end 2004: characterisation and risk By end 2004: characterisation and risk assessmentassessment

• By end 2006: monitoring in placeBy end 2006: monitoring in place• By end 2007: significant water By end 2007: significant water

management issuesmanagement issues• By end 2008: draft River Basin By end 2008: draft River Basin

Management Plans (RBMP)Management Plans (RBMP)• By end 2009: final RBMPsBy end 2009: final RBMPs

• By end 2012: measures in placeBy end 2012: measures in place• By end 2015: good status achievedBy end 2015: good status achieved

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

WFD coastal and estuarine watersWFD coastal and estuarine waters

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Natural role of sediment in coastal and Natural role of sediment in coastal and estuarine watersestuarine waters

• Important part of natural ecosystemImportant part of natural ecosystem• Diversity of habitatsDiversity of habitats

• Variation in suspended sediment levels Variation in suspended sediment levels (background; in storm conditions)(background; in storm conditions)

• Supply to intertidal areasSupply to intertidal areas• Problem of ‘coastal squeeze’Problem of ‘coastal squeeze’

• Protected sites under EU Birds and Protected sites under EU Birds and Habitats DirectivesHabitats Directives

• Sediment management as mitigation and Sediment management as mitigation and compensation requirementcompensation requirement

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Sediments and characterisationSediments and characterisation

• Lack of reference to sediments in WFDLack of reference to sediments in WFD

• Materials in suspension listed as Materials in suspension listed as contaminantcontaminant

• England and Wales: sediment in run off England and Wales: sediment in run off from agricultural land from agricultural land

• No consideration of sediment in coastal No consideration of sediment in coastal and estuarine watersand estuarine waters

• Hydromorphological pressures include Hydromorphological pressures include navigation dredging and disposal of navigation dredging and disposal of

dredged materialdredged material

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

England and Wales: initial risk England and Wales: initial risk assessmentassessment

At risk or ‘probably at risk’ of failing to meet At risk or ‘probably at risk’ of failing to meet good status due to physical modificationgood status due to physical modification

• 87% estuarine area87% estuarine area

• 91% coastal water area91% coastal water area

At risk or ‘probably at risk’ of failing to meet At risk or ‘probably at risk’ of failing to meet good status due to TBT contaminationgood status due to TBT contamination

• 31% estuarine area31% estuarine area

• 15% coastal water area 15% coastal water area

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

‘‘At risk’ water bodiesAt risk’ water bodies

• Subject to ‘refinement’ exercise Subject to ‘refinement’ exercise

• May meet criteria for heavily modified or May meet criteria for heavily modified or artificial water body designation artificial water body designation

• Subject to monitoring requirements Subject to monitoring requirements

• ‘‘Programmes of measures’ required to Programmes of measures’ required to protect and/or improve water statusprotect and/or improve water status

• Implications for management of water Implications for management of water body and activities affecting it body and activities affecting it

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Sediments in River Basin Management Sediments in River Basin Management PlansPlans

• Statutory plansStatutory plans

• Will cover all water bodies, including Will cover all water bodies, including coastal waters out to a minimum of one coastal waters out to a minimum of one

nautical milenautical mile

• Will define the ‘measures’ required to Will define the ‘measures’ required to meet WFD objectivesmeet WFD objectives

• Will provide the mechanism whereby Will provide the mechanism whereby future water use and activities affecting future water use and activities affecting

water will be managedwater will be managed

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

WFD programmes of measuresWFD programmes of measures

• Protection and restoration measuresProtection and restoration measures• Informed by characterisation and Informed by characterisation and

monitoring results monitoring results • May be national, regional or localMay be national, regional or local• May be statutory or non-statutoryMay be statutory or non-statutory

• Potential to affect sediment managementPotential to affect sediment management• To be in place by 2012 To be in place by 2012

• Ecological and chemical objectives to be Ecological and chemical objectives to be achieved by 2015achieved by 2015

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

ExemptionsExemptions

• Economics has an important role in WFDEconomics has an important role in WFD

• Not intended to achieve objectives ‘at any Not intended to achieve objectives ‘at any cost’cost’

• Programmes of measures must be cost-Programmes of measures must be cost-effectiveeffective

• Less stringent targets or extended Less stringent targets or extended deadlines may be set for specific bodies of deadlines may be set for specific bodies of

water where the achievement of the water where the achievement of the required quality is otherwise not feasible required quality is otherwise not feasible

or is disproportionately expensive or is disproportionately expensive

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Article 16Article 16

• Article 16 requires measures to reduce Article 16 requires measures to reduce discharges, emissions and losses of discharges, emissions and losses of

priority substances and to phase out same priority substances and to phase out same for priority hazardous substancesfor priority hazardous substances

• To be implemented via proposed daughter To be implemented via proposed daughter DirectiveDirective

• Mandatory environmental quality Mandatory environmental quality standards (EQS) to be considered for standards (EQS) to be considered for

water, sediments and biota water, sediments and biota

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Current situationCurrent situation

• Daughter Directive not expected before Daughter Directive not expected before October or November 2005October or November 2005

• Sediment EQSs unlikelySediment EQSs unlikely

• Concerns about science used to derive water Concerns about science used to derive water column standards (eg. suspended solids column standards (eg. suspended solids

concentration assumed low; bioavailability of concentration assumed low; bioavailability of adsorbed contaminants not taken into adsorbed contaminants not taken into

account) account)

• If daughter Directive not agreed by end 2006, If daughter Directive not agreed by end 2006, Member States to develop own standardsMember States to develop own standards

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Sediment management issuesSediment management issues

• Contamination may be historic rather than Contamination may be historic rather than current sourcecurrent source

• Particular concern over standards for TBT Particular concern over standards for TBT as proposed in 2004 as proposed in 2004

• Possibility of failure of whole water sample Possibility of failure of whole water sample (but often no significant environmental (but often no significant environmental

effects)effects)

• Other important questions (eg. definition of Other important questions (eg. definition of ‘loss to system’)‘loss to system’)

• Implications for dredging and disposal?Implications for dredging and disposal?

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Practical implications Practical implications

• Possibility of constraints on sediment Possibility of constraints on sediment management activities such as dredging management activities such as dredging

and disposal (eg. dredging technique, and disposal (eg. dredging technique, overflow mechanisms, aquatic disposal)overflow mechanisms, aquatic disposal)

• Likelihood of increased costs (participation, Likelihood of increased costs (participation, enforcement, data collection, enforcement, data collection,

investigations, mitigation measures, etc.)investigations, mitigation measures, etc.)

• Delays and uncertaintiesDelays and uncertainties

• Potential for conflict with EU Birds and Potential for conflict with EU Birds and Habitats DirectivesHabitats Directives

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Conclusions (1)Conclusions (1)

Q: Two years into WFD implementation, are Q: Two years into WFD implementation, are we any the wiser about its possible we any the wiser about its possible

implications for sediment management?implications for sediment management?

A: Probably not!A: Probably not!

But ………But ………

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

Conclusions (2)Conclusions (2)

• WFD has potentially significant implications WFD has potentially significant implications for sediments and sediment managementfor sediments and sediment management

• Need to ensure sediment issues are properly Need to ensure sediment issues are properly considered in both characterisation process considered in both characterisation process

and River Basin Management Planning and River Basin Management Planning

• Article 16 draft daughter Directive still under Article 16 draft daughter Directive still under discussiondiscussion

• Vital to ensure that decisions are well-Vital to ensure that decisions are well-informed and scientifically robust informed and scientifically robust

The EU Water Framework Directive and Sediments

What can we do?What can we do?

• Actively participate in WFD implementation Actively participate in WFD implementation • Engage with those responsible for WFD Engage with those responsible for WFD

implementationimplementation• Ensure that there are no misunderstandingsEnsure that there are no misunderstandings• Highlight the rigorous investigations already Highlight the rigorous investigations already

required as prerequisite to most sediment required as prerequisite to most sediment management initiatives management initiatives

• Provide data to inform WFD decision making Provide data to inform WFD decision making • Demonstrate that sediment management Demonstrate that sediment management

can have environmental as well as can have environmental as well as economic benefits economic benefits