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

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

Marieke van NoodWFD Team, DG ENV.D.2, European Commission

Overview presentation

WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (2000/60/EC)

• Main WFD objectives

• Specific links WFD - hydropower

• Implementation in practice

• Conclusions

Main WFD objectives

Slide 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

Diversity of uses, aspirations, pressures and impacts

Nature protection

Industry

Tourism

Waste Water

Agriculture

Navigation & hydropower

Drinking water

Flood protection

Slide 7

Transposition into national law Dec 2003Administrative arrangements Dec 2003Environmental analysis:

Analysis of characteristicsAssessment of human impacts

Economic analysis of water use Dec 2004 Monitoring programmes Dec 2006Public Participation starts Dec 2006Significant water management issues Dec 2007Draft river basin management plans Dec 2008Final river basin management plans Dec 2009Measure to be applicable at the latest Dec 2012Implementation, adjustment 2015 till

2027

WFD Timetable

Slide 8

Principles1-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

River Basin Management Plans

WFD and hydropower

Slide 10

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 11

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

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

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

Good examples and guidance

Good examples and guidance exist

WFD:• Guidance on application of exemptionshttp://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 outcomeshttp://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/

implementation_conventio/workshop_hydropower/hydro-morphology/_EN_1.0_&a=d

16

EC Guidance documents Natura2000

+ important guidance on compensation (Art. 6 (4)

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

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:

[email protected]

Thank you very much!