German Guidebook on the Implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive

Dr. Harald Irmer

Germany

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 Who is doing what to prepare the implementation?- 16 states- 10 river basin districts with sub-basins- pilot projects (regional scale)- groups to be involved and coordinated

3 Handbook: Assistance for the implementation of the WFD

4 Further actions

The 16 States of Germany

River Basin District in Germany

Implementation of WFD in Germany

1. Federal Goverment - basic law, international cooperation2. States

- execution 3. LAWA (Joint Water Commission of the States)

- coordination between the States 4. Working groups - working out technical standards/documents for

the handbook for technical implementation

Groups to be involved

Conference of Environmental Ministers of the 16 States

Plenary session of the Joint Water Commission of the States (LAWA)

LAWA working groups1. Data and GIS2. Surface waters3. Groundwater4. BAT including sewage treatment5. Legal affairs

10 River Basin Districts (national and international cooperation)

River Basin Management Plan (RBMP)

3 levelsa) whole River Basin District: general planning

and coordinationb) important tributaries: regional planning on

state‘s levelc) small tributaries: working level, detailed local

planning

Result: one RBMP, composed from coordinated regional and local plans

Rhine River Basin District - Planned Working Areas

Proposed Structure for the RBMP Rhein

Part Ageneral, superior side constraints for the whole river basin district

Part Bdetails of RBMP concerning each working area, sum of part B covers the river basin district

Part A and Part B form the Management Plan of the River Basin District

Implementation of WFD

The WFD cannot be applied directly,

it is a „framework“ directive

Preparatory work deals with all technical and scientific questions important for different levels: european

nationalriver basinsub basin

Assistance for the Implementation of the WFD in Germany

handbook using a loose leaf guidance system for updating

4 Parts:1. Introduction and project management plan2. Legal implementation *)3. Guidelines for the technical implementation,

preparatory work and steps towards the RBMP 4. Additional technical papers

*) not part of this presentation

Handbook Part 1: Project Management Plan (PMP)

The whole WFD was analyzed and more than 150 tasks addressed

Tasks of different charactera) important on European levelb) important for Germanyc) important for the river basin districtd) important for a sub-basin

The tasks of a) and b) within the first 5 years where addressed to special working groups

The PMP will be revised acc. to the steps forward

Important tasks/questions

significant anthopogenic pressures on surface waters

quantification of diffuse sources

classification of surface water body types

establishment of reference conditions

methods of analysis and evaluation for each of the biological parameters

monitoring

„heavily modified water body“ delimitation from „normal“ water body

Important tasks/questions

interrelations between surface water body and groundwater, water management measures and technique

economic analysis

public information and consultation

which measure in which case of deficiency is appropriate

extrapolation of measures and quality of a water body

Guideline for Technical Implementation of WFD,preparatory work and steps toward RBMP

Important tasks coming out of WFD were analyzed and described as follows: 1. Reference to the WFD2. Description of the task and correlation to

other tasks3. What is available and need not be worked

work out again4. What has to be done to fulfill the task in detail

- a step by step approach5. Still open

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents

1. Necessary action/work to be completed until 2004 1.1 Surface Waters1.1.1 General description 1.1.2 Classification of surface water body types 1.1.3 Establishment of type-specific reference

conditions for surface water body types 2002

1.1.4 Establishment of significant anthropogenic pressures Jan.02

1.1.5 Assessing the impact of pressures 2002

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents

1.2 Groundwater 1.2.1 Initial characterization

1.2.2 Detailed description1.2.3 Assessing the impact of human activities on

groundwater

1.3 Protected areas

1.4 Economic analysis of water use Jan.02

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents

2. Necessary action/work to be completed until 2006

2.1 Monitoring and presentation of surface water status ()

2.2 Monitoring and presentation of the status of groundwater ()

2.3 Additional monitoring requirements for surface waters in protected areas 2002

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents

3. Environmental objectives based on article 4 for- surface water bodies- groundwater- protected areas, especially in cases of

article 4, § 3,4,5 and 6

4. Public information and consultation (Art. 14)

Public Information and Consultation

Objectives:

Creation of confidence between planner and public

Development of problem- consciousness for the participation in the planning process

Joint aims and measures and improvement of public acceptance

Information about common targets and measures

Mobilization of active support

Public Information and Consultation Implementation:

– schedule of WFD lays down only minimum activities in public information and consultation

– public participation has to be practised in different levels (regional, local)

– consultation-date necessary– continuous process (initial planning process, up

to date activities, implementation)– close to the people– open-result process, continuity– use modern information instruments

Handbook Part 4: Working papers on specific topics

1) When is a pressure and anthropogenic impact significant for the status of a body of surface water?

2) Significant quantitative water abstraction from surface waters

3) Significant elements in water flow regulation, including water transfers, in the case of surface waters

4) When is a morphological alteration in a body of surface water significant to its status review?

5) List of „other significant anthropogenic impacts on the status of surface waters“

Handbook Part 4: Working papers on specific topics

6) Estimation and extrapolation of the identified pressures on the quality of surface water

7) Requirements for designation as heavily modified and artificial bodies of water

8) Other working papers on

the compiling of protected area registers

the development of programmes to monitor bodies of water

criteria for excemptions

basic maps

averaging/trend reversal in groundwater sector

reference conditions for water body types

Conclusions

Handbook should

combine all articles and annexes

lead to a logical step by step approach

be understood easily

describe all tasks which are a must for the RBMP

Conclusions

The draft of the handbook will be discussed with experts from all levels and pilot projects in Germany and abroad to exchange experience.

The guidance documents of EC-expert groups will be incorporated.

The next edition of the handbook will be available in Jan. 2002.