Page 36 - Freshwater-Biology-and-Ecology-Handbook

CHAPTER 1 2.1 – 2.2 2

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS

OF THE EU WFD

2.1 Role of monitoring programmes

Environmental monitoring programmes are developed to If decisions are taken on the basis of unreliable monitoring
provide targeted information to assess overall status or information, then expensive mistakes may be made, and
potential, to identify where environmental quality objectives unnecessary regulatory pressure applied to the users and
are not being met, to help identify the causes and the communities within the catchment.
measures needed to be taken to meet those objectives,
and to measure progress in meeting the objectives. To help with this, status classifications are accompanied
by measures of confidence of class. This is combined with
The level of monitoring must reflect the pressures and risks other information, including the accuracy of monitoring, to
in a river basin and be focussed on providing the level of provide an estimate of the weight of evidence.
certainty needed to make appropriate decisions.

Long-list of measures;
Identifying River Basin District; Defining ‘initial’ and ‘final’ Cost effectiveness analysis;
Forming working groups; (biological and chemical) Final list of measures and a regulatory
Timetable and work programme objectives for each water body framework including cost recovery

Draft RBMP for public
consultation, followed
Environmental Objectives by final RBMP

River Basin River Basin Significant Water Programme River Basin
District Characterisation Management Issues of Measures Management Plan
Report

Description of the district Monitoring
category, class and type of
ground/surface water bodies;
Description of pressures and
impacts; The main water A programme for operational,
Economic analysis of water management issues surveillance and investigative Stage involves
use; Risk analysis in the district monitoring:
chemical and biological, classification
ground and surface water

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Repeat on a 6-year cycle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Figure 1.5
The influence of status classification on the stages of river basin management planning for WFD. Based on a slide by Kees Blok

36 | Freshwater Biology and Ecology Handbook
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