Environment

Water

WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE

This Directive seeks to resolve some of the conflicting approaches and implementation problems of previous water Directives. There will be an integrated approach to the protection, improvement and sustainable use of Europe’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and ground waters.

The Directive will be implemented through an “environmental objective” and “a river basin management planning system”.

The environmental objective expands on previous legislation to protect the water environment and water uses from pollution. Ecological objectives will be introduced to protect and where necessary restore the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems.

Surface water bodies must meet “good” ecological status and “good” chemical status by 2015. Groundwater must meet “good” chemical status and “heavily modified water bodies” must achieve “good ecological potential” by the same date. In addition there must be no deterioration from sites currently at or above “good” status.

Integrated management of the water environment will be applied through a “river basin management system”. There are four elements to this process:

Characterisation and assessment of impacts on river basin districts
Environmental monitoring
Setting of environmental objectives

Design and implementation of programmes of measures needed to achieve the environmental objectives

Guidelines For Construction of Swales For Water Quality Improvement and Flow Attenuation of Lightly Contaminated Runoff From Poultry Farms (Poultry example)
www.ehsni.gov.uk/pubs/publications/swaleguid.pdf

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