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 cooperation 2. 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 groups 1. Data and GIS 2. Surface waters 3. Groundwater 4. BAT including sewage treatment 5. Legal affairs 10 River Basin Districts (national and international cooperation)

River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) 3 levels a) whole River Basin District: general planning and coordination b) important tributaries: regional planning on state‘s level c) 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 A general, superior side constraints for the whole river basin district Part B details 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 national river basin sub 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 plan 2. 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 character a) important on European level b) important for Germany c) important for the river basin district d) 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 WFD 2. Description of the task and correlation to other tasks 3. What is available and need not be worked work out again 4. What has to be done to fulfill the task in detail - a step by step approach 5. Still open

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents 1. Necessary action/work to be completed until Surface Waters 1.1.1General description  1.1.2Classification of surface water body types  1.1.3Establishment of type-specific reference conditions for surface water body types Establishment of significant anthropogenic pressures Jan Assessing the impact of pressures 2002

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents 1.2 Groundwater  1.2.1Initial characterization Detailed description Assessing the impact of human activities on groundwater 1.3 Protected areas  1.4Economic analysis of water use Jan.02

Protected Areas Mapping of protected areas (acc. WFD): –abstraction of water –economically important species –nutrient-sensitive / sensitive areas, vulnerable zones –protection of species and habitats –designated bathing waters

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents 2.Necessary action/work to be completed until 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 areas2002

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 3: Table of Contents 5. Necessary action/work to be completed until Analysis and presentation of the results of the monitoring programmes 5.2Deficit analysis of objectives 5.3Plan of measures 5.4Register of any detailed programmes and mangement plans for river basin districts

Handbook Part 3: Table of Contents 5.5 Summary of public information and consultation measures 5.6 Records concering costs to be recovered for water services 5.7Summary of all activities and results in the management plan for the RBD

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