1. Defining Good Ecological Potential : Method used in the UK Niall Jones Hydro-morphology senior advisor Environment Agency

2. Content How we do it Identifying pressures, impacts & mitigation Importance of sector engagement Example: Impoundments for water storage, supply and power generation Benefits & improvements

3. ‘Alternative approach’ – Mitigation measure approach to defining ecological potential. Environmental improvement is the result of the mitigation put in place. Can’t predict biological benefit of mitigation measures Biological assessment methods don’t adequately reflect hydro-morphological pressures Ecological potential is the best we can do for ecology if all practicable mitigation is taken. Ecological Potential Classification: How we do it (1).

4. Use – Pressure – Impact –Mitigation Measure Use based lists of mitigation measure Ports and Harbours Impoundments for water supply & power generation Inland Navigation and recreation Flood management/coastal protection and land drainage Ecological Potential Classification: How we do it (2). Use A Pressure 1 Pressure 2 Impact 1 Impact 2 Impact 3 Mitigation Measure 1 Mitigation Measure 2 Mitigation Measure 3 Mitigation Measure 4

5. Ecological Potential Classification: The importance of sector engagement What we did Engaged on method development and assessments Joint research programmes with sectors British Waterways, Hydropower and Water Industry Workshop/seminar engagement & consultation What we gained from this Impact and mitigation measure lists by ‘use’, Regulator and operator agreement on impacts and mitigation, How operators use the water bodies.

6. Example: Impoundment for water storage, supply & power generation impacts 1.Impact on the movement of fish between habitats important in their lifecycle (1-4) 2.Impacts on downstream river flows (5&6) 3.Impacts on downstream morphology (7&8) 4.Impacts on the downstream water quality (9&10) 5.Level regime management (11&12)

7. Example: Impoundment for water storage, supply & power generation mitigation Fish pass u/s River Reservoird/s River Overflow Freshet release Compensation flow Adapted from SNIFFER WFD29 12. Seasonal water levels 1. Fish passage over impoundment 2. Flows to trigger fish migration 3. Fish entrainment 4. Fish passage to feeder streams 5. Baseline flow regime 6. River engineering 7. River sediment d/s 8. Flows to move sediment d/s 9. River oxygen & 10. Temperature d/s 11. Lake drawdown

8. Overview of decision making process ImpactYes ? Fish movement at dam  Downstream flow regime  Downstream morphology  Downstream water quality  Reservoir margins  ImpactYes ? Mitigation Fish movement at dam  Fish pass Flows for fish passage Fish Entrainment Feeder stream access Downstream flow regime  Baseline flow River engineering Downstream morphology  Sediment management Flows for sediment transport Downstream water quality  Dissolved oxygen Temperature Reservoir margins  Water level rate and range Water level seasonal change ImpactYes ? MitigationIn place? Fish movement at dam  Fish pass  Flows for fish passage  Fish Entrainment  Feeder stream access  Downstream flow regime  Baseline flow  River engineering  Downstream morphology  Sediment management  Flows for sediment transport  Downstream water quality  Dissolved oxygen  Temperature  Reservoir margins  Water level rate and range Water level seasonal change ImpactYes ? MitigationIn place? Fish movement at dam  Fish pass  Flows for fish passage  Fish Entrainment  Feeder stream access  Downstream flow regime  Baseline flow  River engineering  Downstream morphology  Sediment management  Flows for sediment transport  Downstream water quality  Dissolved oxygen  Temperature  Reservoir margins  Water level rate and range Water level seasonal change ImpactYes ? MitigationIn place? Wider Environment? Fish movement at dam  Fish pass  Flows for fish passage  Fish Entrainment  Feeder stream access  Downstream flow regime  Baseline flow  River engineering  Downstream morphology  Sediment management  Flows for sediment transport  Downstream water quality  Dissolved oxygen  Temperature  Reservoir margins  Water level rate and range Water level seasonal change ImpactYes ? MitigationIn place? Wider Environment? Use? Fish movement at dam  Fish pass  Flows for fish passage  Fish Entrainment  Feeder stream access  Downstream flow regime  Baseline flow  River engineering  Downstream morphology  Sediment management  Flows for sediment transport  Downstream water quality  Dissolved oxygen  Temperature  Reservoir margins  Water level rate and range Water level seasonal change ImpactYes ? MitigationIn place? Wider Environment? Use? Fish movement at dam  Fish pass  Flows for fish passage  Fish Entrainment  Feeder stream access  Downstream flow regime  Baseline flow  River engineering  Downstream morphology  Sediment management  Flows for sediment transport  Downstream water quality  Dissolved oxygen  Temperature  Reservoir margins  Water level rate and range Water level seasonal change

9. If all applicable mitigation measures are: Work ongoing to differentiate ecological potential classes Ecological Potential Classification Step 3: Good or Moderate? Good Ecological Potential or better for Hydro- morphological element Moderate Ecological Potential or worse for Hydro- morphological element in place and adequate for all identified impacts not in place or adequate for all identified impacts

10. Benefits of approach Simple & consistent assessment across sectors, Transparent process with clear audit trail of decision making, Regulator and sectors agree links between Pressure – Impact – Mitigation measures, Regulators better understand how operators ‘use’ water bodies Reflects of our current understanding of hydro- morphological impacts on biology.

11. Improvements Work ongoing to differentiate ecological potential classes, Understanding the biological improvement due to mitigation measures, Identifying additional pressures.