1. Comparison of Environmental Quality Objectives, Threshold Values or Water Quality Targets under the WFD
Jens Arle, Ulrich Claussen & Patrick Müller
Federal Environment Agency, Section for the Protection of the Marine Environment

2. Introduction Legislative Background (WFD)
Fundamental change from pollution control to ensuring ecosystem integrity
Aim of the activity
Evaluation and comparison of limit values for physical and chemical elements set by EU Member States under the WFD

3. Methods Data of HTML Factsheets of 18Member States
Provided during official WISE reporting (March 2010)
Analysis and visual comparison

4. Challenges of the data analyses
Heterogeneous nomenclature of variables (e.g. QE SecchiDepth (m) vs. QE3-1-1-Transparency (m)),
Different expressions of variables (e.g. QE DissolvedOxygenConcentration (mg l-1) & QE OxygenSaturationPercentage (%)),
Different methodologies for variables (e.g. QE BOD5 (mg l-1) & QE3-1-3-BOD7 (mg l-1))),
Different statistical expressions (mean, median, percentiles, others or none)
Limited Comparability

5. Supportive physical and chemical elements for different surface water categories
Supportive physical and chemical variable
Rivers & Streams
Lakes
Transitional waters
Coastal waters
QE3-1-6-TotalPhosphorus (mg l-1) 16 13 4 5
QE3-1-6-TotalNitrogen (mg l-1) 8 7 6
QE3-1-3-DissolvedOxygenConcentration (mg l-1) 11
QE3-1-5-pH 14 3 2
QE3-1-6-Nitrate (mg l-1)
QE3-1-6-Orthophosphate (mg l-1)
QE3-1-6-TotalAmmonium (mg l-1) 12
QE3-1-3-OxygenSaturationPercentage (%)
QE3-1-1-SecchiDepth (m)
QE3-1-3-BOD5 (mg l-1) 1
QE3-1-2-Water temperature (°C)
QE3-1-6-Nitrite (mg l-1)
QE3-1-4-Chloride (mg l-1)

6. Total Phosphorous in Rivers (mg l-1)
FI EE LV UK LT CZ NL FR DE SK PL BE RO ES BG IE SE AT

7. Total Nitrogen in Rivers (mg l-1)
FI ES EE LV LT NL SK PL FR DE CZ UK RO SE BG IE BE AT

8. Dissolved Oxygen in Rivers (mg l-1)
AT CZ SK RO LT DE FR BE LV PL FI EE BG UK ES SE NL IE

9. Total Phosphorous in Lakes (mg l-1)
FR FI LV EE LT UK DE AT ES BG NL RO SE PL IE SK BE CZ

10. Total Nitrogen in Lakes (mg l-1)
FI LV LT EE BG NL FR AT ES UK DE RO SE PL IE SK BE CZ

11. Secchi Depth/Transparency in Lakes (m)
AT ES EE FR LV NL SE LT BG UK DE RO FI PL IE SK BE CZ

12. Total Phosphorous in coastal and transitional waters (mg l-1)
FI DE PL EE
DE BG PL FI

13. Total Nitrogen in coastal and transitional waters (mg l-1)
FR EE DE PL FI
DE PL BG

14. Orthophosphate coastal and transitional waters (mg l-1)
DE PL RO FR
DE RO BG PL

15. Summary
Significant number of variables used for the description of good/moderate boundaries of water bodies ecological status
Need for additional information (e.g. on typology) to arrive at an improved comparison

16. Resulting Questions
What are reasons for significant differences in Good-Moderate Boundaries between MS? 
The analysis might emphasise a need for comparison of typologies across the EU, which is essential for an adequate comparative analysis of Good-Moderate Boundaries of physical and chemical elements among MS.
What methodologies have MSs used to derive their standards?

17. Thank you for your attention!