1. HYDROMORPHOLGY WORKSHOP
CIS ECOSTAT
HYDROMORPHOLGY WORKSHOP
12th and 13th June 2012
SESSION D: ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS
PRESENTATIONS
Proposal for an EU conceptual framework for environmental flows
Assessing river flows, state of play in Spain
Minimum flows and hydropeaking, state of play in France
Minimum flows and hydropeaking, state of play in Austria
Minimum flows and hydropeaking, state of play in Norway
Implementing environmental flows, taking account of the impact on use

2. REVIEW OF THE STATE OF PLAY.
CONCEPT
Breakout groups
Eflow definition is important for establishing the baseline.
Trends should go from fix flows to components,
Eflows should be dynamic
Floods have to be adequately considered
Eflows need to be clearly related to ecosystem quality
Eflows paper
The concept and definitions of environmental flows (general definition based in bibliography)
Implicit eflow definition for the GES
Why a flow regime? Environmental Flow Components
4.2. Eflows to achieve WFD objectives (GES, GEP, PA, Groundwater)

3. ASPECTS RELATED TO DEFINITION
Breakout groups
Eflows should ensure fish migration, incl. downstream
Ecosystem services and values should be adequately valuated
Sediments is an open issue
Eflows paper
“…eflows should ensure GES indicators”. Connectivity!
Cost effectiveness of eflows. “Many environmental flow benefits have often been ignored in benefit-cost analyses and planning processes are difficult to quantify precisely”
Sediments: we are working this issue for the next version

4. METHODS
Breakout groups
Different approaches can be used (hydrological, habitat modeling, holistic).
Reliable datasets are a constraint for the selection of the methods
Combined use of modeling approaches
Use a rationale approach, risk based (and do modeling where necessary)
Eflows paper
3.1. Methodologies and fundamentals
3.3. Implementation of methods
The choice of the right assessment method
A phased hierarchical approach in the implementation of methods
A three-level assessment framework

5. IMPLEMENTING EFLOWS
Breakout groups
First define eflows and afterwards discuss with users
Assessment process is different from implementation process
Eflows paper
Eflows in Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB)
Environmental flows are useful and necessary in the process of identifying and designating HMWB (based in WFD CIS).
“…evaluate possible significant adverse effects on the specified uses”

6. KNOWLEDGE
Breakout groups
Knowledge exchange should be promoted and facilitated
Economic constraints of current EU budgets to deliver all expected research and improvements