Table 1: Environmental standards - supporting elements listed in the WFD *
( bold - included in phase 1) |
|---|
Surface Water |
1 - Chemical and physico-chemical elements |
Rivers | Thermal conditions |
Oxygenation conditions (dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand) |
Salinity |
Acidification status (pH) |
Nutrient conditions ( phosphorus, other nutrients) |
Lochs | Transparency |
Thermal conditions |
Oxygenation conditions (dissolved oxygen) |
Salinity |
Acidification status (Acid Neutralising Capacity) |
Nutrient conditions (phosphorus, other nutrients) |
Transitional and coastal waters # | Transparency |
Thermal conditions |
Oxygenation conditions (dissolved oxygen) |
Salinity |
Nutrient conditions (nitrogen, other nutrients) |
2 - Hydrological elements |
Rivers | Quantity and dynamics of water flow ( change from natural flow conditions, compensation flows) |
Connection to groundwater body |
Lochs | Quantity and dynamics of water flow (change in natural outflow) |
Residence time |
Connection to groundwater body |
Transitional and coastal waters # (tidal regime) | Freshwater flow [transitional waters only] |
Wave exposure |
Direction of dominant currents [coastal waters only] |
3 - Morphological elements |
Rivers | River depth and width variation | As decision-supporting framework |
Structure and substrate of the river bed |
Structure of the riparian zone |
Lochs | Loch depth variation | As decision-supporting framework |
Quantity, structure and substrate of the loch bed |
Structure of the loch shore |
Transitional and coastal waters # | Depth variation | As decision-supporting framework |
Quantity, structure and substrate of the bed |
Structure of the intertidal zone |
4 - Chemical pollutants |
All surface water bodies | Pollution by all priority substances † |
Pollution by other substances identified as being discharged in significant quantities into the body of water ["specific pollutants"] ‡ |
Artificial and Heavily Modified water bodies |
Quality elements applicable to whichever of the four natural surface water categories most closely resembles the AWB or HMWB concerned. |
Ground Water |
1 - Quantitative status |
Groundwater level regime |
1 - Chemical status |
Conductivity |
Concentrations of pollutants |
* Annex V of the WFD lists biological elements for each group of water bodies (rivers, lochs, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwaters), and describes the elements in this table as supporting those biological elements in each case.
A statement on how suspended solids will be managed under WFD is anticipated to be included in the next UKTAG technical review on standards and conditions for surface waters.
# Listed separately in the WFD - grouped here for simplicity
† Standards to be developed by the European Commission for use in all Member States
‡ Not all specific pollutants will be included in phase 2. |