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ANNEX 7: SURFACE WATER MORPHOLOGICAL CONDITION LIMITS - PROPOSED CONDITION LIMITS FOR TRANSITIONAL AND COASTAL WATERS
1. To determine the relative hazard posed to:
(i) the morphological characteristics of the intertidal zone of a transitional water or coastal water;
(ii) the morphological characteristics of the subtidal zone of a transitional water or coastal water; or
(iii) the characteristics of the hydrodynamic zone of a transitional water or coastal water
by the different morphological alterations specified in Table B below, SEPA shall classify the transitional water or part thereof, or the coastal water or part thereof, as being of the Type specified in column 1 in Table A below which corresponds to the applicable descriptions specified in columns 2 to 5 of that Table.
2. For the purposes of paragraph 3 below, SEPA shall determine the scale of each of the applicable alterations listed in column 1 of Table B below using the corresponding measure specified in column 2 of that Table.
3. SEPA shall assign the relative hazard score for each applicable alteration specified in Column 1 of Table C, Column 1 of Table D and Column 1 of Table E corresponding to the Type listed in column 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 of Tables C, D and E into which the transitional water or part, or coastal water or part, has been classified in accordance with paragraph 1 above.
4. Where a range is given for a relative hazard score in Table C, D or E below, SEPA shall assign a score which falls within the applicable range and, which in the opinion of SEPA, reflects the severity of the alteration to, as relevant, the intertidal zone, sub-tidal zone or hydrodynamic zone of the transitional water or coastal water.
5. SEPA shall calculate the morphological condition values for the intertidal zone, the subtidal zone and the hydrodynamic zone of the transitional water or part thereof, or of a coastal water or part thereof, in accordance with the formulae-
And
respectively, where:
"A" = the hazard score for the intertidal zone for each applicable alteration in accordance with Table C;
"B" = the scale of each applicable alteration as measured in accordance with Column 2 of Table B;
"C" = the area of the intertidal zone in km 2 of the transitional water or part, or coastal water or part, being assessed;
"D" = the area of the subtidal zone in km 2 of the transitional water or part, or coastal water or part, being assessed;
"E" = the hazard score for the subtidal zone for each applicable alteration in accordance with Table D;
"F" = the area of the upper surface of the hydrodynamic zone in km 2 in the transitional water or part, or coastal water or part, being assessed;
"G" = the hazard score for the hydrodynamic zone for each applicable alteration in accordance with Table E; and
"n" is the number of different alterations listed in Table B applicable to the transitional water or part, or coastal water or part, being assessed.
6. SEPA shall compare the morphological condition values for the intertidal, sub-tidal and hydrodynamic zones of a transitional water or part thereof, or of a coastal water or part thereof, calculated in accordance with paragraph 4 above, with the corresponding morphological condition limits for "high", "good", "moderate" and "poor" specified in Columns 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively of Table F below.
Table A: Types to which the morphological condition limits for transitional waters and coastal waters apply
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 |
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Type | General characteristics | Annual mean salinity | Substrate | Fetch to the coastline of a coastal water or a transitional water or part thereof |
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T(1) | Sea loch | < 30 | any | any |
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C(1) | Sea loch | > 30 | any | any |
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T(2) | Lagoon | < 30 | any | any |
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C(2) | Lagoon | > 30 | any | any |
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T(3) | Estuary | < 30 | any | any |
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C(3) | Coastal waters other than those in types C(1) and C(2) | > 30 | = 50 % exposed bedrock | > 10 km |
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C(4) | Coastal waters other than those in types C(1) and C(2) | > 30 | < 50 % exposed bedrock | < 10 km |
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C(5) | Coastal waters other than those in types C(1) and C(2) | > 30 | < 50 % exposed bedrock | > 10 km |
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Table B: Morphological alterations to which the morphological condition limits for transitional waters and coastal waters apply
Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|
Morphological alteration | Measure used to define the scale of alteration |
1. In-filling by any means of a part of a transitional water or a part of a coastal water with the effect of extending the adjacent terrestrial land surface into the area previously occupied by the transitional water or coastal water. | Area in-filled in km 2 |
2. Reduction in the length of a transitional water channel. | Length of channel lost due to the alteration in km |
3. Removal or displacement of bed material such as bedrock, boulders, gravel, sand, silt, mud or any mixture thereof from the bed of a transitional water or coastal water | Area of bed from which sediment is removed in km 2 |
4. Depositing of any material containing bedrock, boulders, gravel, sand, silt, mud or any mixture thereof on the bed of a transitional water or coastal water other than as part of alteration 1, 5, 6 or 7. | Area of bed covered by deposited material in km 2 |
5. Any structure on the bed of a transitional water or coastal water that extends from the shoreline into the transitional water or coastal water other than an outfall, pipe, cable or part of a structure referred to in alteration 1, 6 or 7. | Area of structure in km 2 |
6. Any structure which: (i) is suspended above the surface of a transitional water or coastal water between foundation structures on the bed of the transitional water or coastal water; and (ii) extends from the shoreline out into the transitional water or coastal water. | Area of suspended structure above surface of transitional or coastal water in km 2 |
7. Reinforcement of the shoreline using materials other than soft sediments, geotextiles or vegetation placed at or below mean high water springs other than as part of alteration 1 | Length of reinforcement in km |
8. Any artificial wall, artificial earth bank or other artificial structure which: (a) is on land = 10 metres inland from the landward extent that mean high water spring tides would have reached in the absence of alteration 7; and (b) limits the extent of inundation of land that would occur during flooding events in the absence of the structure. | Length of artificial structure in km |
Notes to Table B
Where it considers that:
(i) shoreline reinforcement using soft sediments, geotextiles or vegetation placed at or below mean high water springs; or
(ii) an alteration falling under alteration 5 or 6 above that impounds water or partly or completely curtails water exchange between opposite sides of the structure
poses a significant risk (on its own or in combination with other alterations) to the ecological quality of a coastal water, transitional water or part thereof, SEPA may:
(a) identify an appropriate hazard score for that alteration which, in its judgement, reflects the relative hazard posed by the alteration, taking account of the transitional water or coastal water type concerned and relevant scientific advice; and
(b) include consideration of the alteration in calculating the morphological condition values for the water or part in accordance with paragraph 5
Table C: Relative hazard posed to the intertidal zone of transitional waters or coastal waters by different morphological alterations
Morpho-logical alteration (i) | Transitional water types and coastal water types to which the morphological conditions limits apply |
|---|
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 | Column 7 | Column 8 | Column 9 |
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Type T(1) | Type C(1) | Type T(2) | Type C(2) | Type T(3) | Type C(3) | Type C(4) | Type C(5) |
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1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.33 | 0.58 | 0.08 |
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2 | 0.42 | n/a | 0.25 | n/a | 0.25 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
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3 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.13 -0.33 |
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4 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.13 |
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5 | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.31 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
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6 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.25 | 0.42 | 0.08 |
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7 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0 |
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8 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.17 | 0.25 | 0.08 |
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Note to Table C:
(i)The morphological alterations listed in Column 1 of Table C refer to the morphological alterations identified in accordance with Table B.
Table D: Relative hazard posed to the subtidal zone of transitional waters aor coastal waters by different morphological alterations
Morpho-logical alteration (i) | Transitional water types and coastal water types to which the morphological conditions limits apply |
|---|
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 | Column 7 | Column 8 | Column 9 |
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Type T(1) | Type C(1) | Type T(2) | Type C(2) | Type T(3) | Type C(3) | Type C(4) | Type C(5) |
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1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.29 | 0.33 | 0.42 | 0.08 |
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2 | 0.42 | n/a | 0.25 | n/a | 0..25 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
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3 | 0.19 - 0.5 | 0.19 - 0.5 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.25 - 0.67 | 0.19 - 0.5 | 0.31 - 0.83 | 0.06 - 0.17 | 0.13 -0.33 |
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4 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.31 | 0.06 | 0.13 |
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5 | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.31 | 0.44 | 0.13 |
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6 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.21 | 0.25 | 0.33 | 0.08 |
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7 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0 |
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8 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.21 | 0.08 |
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Note to Table D:
(i)The morphological alterations listed in Column 1 of Table D refer to the morphological alterations identified in accordance with Table B.
Table E: Relative hazard posed by to the characteristics of the hydrodynamic zone by different morphological alterations
Morpho-logical alteration (i) | Transitional water types and coastal water types to which the morphological conditions limits apply |
|---|
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 | Column 7 | Column 8 | Column 9 |
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Type T(1) | Type C(1) | Type T(2) | Type C(2) | Type T(3) | Type C(3) | Type C(4) | Type C(5) |
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1 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
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2 | 0.13 | n/a | 0.06 | n/a | 0.06 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
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3 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 |
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4 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 |
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5 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.09 |
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6 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
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7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Note to Table E:
(i)The morphological alterations listed in Column 1 of Table E refer to the morphological alterations identified in accordance with Table B.
Table F: Morphological condition limits for transitional waters and coastal waters
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 |
|---|
| High | Good | Moderate | Poor |
Intertidal zone | 0.05 | 0.15 | 0.30 | 0.45 |
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Subtidal zone | 0.05 | 0.15 | 0.30 | 0.45 |
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Hydrodynamic zone | 0.05 | 0.15 | 0.30 | 0.45 |
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New definitions
"Intertidal zone" means that part of the bed and shore of transitional waters and coastal waters which is submerged at mean high water spring tides but not at mean low water spring tides.
"Subtidal zone" means that part of the bed of transitional waters and coastal waters that is submerged at mean low water spring tides.
"Hydrodynamic zone" means the water column in transitional waters or coastal waters in which sediment is transported as a result of tidal flows and meteorological forces.
"Shoreline" means the zone demarking the transition between the terrestrial environment and coastal water or transitional water and comprising the intertidal zone and any land immediately adjacent to the intertidal zone which significantly affects the ecological quality of the intertidal zone.
"Sea loch" means a sea inlet which has a length from its head at mean high water spring tides to its seaward mouth longer than its width; is entered by the tide on each cycle; and was created by glacial action.
"Lagoon" means a body of water partially separated from its adjacent estuary or coastal water by a barrier of sand, other sediment or rocks which retains all or most of its water mass during periods of low tide in the adjacent estuary or coastal water but has persistent natural water exchange between with the adjacent estuary or coastal water by percolation through or overtopping of the barrier or through inlet/outflow channels.
"Fetch" means the distance the wind can blow across a water surface without crossing land.
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