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ANNEX G: SUMMARY OF CLASSIFICATION PROCESS FOR SURFACE WATER BODIES DESIGNATED AS HEAVILY MODIFIED OR ARTIFICIAL
SEPA must classify the ecological potential of surface water bodies designated as heavily modified or artificial in accordance with the following steps:
1. Applying the spatial criteria, determine the values for the appropriate indicators of the condition of the relevant biological, chemical, physicochemical, hydrological and morphological quality elements from monitoring or modelling results. The appropriate indicators shall include:
(i) indicators of the biological 7 quality element or elements expected to be most sensitive to any pressures likely to be significant enough to cause a failure of a standard applicable to such elements;
(ii) indicators of the hydrological and morphological quality elements expected to be most sensitive to any pressures likely to be significant enough to cause a failure of a standard or condition limit applicable to such elements;
(iii) the concentrations of any pollutants likely to be in the water body in quantities that could cause a failure of a chemical standard applicable to such pollutants; and
(iv) the values for any physicochemical quality elements likely to be so altered by human activity as to be failing a physicochemical standard applicable to such elements.
2. Classify the condition of the biological; chemical, physicochemical; hydrological and morphological quality elements by comparing the values of the indicators determined from monitoring or modelling with the standards and condition limits that Ministers have directed SEPA to use.
3. Determine whether or not all practicable mitigation has been taken to improve the modified or artificial physical characteristics of the body other than mitigation which would have a significant adverse impact on (a) the use served by the modified or artificial characteristics or (b) the wider environment.
4. Classify as 'good or maximum ecological potential' if all applicable mitigation measures have been taken and:
(i) none of the pressures, if any, to which the water body is subject (other than the modified physical characteristics) are determined to be significant enough to cause a failure of an applicable standard or condition limit; or
(ii) the estimated values of the appropriate indicators of the biological, chemical and physicochemical quality elements achieve the standards identified for 'high' or 'good'. For this purpose, the appropriate indicators of the biological quality elements shall not include those expected to fail a standard for good ecological status because of the effects of the body's modified or artificial physical characteristics.
5. Classify as 'moderate ecological potential' if one or more of the following apply and, where one or more applies, no other results are worse:
(i) not all applicable mitigation measures have been taken but none of the appropriate indicators of the hydrological or morphological quality elements fails a standard or condition limit for 'moderate' or 'poor';
(ii) one or more of the appropriate indicators of the chemical or physicochemical quality elements fails a standard for 'good'; or
(iii) one or more of the appropriate indicators of the biological quality elements fails a standard for 'good'.
6. Classify as 'poor ecological potential' if one or more of the following apply and, where one or more applies, no other results are worse:
(i) not all applicable mitigation measures have been taken and one or more of the appropriate indicators of the hydrological or morphological quality elements fails a standard or condition limit for 'moderate'; or
(ii) one or more of the appropriate indicators of the biological quality elements fails a standard for 'moderate'.
7. Classify as 'bad ecological potential' if one or more of the following apply:
(i) not all applicable mitigation measures have been taken and one or more of the appropriate indicators of the hydrological or morphological quality elements fails a standard or condition limit for 'poor'; or
(ii) one or more of the appropriate indicators of the biological quality elements fails a standard for 'poor'.
SEPA must classify the chemical status of surface water bodies designated as heavily modified or artificial in accordance with the steps described in Annex D for classifying the chemical status of other surface water bodies.
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