Eutrophication Assessment of Coastal and Marine Waters - … · 2020-03-17 · The Comprehensive...

1NOWPAP Workshop, September 2008, Toyama/Japan

Uli ClaussenFederal Environment Agency

Section„Protection of the Marine Environment“

Eutrophication Assessment of Coastal and Marine Waters

- European Approaches -


Dessausince 2005

German Federal Environment

Agency


What is the problem?

Symptoms and Effects of Eutrophication

Eutrophication is a global problem !!!

Excellerated inputs

Algae blooms: algae overgrow

sea grassDecomposition of

algae: oxygendeficiency

Backstrokeswimmers

Nutrient inputsConversionprocesses

Primary effects

Secondary effects

Consequences


Where are Eutrophication „Playgrounds“?

• International North Sea ConferencesMinisters decided to reduce nutrient inputs into eutrophied areas by 50 % within 10 years (1985 - 1995)

• OSPAR Convention (NE Atlantic)Strategy to Combat Eutrophication in 1997 (no eutrophication by 2010); Recommendations on 50 % reduction targets)、Common Procedure

• HELCOM Convention (Baltic Sea)BSAP 2007 (no eutrophication by 2021), periodic & thematic assessments, Recommendations on nutrient input reductions

• EU legislation (EU Coastal & Marine waters)Nitrates DirectiveUrban Waste Water Treatment DirectiveWater Framework Directive Marine Strategy Framework Directive


Still Eutrophication „Playgrounds“

• BARCELONA Convention (Mediterranean Sea)Aim to reduce eutrophication within Med Action Plan Eutrophication assessment tool TRIX

• ISTANBUL Convention (Black Sea)Cooperation with HELCOM, UNEP & EU on eutrophicationassessment since 2004

• NEEA approach of NOAA (US Waters & POR)NOAA developed an eutrophication assessment tool especially aiming at US estuarine waters

• North West Pacific Action PlanNOWPAP is currently developing and testing an eutrophicationassessment tool (Toyama Bay case study)


What did International North SeaConferences against eutrophication?

The International Conferences on theProtection of the North Sea in 1987 and 1990 agreed on a 50 % reduction of N and P inputs:• Aim to achieve a substantial reduction (of the

order of 50 %) in inputs of P & N into areas where they are likely, directly or indirectly to cause pollution between 1985 and 1995, or earlier if possible

• Take effective national steps to reduce nutrient inputs into areas

What about reductions in nutrient emissions into German Waters?

Nitrogen emissions in t/a

0

200.000

400.000

600.000

800.000

1.000.000

1.200.000

1983-1987 1993-1997 1998-2002 2002-2005

t N /

a

Phosphorus emissions in t/a

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

1983-1987 1993-1997 1998-2002 2002-2005

MWWTPMWWTP

IndustryIndustry

AtmosphericAtmosphericdepositiondeposition

PavedPaved urban urban areasareas

ErosionErosion

SurfaceSurfacerunoffrunoff

DrainageDrainage

GroundwaterGroundwater


What is the EC Water Framework Directive?

New European Water Protection ApproachComplementary use of physico-chemical, hydro-morphological and biological quality elements for:

Prevention of further deterioration, protection and improvement of the status of aquatic ecosystems;reduction of certain hazardous substances and cessation or phasing-out of specific very hazardous substances;achieving and maintaining a good ecological status.

Draft map of RBDs

River Basin Districtsin Europe

• 96 in 23 memberstates

27 international69 national

• 14 in Norway

• 9 in new EC memberstates

River BasinManagement

in Europe

River Basin Districtsin Germany

• 6 international• 4 national

Water Bodies

• Groundwater - 980• Rivers – 8.850• Lakes – 780• Coast - 70

River BasinManagementfor Germany


What are the Biological Quality Elements?

Biological Quality Parameters Elements

Aquatic flora* Composition & abundance

Phytoplankton Composition, abundance & blooms

Benthic invertebrates Composition, abundance, sensitive taxa & diversity

Fish Composition, abundance, sensitive taxa & age structure

* Macrophytes & Phytobenthos

EQR = 1

Poor status

Bad status

High status or reference conditions (RC)

No or very minor deviation from undisturbed conditions

Good statusSlight deviationfrom RC

Moderate status

Moderate deviationfrom RC

EQR = 0

EQR =Observed value

Reference value

How to classify Ecological Status?

EQR = Ecological Quality Ratio

14


The Comprehensive ProcedureEutrophicationProcess


How we defined Eutrophication

Eutrophication means the anthropogenicenrichment of water bodies by nutrientscausing an accelerated growth of algaeand higher forms of plant life to produce an undesirable disturbance to the balance of organisms present in the water and to thequality of the water concerned.


Eutrophication Status of the North Sea(1985-1990)

Source: Nutrient inputs in Convention Area(OSPAR 1992)


How we came to the Assessment Procedure

• First OSPAR eutrophication assessmentprocedure is not comparable between CPs

• Ministers for the Environment agreed on thetask to develop a common harmonisedassessment procedure for eutrophicationassessment in 1993

• Development of the Common Procedurefinalised in 1997

• First application completed in June 2003• Second application completed in June 2008


What are the components of the OSPAR Common Procedure?

Adoption of the two steps of the Common Procedure for the Identification of theEutrophication Status in 1997:First step: Screening Procedure („broad brush“)

to identify obvious non-problem areasSecond step: Comprehensive Procedure providing

the division into three classes:Problem areaPotential problem areaNon-problem area


How is assessment done?

EutroQO = RefCon ± AcDev, i.e.:EutroQO = Eutrophication Quality Objective

(target value)RefCon = Reference conditions (reference

value)AcDev = Acceptable deviation


What is assessed?

The different assessment parameters aredivided into the following categories:• Degree of nutrient enrichment

(inputs and concentrations)• Direct effects (algae blooms, growth of

macrophytes)• Indirect/other possible effects (oxygen deficiency,

kills of benthos & fish)


Which are the OSPAR EutrophicationAssessment Criteria?

Integrated set of obligatory criteria for theassessment of nutrient enrichment and eutrophication effects:• Winter concentrations DIN and DIP• Phytoplankton chlorophyll-a• Phytoplankton indicator species (abundance,

bloom occurence & duration)• Oxygen deficiency and possible consequences

(kills of benthos & fish)


What are the assessed areas?


How does OSPAR classify Eutrophication?

(+) = Increased trends, elevated levels, shifts or changes in the respective assessment parameters in Table 1 (-) = Neither increased trends nor elevated levels nor shifts nor changes in the respective assessment parameters in Table 1 Note: Categories I, II and/or III/IV are scored ‘+’ in cases where one or more of its respective assessment parameters is showing an increased trend, elevated level, shift or change.

Category I Degree of Nutrient

Enrichment

Category II Direct Effects

Category III and IV Indirect Effects/

Other Possible Effects

Classification

+ + and/or + Problem Area - + and/or + Problem Area + - - Potential Problem

Area - - - Non-Problem

Area


Eutrophication Status of the North Sea(1985-1990)

Source: Nutrient inputs in Convention Area(OSPAR 1992)


What is the Eutrophication Status of theNorth Sea in 2007?


How is the Eutrophication Status of theGerman Bight?

3°E 4°E 5°E 6°E 7°E 8°E 9°E53.0°N

53.5°N

54.0°N

54.5°N

55.0°N

55.5°N

56.0°N

PA

PPA

3°E 4°E 5°E 6°E 7°E 8°E 9°E53.0°N

53.5°N

54.0°N

54.5°N

55.0°N

55.5°N

56.0°N

NPA

PA

34.5 summer34.5 winter

>34.5

< 34.5coastal water

EmsWeser

Elbe

Wadden SeaPPA

2003 2008


HELCOM Eutrophication Assessment

• HEAT = HELCOM EutrophicationAssessment Tool

• Based on RefCon and definition of acceptable deviation (AcDev) according to WFD

• Split into 5 classes (high, good, moderate, poor and bad) as WFD

• The “One out, all out” principle is used according to WFD

• Different AcDEv’s can be used, e.g. 15% to 53% deviation from RefCon

• Weighting of parameters possible


Integrated Assessment of theEutrophication Status of the Baltic Sea

Overall objective• Assess the eutrophication status for

the whole Baltic Sea on the basis of a harmonised approach

Additional objectives• Visualise and conceptualise effects &

extent of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea• Describe causes of eutrophication &

quantify nutrient inputs to the Baltic Sea• Assess the effectiveness of already

taken measures in order to indicate:i) to what extent the goals are fulfilled or not, andii) to what extent supplementary measures are required


Overall Conclusions

• In Europe, we try to further harmonise eutrophicationassessment on a regional & pan-European scale;

• Developments are taking place in OSPAR, HELCOM, BARCELONA & ISTANBUL Conventions supervisedby the EU Commission;

• One important aim is compliance with the EC Water Framework Directive;

• NOAA has developed a similiar tool for eutrophicationassessment of estuaries (NEEA; ASSETS);

• HEAT & ASSETS are available on internet for test purposes.


My Recommendations to NOWPAP are

• Consider to prepare a holistic checklist foreutrophication assessment parameters to guideusers in their selection of most indicative ones;

• Aim at a regional approach but achieve a far goingharmonisation to allow for comparable results & reduction efforts;

• Agree what reference conditions should reflect (e.g. undisturbed waters);

• Agree on a procedure to define boundary betweengood and bad (i.e. threshold for action);


My Recommendations to NOWPAP are

• Consider inclusion of additional biological parameterssuch as phytoplankton indicator species (nuisanceand/or toxic), frequency & duration of blooms, massoccurence of macroalgae, depth distribution of eel-grass or kelp);

• Consider whether weighting could be a tool to differentiate between importance of parameters and data quality;

• Consider how to address quality assurance formeasurements including sampling (QA guidelines, GLP etc.).


Thank you for your attention!

„Look – who cares what the nitrate level is?“

Thanks for contributions to:

• J. Andersen, DHI (DK)• V. Mohaupt , K. Blondzik, UBA (D)• U. Brockmann, Uni HH (D)

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