Water Framework Directive

An Introduction

• David Whiles

Anglian River Basin Manager

Outline

• The Water Framework Directive• Our River Basin District Plan• Environmental objectives• Timetable and outputs• Consultation

The Water Framework Directive

Integrated management of river basins to:

• prevent deterioration and enhance the status of the water environment, including ground water

• promote sustainable water use • reduce pollution• contribute to mitigating the effects of

floods and droughts

For Anglian, this could mean:

• Coastline:– Improving the quality of

our estuaries and coastal waters.

For Anglian, this could mean:

• Diffuse pollution:– Reducing the impact agriculture,

roads and railways have on water quality.

For Anglian, this could mean:

• Drought/floods

For Anglian, this could mean:

• New development– New homes– related

infrastructure

For Anglian, this could mean:

• Managing our water resources sustainably:– water efficiency– increasing demand– protection of the

environment

River basins

River basin planning boundaries:

11 River Basin Districts in

England and Wales

Anglian RBD

• Covers most of the East of England Region

• Part of South East Region

• Part of East Midlands Region

Achieving our aims:

the River Basin Management Plan

• Strategic regional plan for water• Lists the environmental objectives for each water

body• Includes summary of Programmes of Measures• Statutory: must be approved by Secretary of State

Environmental Objectives

Surface water Objectives

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MODERATE

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BAD

No or minimal

{

Slight {Moderate {Major {Severe {

HIGH

• Ecological status• Chemical status

Risk Category No of WBs % of WBs

UnclassifiedUnclassified 1166 15.0

High RiskHigh Risk 358 4.6

Moderate RiskModerate Risk 1861 23.9

Low RiskLow Risk 3009 38.6

No RiskNo Risk 1393 17.9

e.g. Risk to rivers from diffuse phosphorus

River Basin Characterisation 1

Environmental Objectives Ground water Objectives

Gro

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• Chemical status• Quantitative status

Current assessed risks

Number nationallyat Risk

Number in AnglianRBD at Risk

Rivers 92.7% 97.7%

Lakes 84.0% 86.1%

Transistional waters 98.5% 100.0%

Coastal 84.8% 69.2%

Ground 75.3% 87.9%

Programmes of measuresScale Example

UK Whole territory ordevolved administrations

Statutory provisions, Policies (CAP)and Strategies (water companyinvestment plans)

River Basin District(includes ALL POMs)

Regional / Local Spatial PlanningPolicies

Sub Basin/Waterbody(catchment or group ofcatchments)

Abstraction plans (CAMS); catchmenttargeted agri-environment schemes

Waterbody (catchment orsub-catchment)

Farm Pollution Prevention Campaigns

Part of waterbody (e.g.stretch)

River restoration schemes; industrialdischarges

River basin management stages

River basin management stages

Consultation

• Involvement of interested parties is key to success:

- Agency cannot implement plans alone

- Co-deliverers must work together

- We need buy-in by all affected• We are setting up Liaison Panels of

co-deliverers in each River Basin District

• We will engage interested parties at different levels

To support river basin planning we need to:

Ensure public access to

background information

To support river basin planning we need to:

Ensure consultation in the planning process

To support river basin planning we need to:

Encourage active

involvement of interested

parties in all aspects of

implementation

Engagement

• Regional Assemblies• Regional Development

Agencies• Local Authorities• Natural England

Partnership• Environmental NGOs• Farming• Business and industry

• Ports

• Broads Authority

• Consumers

• Internal Drainage Boards

• Extraction and minerals

• Angling / fishing

• Environment Agency

Formation of the RBD Liaison Panel in July 2006.

Membership will be drawn from:

Next steps

• Preparation of a timetable and programme for consultation– 6 month consultation from December 2006

• Commencement of revised monitoring programme– December 2006

• Development of a summary of significant water management issues– 6 month consultation from summer 2007