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Water Framework Directive: Characterisation

Article 5 of the EC Water Framework Directive requires

  • Identification of water bodies and their physical characteristics
  • Assessment of pressures and impacts on rivers, lochs, estuaries, coasts, groundwaters and wetlands
  • An economic analysis of water use

Summaries of the work undertaken in accordance with Article 5 of the WFD have now been submitted by the UK Government to the European Commission.

All waters (fresh, ground, coastal and transitional) are divided into units called “water bodies”. Characterisation is the process of identifying the type, and all significant pressures on every water body. The impact of these pressures on the ecological, chemical and hydrological quality of each water body are assessed.

Where the pressures are found not to meet good status, or that it may not be of this quality in 2015 unless action is taken, then it is deemed to be “at risk”. It is important that good status is equivalently interpreted by all member states.

An intercalibration exercise for some biological elements is underway and is due to be completed in 2006. Until this is completed, Member States must make assumptions about the probable level of good status so that water bodies “at risk” of not reaching good status can be identified for characterisation purposes.

The economic analysis of water use will help identify the most cost-effective programme of measures for achieving the environmental objectives of the Directive. It will also assist in justifying reasons for achievement of environmental objectives within a longer time frame or having less rigid objectives because of disproportionate costs. Current work being undertaken (led by Defra) is detailed in a separate section on economics.

An initial assessment against protected area objectives has also been undertaken for the Article 5 analysis. Protected areas are defined as comprising all areas “designated as requiring special protection under specific Community legislation for the protection of their surface water or groundwater or for the conservation of habitats and species directly depending upon water”. This includes bathing waters, Natura 2000 sites and drinking water sources.

A summary of the article 5 risk assessment results for England and Wales, together with method statements for the characterisation assessments and further background information is available at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wfd

The next phase of characterisation (2005-2007) will lead to further refinement of the risk assessment as new data and monitoring increases our certainty as to what the key pressures are on water bodies. A second formal phase of characterisation will take place in 2013 and every six years after so that the risk assessments are current and the programmes of measures they inform the most cost-effective.

As such, the proportion of water bodies identified as being “at risk” may increase or decrease during 2005-2007. Further important water bodies may also be identified and characterised as data gaps are filled and other datasets, such as those held by third parties, are utilised. Some water bodies may also be merged or sub-divided to improve the management of their water status.

This continued refinement should lead to greater certainty as to what the real risks are of not meeting good status by 2015 and enable the monitoring programmes and the programmes of measures (the measures required to ensure that good status is met) to be correctly targeted and be as cost-effective as possible. The UK administrations responsible for implementing the WFD have issued a note on the next steps of characterisation.

See also

Page last modified: 23 March 2005
Page published: 23 March 2001