Pilot River Basin Network

Pilot River Basin Network

In support of the Water Framework Directive (Joint Research Centre of the European Commission - Ispra)

General Introduction

The implementation of a Common Strategy for the WFD started with the development of Guidance Documents. Due to the wide range of activities, scope and specific objectives covered, as well as individual testing of techniques proposed by the working groups in charge of this development, the guidance methodologies will need to be validated in order to ensure that they are applicable and practical across the widest possible range of conditions (climatic, technical and political) found in the Member States of the EU and Candidate Countries. 

Objective

The objective is to ensure coherence amongst the different guidance documents and their cross applicability by testing the guidance documents in selected Pilot River Basins. To achieve these objectives, a Network of Pilot River Basins and associated coastal zones (where applicable) has been identified, that are considered to represent a range of problems and conditions characteristic of those to be found in the application of the different guidelines. The Network of identified sites will be used for testing and cross-validation of proposed WG guidelines.

Expected outcome

The scheme will generate helpful feedback for the different Guidance Documents, as well as provide overall guidance in demonstrating important links between the different Guidance Documents and giving instructions on their efficient integrated application. An EU-wide testing network could, if monitored over time, provide valuable comparative information on environmental trends resulting from the application of the WFD itself.

Lead

The Working group 2B, along with institutions in the selected Pilot River Basins, leads the testing exercise (see figure above). JRC-IES is responsible for a technical Secretariat that aims to ensure:

• the practical day-to-day functioning of the project, information exchange, and support activities
• that identified tasks carried out by the different groups involved are feasible and coherent with the objectives of the project
• that the selected Pilot River Basins have comparable technical support to carry out their studies
• to ensure efficient inter-comparison analysis between studies.

Participants

The participants are the network of Lead countries for the different guidance documents, plus participants from local and regional water management administrations in the Pilot River Basins, including NGOs and stakeholders. The network is made up of a central core composed by JRC-IES and the Lead countries for the different guidance documents, and is subdivided into river basins.

Objectives

The objectives of the integrated testing are set around two phases:

Phase 1a
Focus on testing of Key Issues related to the reporting commitments on Article 5; setting-up of an on-line dynamic feedback and information exchange; and identify new Issues as the testing process evolves and additional cross cutting problems appear.

The time frame of Phase 1a runs until the third quarter of 2003, concentrating primarily on issues in the Guidance Documents related to the reporting commitments on Article 5, due March 2005. A list of general and specific Key Issues reported in Annex 1 of the Terms of Reference (ToR) has been developed in collaboration with the different WG leaders. The information acquired during this phase should flow among the different PRBs concerning experience on how Key Issues will be addressed, but also between PRB and WG leaders on the interpretation, implementation, checking for coherence, etc. of specific technical issues of the GDs. Furthermore, this information will be made available to the river basins involved in the “regular” implementation of the WFD, so that they can benefit from the pilot testing experience. The end product will be a document based on the elaboration of the reports dealing with the Key Issues addressed during the testing phase.

Phase 1b
Testing of the guidance documents not previously tested in Phase 1a (to be run in parallel with Phase 1a). Continuation of information exchange. During Phase 1b the work will concentrate on the Guidance Documents not included in Phase 1a. This work will run in parallel with Phase 1a. However, it will extend until mid-2004. The simultaneous testing to be done in Phases 1a and b will allow an integrated testing of all GDs. The reporting will also be based on the list of general and specific Key Issues reported in the Annex 1 of the Terms of Reference that was developed in collaboration with the different WG leaders. A similar approach will be used to ensure the flow of information between PRBs and WG leaders.

Phase 2
The further development of  integrated testing to contribute to producing a Program of Measures and a River Basin Management Plan. The work envisaged during this Phase was initiated during the second half of 2004.