The new EC Framework Water Directive: Assessment of the chemical and ecological status of surface waters

The main objective of the draft EC Framework Water Directive is the good qu ality of all surface waters. The directive provides for an assessment of th e chemical status of surface waters (EU-wide valid environmental quality st andards for approximately 30 priority substances) and a five-stage ecologic al classification of waters, comprising the stages high, good, moderate, po or, and bad. The starting point for the assessment are the reference condit ions, which are defined as corresponding to high water quality and characte rising a water status with no significant anthropogenic impact. The referen ce sites in the various water body types are to be selected using hydromorp hological and physico-chemical parameters and subsequently characterised by means of biological parameters. For surface waters, three groups of charac teristics are provided for, namely: 1. with priority the biology - in the case of surface waters with the four elements phytoplankton, macrophyles/phytobenthos, benthic invertebrate faun a, and fish fauna; 2. supporting the hydromorphology, e.g. flowing waters with the three eleme nts hydrological regime, river continuity, and morphological conditions and 3. supporting the physico-chemical conditions with the three elements gener al conditions, specific synthetic pollutants, and specific non synthetic po llutants (other than the priority substances of the chemical status). High water quality (class I) reflects natural conditions totally or nearly totally while good water quality (class II) differs slightly and moderate q uality (class III) differs moderately from the reference conditions. Deviat ing from this definition, the maximum ecological potential is taken as the reference for heavily modified and artificial water bodies, reflecting the status attained following implementation of all practicable measures, and n ot the natural status. To reach the good chemical status the EU will formulate legally-binding env ironmental quality standards (EQS), which ca er all uses and aspects of pro tection. Additionally, EQS are necessary for further relevant substances (s ee 3.) which the member states must derive according to a fixed scheme, in order to archieve a good ecological water quality. The requirements of the Framework Water Directive are covered in Germany as far as the quality complexes hydromorphology and chemistry are concerned. Considerable deficits still exist with regard to the assessment methodology for the biological quality elements. Implementation of the directive shoul d be made as easy as possible in Germany through the development and use of uniform assessment procedures in the large river catchment areas.