Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2.2 Comparison of Goals of WFD and Natura 2000:
Analogue and Antagonism
2.2.1 Goals of WFD, HD and BD
Goals of WFD are, when focused on the two most stringent ones, preventing further
deterioration of aquatic ecosystems and associated wetlands as well as terrestrial
environments and the enhancement of their ecological quality where a good, or
better, ecological status is not reached at present (Art. 4 WFD).
Setting the reference conditions in conformity with the natural or near natural
state of rivers and lakes, as regards surface waters, requests
of a
great number of river reaches throughout all EU Member States. As a consequence,
many activities covered by current river basin management plans are centred on
river re-naturalisation. This includes not only the river course, which is often far
from natural state due to regulation measures (e.g. straightening the course, cutting
oxbows), but relates also to river bank enforcement (e.g. rip-rap) or groundsills and
any other construction type by which river gradient needs to be attenuated to stop
river bed incision processes. The other aspect of
“
re-regulation
”
'
hydro-morphological
'
impacts
relates to non-natural
flow conditions, e.g. caused by diversion power plants, which
reduce the discharge in affected river reaches to levels below
fl
'
(Gopal
2013
), the amount of water needed to support all aquatic life characteristic
for such a river part.
Ecological parameters are not
'
ecological
fl
ow
the only aspect
in WFD implementation, as
accompanying environmental conditions supporting
must be met,
too. For achieving a good surface water status, a chemical status of at least
'
good ecology
'
,
requiring the compliance with certain environmental quality standards (for details
see Art. 2 N
'
good
'
. 18 WFD).
Another aspect of WFD goals is the relevance given to groundwater, which is a
valuable source for surface waters and associated terrestrial ecosystems (Art. 4 (1)
b) WFD, Art. 2 N
°
. 24 WFD), is also obligatory (Art. 2 N
°
°
. 27 WFD), but by far one of the most important drinking water
resources for humankind. Regarding groundwater, its availability, its quantity (Art.
2N
°
. 26 and 28, and table 2.1.2 Annex V), and its chemical status (Art. 2 N
°
. 25)
are to be observed.
In combination with the intrinsic concept of integrating the river basin into all
considerations on resulting surface and ground water quality this results in a much
wider scope of interpretation of water quality than any other water quality regu-
lation so far developed. However, this implies that land cover and land use aspects
as determinants of water quality meet a level of importance which will result in far
reaching in
uence on future general policies regarding the landscape in total.
Goals of the habitats directive
1992
(HD) are, in a focused view
fl
ensuring bio-
diversity through the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
'
fl
ora
'
in
the EU Member States. To reach these goals a
'
favourable conservation status
'
of
habitats and related species shall be maintained in the context of
'
long-term survival
'
(Art. 1 (e) HD). This implies that ecologically valuable habitats
—
their value based
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