Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Developing environmental standards for abstractions from UK rivers to implement the EU Water Framework Directive / Développement de standards environnementaux sur les prélèvements d'eau en rivière au Royaume Uni pour la mise en œuvre de la directive cadre sur l'eau de l'Union Européenne

Acreman, Mike; Dunbar, Michael; Hannaford, Jamie; Mountford, Owen; Wood, Paul; Holmes, Nigel; Cowx, Ian; Noble, Richard; Extence, Chris; Aldrick, John; King, Jackie; Black, Andrew; Crookall, David

Authors

Mike Acreman

Michael Dunbar

Jamie Hannaford

Owen Mountford

Paul Wood

Nigel Holmes

Chris Extence

John Aldrick

Jackie King

Andrew Black

David Crookall



Abstract

Under the European Union Water Framework Directive, Member States must put in place a river basin planning framework to determine what measures are necessary to maintain and improve the ecological status for all surface water bodies. The governmental organisations legally responsible for implementing the Directive in the UK have recognised that an appropriate river flow regime is fundamental to maintain a healthy river and, as a result, they need to regulate abstractions and effluent discharges and ensure sufficient water is released from impoundments. This paper reports on the process of producing environmental standards that define the maximum abstraction allowable from UK rivers, to leave sufficient flow to maintain a healthy river ecosystem. As there are currently insufficient data available to determine the relationships between river flow and ecological status empirically, expert knowledge was captured through a series of workshops at which leading UK freshwater scientists defined maximum levels of river flow regime alteration that would achieve ecological objectives for different river water body types. For the least ecologically sensitive rivers, maximum abstractions in the range 15-35% of the natural flow were proposed, depending on the flow magnitude and time of year. For the most sensitive rivers, the maximum abstraction proposed was in the range 7.5-25%. The knowledge was used by the responsible UK authorities to develop environmental standards. The authorities subsequently used the environmental standards to determine regulatory standards that could be implemented within practical constraints and current licensing policies. Copyright © 2008 IAHS Press.

Citation

Acreman, M., Dunbar, M., Hannaford, J., Mountford, O., Wood, P., Holmes, N., Cowx, I., Noble, R., Extence, C., Aldrick, J., King, J., Black, A., & Crookall, D. (2008). Developing environmental standards for abstractions from UK rivers to implement the EU Water Framework Directive / Développement de standards environnementaux sur les prélèvements d'eau en rivière au Royaume Uni pour la mise en œuvre de la directive cadre sur l'eau de l'Union Européenne. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 53(6), 1105-1120. https://doi.org/10.1623/hysj.53.6.1105

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Dec 31, 2008
Online Publication Date Feb 18, 2010
Publication Date 2008-11
Journal HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL-JOURNAL DES SCIENCES HYDROLOGIQUES
Print ISSN 0262-6667
Publisher Taylor and Francis
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 53
Issue 6
Pages 1105-1120
DOI https://doi.org/10.1623/hysj.53.6.1105
Keywords Water Science and Technology
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/396100
Publisher URL https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1623/hysj.53.6.1105