Freshwater quality management, monitoring & assessment (Week 8) Flashcards
Users of freshwater sources are
Agriculture
Domestic
Industry
Fisheries
Power
Transport
Recreation
What volume of the worlds water is freshwater
2.5% is freshwater and 70% of it is ice or snow
Why is it important to assess freshwater
Water pollution - includes a wide range of adverse effects on waterbodies attributable to human activities
Pollution affects groundwater, lakes, rivers, estuaries, coastal and marine water
What is point source pollution
Pollution from a single identifiable localized source
What is non - point source pollution
Pollution derived from varied and diffuse sources (runoff)
Sources of freshwater pollution
Municipal (homes & businesses) leaky septic tank
Agriculture - fertilizers, manure, pesticides
Industrial - release of oil, heavy metals
Why does Ireland assess water quality
Legislation compels government to monitor and manage water quality.
EU Water Framework Directive
EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive
EU Nitrates Directive
IPPC Directive
Financial Penalties incurred if EU member states fail to meet environmental protection obligations
What is the Environmental protection agency
EPA are responsible for licensing, enforcing and monitoring the environment including water.
Reports to public and EU on environmental issues
OPW also involved in assessing license applications and water quality monitoring
Whats an IPPC license
Certain industries in Ireland need an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control license that regulates the quantity and nature of pollutants emitted into the environment by the licensee.
Process of granting IPC license
Company applies for planning permission
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) required by local authority
EPA & Local Authority decide if criteria is met and plan wont damage environment
After granting EPA regularly monitor facility ensuring terms are met
Fines? prosecution to company of license breached
How is water pollution controlled in agriculture
The European Nitrates Directive is enforced in Ireland.
Aim to protect waters against agriculture caused pollution (phosphorus, nitrogen)
What is the maximum allowable concentration for nitrate set by the Drinking Water Directive
50 mg/l
What does the EU WFD aim for
Aims to achieve good quality in all waters
Good quality means the biological and/or natural chemical & physical characteristics and chemical status show minor difference to its natural state
What are POMs
Programme of measures that will assist in achieving aims of the WFD.
What are the basic measures in POMs
Based on implementation of existing legislation (Nitrates Directive)
What are the basic measures in POMs
Based on implementation of existing legislation (Nitrates Directive)
What are the Supplementary Measures in POMs
Required where basic measures are unlikely to achieve ‘good status’
Identify & implement at local level
Consider cost - effectiveness and feasibility
What are the tree types of monitoring the WFD identifies
Surveillance Monitoring
Operational Monitoring
Investigative Monitoring
What are physio - chemical parameters of assessing water quality
Measuring concentrations of a wide range of pollutants
Attributes of water itself (pH, O2, etc)
What are the biological parameters of assessing water quality
Abundance of indicator groups
Presence of protected native species
Presence of non - native invasive species
What are the hydromorphology parameters of assessing water quality
Form and structure of water body - water flow and physical characteristics
Give an example of physio-chemical detection of nutrient and organic substance pollutants
Nutrient - Nitrate/phosphate concentration
Organic substance - Dissolved oxygen levels
Give an example of physio-chemical detection of acidic and silt pollutants
Acidic - pH
Silt - Turbidity
Give an example of physio-chemical detection of toxic pollutants
Concentration of compound of interest (heavy metal, hydrocarbon/oil etc.)
