WFD Flashcards

1
Q

What year was the WFD adopted by the EU?

A

2000

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2
Q

What year did the WFD come in to effect in Ireland?

A

2003 by the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003.

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3
Q

Why is the WFD unique?

A

It takes a holistic approach to waterbodies in general. Considering water quality and how the quality of water affects wildlife and their habitats

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4
Q

What was the first wave of European legislation for water resources?

A

1-1970’s, directives for abstraction of drinking water, fishing waters, shellfish waters, bathing waters and groundwater’s.

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5
Q

What was the second wave of European legislation for water resources?

A

2-1990’s -
- Urban wastewater treatment
- New drinking water quality directive
-Nitrates directive- Directive for integrated pollution and prevention control.

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6
Q

What was the third wave of European legislation for water resources?

A

3-2000’s
Water Framework Directive

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7
Q

List 3 aims of the WFD

A
  • Achieving ‘good status’ for all waters by a set deadline.
    -Water management based on river basins
    -Streamlining legislation.
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8
Q

Name 3 other directives the WFD is linked to.

A

1-Directive for surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water.
2-Directive for quality required of shellfish waters.
3-Directive for protection of groundwater against pollution caused by certain dangerous substances.

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9
Q

How many RBDs on the island of Ireland?

A

8

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10
Q

How many RBD’s in ROI?

A

4

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11
Q

How many catchment management units?

A

46

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12
Q

What are the three quality elements used to classify ecological status?

A

-Biological elements
-Chemical and physio chemical elements
-Hydromorphological elements.

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13
Q

How many classification categories are there for ecological status?

A

5- High, Good, Moderate, Poor, Bad

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14
Q

How many classifications are there for chemical status?

A

Two- Good/Fail

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15
Q

What is the purpose of the classification step?

A

To identify those water bodies at risk of not meeting the directives Goof ecological quality status by 2015.

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16
Q

What is the purpose of environmental objectives?

A

To prevent deterioration or decline in high status waters.
To restore good status in declining quality trends
Reduce chemical pollution.

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17
Q

What is the purpose of the programme of measures?

A

To classify waters(High-Poor)
To review existing discharge licenses to ensure compliance with the new standards.
To reduce/ phase out emission of priority substances.

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18
Q

Name and describe 3 regulations in the programme of measures.

A

1-Nitrates directive - objective of reducing water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources and prevent further such pollution.
2-Domestic Waste-water treatment systems- operation and maintenance of domestic waste-water treatment systems, required owners to register their DWWTS and carry out ongoing maintenance and desludging.
3-Urban waste water Treatment- requirements with respect to the collection,treatment, and the discharge of urban wastewater.

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19
Q

Why did Ireland receive a strongly worded letter from the European Commission in 2010?

A

Not meeting requirements

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20
Q

Ñame 3 significant pressures in the Western River Basin District.

A

Agriculture
Forestry
Aquaculture

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21
Q

What is a water management unit action plan?

A

It represents smaller river basins where management of the pressures, investigations and measures will be focused and refined during implementation of this the RBMP.

22
Q

Describe and briefly explain the three types of monitoring.

A

Surveillance- providing data on long term trends. Full range of parameters are examined at monitoring sites.
Operational- assess the effectiveness of programmes or measures including measures for combating pollution and measures for maintaining high or good status.
Investigative - applied where the reason for status failures is unknown.

23
Q

Briefly summarise the results from Cycle 1 (2009-2015)

A

Water quality remained static - National target of 13% improvement not met. Seriously polluted water bodies decreased from 19 to 6 fue to the ‘Red Dot Programme’ - Urban wastewater discharges.

24
Q

What knowledge gaps were identified from Cycle 1?

A

-Inadequate linkage between surface water and groundwater.
-Scientific basis was overly dependent on expert judgement.
-Major criticism towards the structure of the river basin districts.

25
Q

What was wrong with the large number of RBD’s in cycle 1?

A

Harder to manage and not specific enough based on each catchment.

26
Q

What issues arose with the governance and delivery of cycle 1?

A
  • no single body had ultimate responsibility,
    -Fragmented institutional structures.
    -Poor intro and Inter-institutional relationships and capacity.
    -Governance overly complex, responsibilities not defined.
27
Q

What was wrong with the River basin management plans?

A

-Measured tended to be over generalised, not specific enough to each catchment.
-oversight of programme delivery and review were weak.

28
Q

Describe the new governance structure for cycle 2.

A

-Three tier implantation structure.
-Tier 1; policy and oversight
-Tier 2; Technical implementation (Networking and Reporting)
-Tier 3; Local authorities responsible for the implementation of measures on the ground.

29
Q

What was the outcome of the Urban Wastewater Treatment directive?

A

-3.5 billion euros was invested into UWWT infrastructure
-57%>84%>100% compliance
- Irish water created to replace 34 local authorities.

30
Q

Why and how was cycle 2 delayed?

A

It was delayed due to the recession leading to a hiatus in the undertaking of key elements of WFD.
Monitoring and compliance undertaken by the EPA, local authorities, Marine institute and other local bodies.

31
Q

What are the three objectives for cycle 2?

A

-Full compliance with existing EU legislation.
-Prevent deterioration.
-Prohibiting direct discharges to watercourses from farm roadways.

32
Q

What is the purpose of ASSAP?

A

To encourage and support behavioural change, facilitate knowledge transfer, achieve better on- farm environmental outcomes.

Provide one-to-one sustainability advisory service to over 5,000 farmers in high risk ‘critical source areas’ (CSA’s)

33
Q

What does the online nutrient management plan promote?

A

Efficient fertiliser use at a national level.

34
Q

Ñame the two Agri-environment schemes within the RDP.

A

1-GLAS (Green, Low carbon , Agri environmental scheme)
2-TAMS (Targeted Modernisation Scheme)

35
Q

What is the objective of GLAS?

A

To improve the rural environment by improving water quality, mitigating climate change, and promoting biodiversity.

36
Q

What is the aim of TAMS?

A

To increase nutrient storage, increasing purchase of low emission spreading equipment, more slurry less chemical.

37
Q

What actions have Irish waters taken to reduce urban wastewater pressures?

A

Irish water committed for 255 wastewater treatment-plant upgrades.
EPA licences may need to be reviewed due to improved evidence and priorities in Cycle 2.

38
Q

Ñame 3 schemes that aim to reduce pressures from forestry.

A

1-Forest road scheme
2-Woodland Improvement scheme
3-Native woodland conservation scheme

39
Q

How does the national peatland strategy relate to the WFD?

A

stated that peatland activities must demonstrate that they do not adversely impact on the environmental objectives of the WFD.

40
Q

What is the aim of the Bord na Mona sustainability 2030 strategy biodiversity action plan?

A

Long term rehabilitation of its cutaway bogs, 25 peatlands and improve mitigation strategies for improving water quality from drained peat lands.

41
Q

What approach is being taken to manage invasive species?

A

Monitoring, surveillance, early warning protocols, rapid response, control and bio security.

42
Q

What was the objective for assessing hydromorphological pressures in cycle 2?

A

Technical guidance, EIA, planning and development regulations 2011.

43
Q

Briefly summarise the results from cycle 2.

A

-Identified agriculture as the No 1 pressure impacting water bodies.
-Forestry main pressure impacting the quality of high status waterbodies.
-190 areas of action were prioritised as part of the programme of measures.
-No change in river nutrient status in cycle 2.

44
Q

Cycle 3- what is the purpose of the WFD fitness check?

A

To assess whether the current regulatory framework is ‘fit for purpose’.
To assess the effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance and added value of EU water legislation.

45
Q

What were the 3 main conclusions of the fitness check?

A

-it is fit for purpose with some scope to improve.
- Directives have led to a higher level of protection for water bodies and flood risk management than could have been expected without them.
- It suggests that the main reasons that the WFD’s objectives have not been reached fully yet is largely due to insignificant funding.

46
Q

Why is the EU commission referring Ireland to the court of Justice as of January 2023?

A

Failing to correctly transpose Water Framework Directive protecting waters from pollution.

47
Q

What are the potential impacts of brexit on the next implementations or RBMP’s?

A

Two river basin districts are shared with Northern Ireland, they may not comply with EU legislation.

48
Q

What is the current overall trend in water quality status?

A

Very little overall improvement in water quality.
Nearly all negative trends are driven by changes in river water quality.

49
Q

What was the overall progress for ‘at risk’ waterbofied after Cycle 2?

A

An improvement of 13% in the water bodies prioritised in the Areas for Action.

50
Q

List the 10 significant water management issues in Ireland.

A

1-Climate change
2-Eutrophication
3-Hydromorphology
4-Siltation
5-Drinking water
6-Invasive alien species
7-Hazardous Chemicals
8-Urban pressures
9-Aquaculture
10-Antimicrobial resistance

51
Q

What are the 3 proposed themes for the third river basin management cycle?

A

An increased level of ambition.
Integrated catchment planning.
Multiple benefits

52
Q

What role does the common agricultural policy play in the success of the WFD?

A

Providing a more comprehensive,coherent and coordinated response to deliver significant improvements and to reward farmers for delivering positing environmental outcomes.