INDEX

THE UNSEEN THREAT TO WATER QUALITY
Diffuse Water Pollution in England and Wales
(Posted 12 June 2007)

The Environment Agency has produced a report (21 pages) setting out the evidence for the impacts of diffuse pollution and what needs to be done about it. The report outlines the scale of the problem, sources of diffuse water pollution, and its impact on rivers and lakes, groundwaters and coastal waters. It then describes a range of existing and planned voluntary, regulatory and economic initiatives to control urban and rural diffuse water pollution.

The report is available for download at the Agency’s website:
(http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterquality/1725838/?version=1&lang=_e)

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT AND WATER SERVICES (SCOTLAND) ACT 2003: ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT – 2006
(Posted 12 June 2007)

This 6th Annual report to Scottish Parliament outlines progress made during 2006 in implementing the 2003 WEWS act – essentially the EU Water Framework Directive in Scotland. According to Sarah Boyack MSP, Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development, key achievements during 2006 include:

  • Consultation on the setting of environmental objectives through the river basin management planning process
  • Consultation on the development and use of environmental standards to protect aquatic ecosystems
  • Consultation on strategy for controlling the impacts of diffuse pollution
  • Implementation of the CAR regime including the transfer of pre-existing activities into the CAR regime
  • Publication of policy on ensuring that the needs of third parties can properly be considered in the regulatory decision-making process
  • Establishment of National and Area Advisory Groups for river basin management planning
  • Establishment of Scotland’s water environment monitoring network

The report is available on the Scottish Executive website in both, html and pdf formats:
(http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/26092203/0)

VALUING THE WATER ENVIRONMENT:
An Investigation of Environmental Attitudes and Values to Inform Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive
(Posted 12 June 2007)

This report, issued by the Scottish Executive in March 2007, presents the findings of qualitative research, undertaken to gather and explore opinions and priorities of the Scottish public in regard to the quality of the water environment, and to explore how the public might be effectively engaged in issues about the water environment.

The report is available on the Scottish Executive website in both, html and pdf formats:
(http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/03/22131849/0)

NEW SNIFFER REPORTS
(Posted 12 June 2007)

WFD82:
Guidance on Environmental Flow Releases from Impoundments to Implement the Water Framework Directive

The development of UK-wide classification methods and environmental standards that aim to meet the requirements of the WFD is being sponsored by UKTAG for WFD on behalf of its members and partners. This technical report has been developed through a collaborative project, managed by SNIFFER and has involved the members and partners of UKTAG. It provides background information to support the ongoing development of the standards and classification methods.

WFD72A:
Revision and Testing of BMWP (Biological Monitoring Working Party) Scores

The regulatory authorities have used BMWP scores as part of their river invertebrate status classification system for some time. The BMWP scores were derived largely by expert opinion and reflect the perceived sensitivity of river invertebrate families to organic pollution. Recently, a more objective approach to allocating BMWP scores was developed by Walley and Hawkes including the incorporation of abundance data. The preliminary revised BMWP scores have been widely accepted as better reflecting the differential sensitivities to the combined effects of organic and other major forms of pollution. In order for the regulatory authorities to implement a revised BMWP system it is necessary for the revised scores to be based on as full a set of data as possible and to be tested against water quality data to demonstrate whether it does, indeed, represent an improvement on the existing system.

The reports are available in pdf format on the SNIFFER website:  (http://www.sniffer.org.uk)

Printed copies or other outputs can be ordered by e-mail from FWR:  office@fwr.org.uk