Area 2: Sustainable management of resources ( incl. water resources management)

TEG 2.2: Elaborating measures for improving water quality and quantity

CALL LINE 1
Soil, water and sediments interactions affecting water quality and quantity, and advanced integrative monitoring and evaluation systems for water environment and diffuse pollution.

Justification

There is a number of research needs, which should be addressed if interactions between soil, water and sediments relating to water quantity and diffuse pollution are to be understood, and advanced methods for integrative monitoring and evaluation systems are to be developed:

1. Knowledge for understanding of various interactions affecting water quality and availability at system’s level and under different conditions
   • soil-groundwater,
   • surface-groundwater,
   • atmosphere-water cycle,
   • surface water -sediments.
2. Improvement of the pollution pressure and impact analysis for both WFD process and national policies based on scientific sound criteria and holistic indicators . The development should build on indicators developed in earlier EU-projects to provide a larger framework of indicators than those aiming at ecological status assessment, e.g. source oriented indicators, and should give the capacity to evaluate water quality at other scales than those relevant to the WFD ecological status indicators developed by each country.
   • Indicators will be linked to activities (cause )
   • Indicators will address complex, combined and cumulative effects of various activities on water quality, including sediments, ecosystem and socio-economy
   • Based on indicators data can be transferred into concrete information for effective communication with decision makers, stakeholders, public.
3. Development of a conceptual framework of integrated monitoring - Taylor made cost effective monitoring systems at regional or national level.
4. Cost-effective approaches to identify diffuse pollution sources, their contribution and criteria/indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of measures on a catchment scale.

Even if potential projects under this proposed line can not contribute to the formulation of programmes of measures foreseen by the end of 2006 under the WFD, the outcome of the projects will provide valuable input to the practical implementation during the years 2009-2012 and essential tools for the continuous improvement and cost effectiveness.

Ongoing and completed projects on issues raised

A range of research projects has been and is being conducted under FP5 and FP6 and other initiatives like COST actions. A lot of studies on the individual aspects of water quality and availability provided data , developed models and approaches, in a rather fragment way , whilst the regional aspects, the particular needs of the NMS /ACS and the interactions among activities – pressure and effects – have not been well addressed.
Relevant activities are addressed in projects like REBECCA, the COST action 629 "Water Pollution in Natural Porous Media at Different scales: fate, impact and indicators, Life95/ CY/B2/CY/868 MED etc, Twinning projects (e.g. TWINBAS), NEWATER, EUROHARP, HarmoniCA, HarmoniQUA, Harmon-IT, DANUBS, REFCOND, ECOFRAME.
Other relevant projects like MEDCORE, OPTIMA can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/research/water-initiative/iwrm_review_en.html
Below relevant activities indicating also existing expertise in the NMS/ACS are presented

Specific objectives from perspective of the New Member States

The research must provide instruments for water governance, resource prioritization and optimization of resource utilisation emphasising both quantity and quality aspects of water resources management.

Background / state-of-the-art

Water availability – both in terms of sufficient amount and appropriate quality - is still a critical issue in many of the NMS/ACC. There is an urgent need for the development of transdisciplinary, transboundary and interdisciplinary cost-efficient conceptual framework and criteria/indicators harmonized at a European level, to promote synergies among interacting or conflicting policies and insure long-term sustainable management of water resources and ecosystem functioning. Under this common framework regional or national specific oriented approaches could be eventually developed.

Specific problems identified are as follows

• Fragmented approaches in the evaluation of quality and availability of surface and ground waters
• Gaps in the understanding and in management of ground water –soil as well as sediment-surface water interactions and in designing cost effective monitoring
• Capacities for safe and sustainable water recycling for irrigation and enrichment of aquifer need to be strengthened
• Holistic approaches and efficient measures to address diffuse pollution as well as early warning and early response capacities are missing
• Indicators addressing in an integrated way both multiple stressors and effects and by which data can be integrated in the decision making process are missing from most of the NMC/ACS.

Priorities of FP7 and WSSTP SRA addressed by objectives:

The proposed topic is in line with the objectives of FP7 /Environment where among others is stated "that research should improve the knowledge basis and develop advanced models and tools needed for the sustainable management of resources. It stresses the need for integrated approaches to address sustainable use and management of ……….., integrated concepts, tools and management strategies shall be developed under the activities below. Coordination with cross-cutting issues will be ensured. Activities should take the socio-economic aspects of policies and technologies into account where relevant."
Within previous the FP5 and 6 programs a lot of studies on the individual aspects of water quality and availability provided data, developed models and approaches in a rather fragment way, whilst the regional aspect and the integration among different interacting sectors have not been well addressed. The development of holistic approaches and tools for integration (e.g. indicators) will support also synergies and communication among stakeholders and different policies e.g. on environment, agriculture etc. Closely linked to the proposed topic is the research on development of best technologies for monitoring and treatment.
The proposed topics are closely linked to the concept and priorities of the WSSTP/ RSA , in particular in relation to the following paragraphs: 3.2 Ensuring appropriate quality, 3.3 Reducing negative environmental impacts, 3.5 Establishment of enabling networks.
Knowledge on new methods of IWRM/DSS and data management. Standardization of methodology, technology and process.

Suggestion for most appropriate type of project:

One large collaboration project corresponding to the FP6 IP

Existing expertise

• Geology
• Modelling of hydrological processes, simulation of water management
• Contaminant transport in ground water
• Integrated water management
• Wetland ecology and conservation
• Hydrochemistry
• Sea and groundwater interactions in coastal areas
• Risk assessment
• Aquaculture
• Eco-toxicology

Required expertise

• Chemistry
• Hydrology, hydraulics
• Hydro-geology
• Environmental engineering
• Biology
• Socio-economy
• Ecology
• GIS and informatics

Gaps in knowledge

• Lack of integration across sectors and media
• Non optimised use of data
• Fragmentation and lack of cost effectiveness in monitoring
• Lack of aggregation of data into information and effective communication among researchers, decision makers and the public
• Lack of regional and local predictive capacity in relation to various impacts on quality and quantity
• Lack of capacities to address diffuse pollution

Societal, economic and European relevance

Water availability – both in terms of sufficient amount and appropriate quality - is still a critical issue in many NMS/ACS. There is an urgent need for the development of cost-efficient conceptual framework and criteria/indicators harmonized at a European level, to promote synergies among interacting or conflicting policies and insure long-term sustainable management of water resources and ecosystem functioning. In particular for the new member states and the associated candidate states there is an urgent need to adapt to the EU requirements and develop in a very short period of time integrated cost-effective approaches which will ensure water quality and availability. The project (s) will support institutional and capacity building for water monitoring and evaluation and cost effective use and recycling at the NMS/ACC, through research and synergistic transdisciplinary, transboundary and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Socio-economic benefits will be also significant especially from the sustainable water quality and quantity management and cost effective water reuse which will insure longterm protection of the environment and ecosystem.