This presentation was given at the 2019 Catchment Management Notwork meeting, which was held on the 11 October in Tullamore. All our local authorities and other bodies responsible for implementing the Water Framework Directive in Ireland attended to share knowledge and learn from each other.

1. 3rd Cycle Characterisation
Marie Archbold
Catchment Science & Management Unit
Catchment Management Network
11th October, 2019

2. River basin management
planning cycle Characterise
catchments
What?
Where?
Set
objectives
When?
Measures
How?
Implement
plans
Do.
Monitor
Is it
working?
WFD
Good or
High
status
6 year cycle
Currently in the second
cycle, 2018-2021
Preparing for 3rd Cycle
River basin management planning cycle
Collaboration of all water
related agencies

3. Risk
Significant
Issue(s)
Significant
Pressures
Area for
Action
Selection
Further
character-
isation
Measures
2nd Cycle approach
For every waterbody…
Risk = Status +
Trend + Objective +
Measures
Issue = problem,
e.g. N, P, sediment,
pesticides, etc
Pressure = activity,
e.g. agriculture,
UWW, forestry, etc
Target status by
what date, e.g.
Protect High, Good
by 2027, LSO, etc
Priorities
High status
Protected areas
No deterioration
Objectives
LAWPRO
and Local
Authorities
Monitor Status
Aiming for ‘The right measure in the right place’

4. How do we assess Risk
• “Is the water body At Risk of not meeting its WFD objective?”
• Not ‘risk of pollution’.
• Based on monitoring data, evidence based assessment
• All available biological, chemistry and other monitoring data
(e.g. flows, levels) from several public agencies have been used
Status Trend +
Target
objective
Distance to
threshold Measures Risk
What is Risk and how do we assess it?

5. A comprehensive, peer-reviewed, technical assessment process (characterisation) was carried out.
Used data from 2010 - 2015
Point sources
Diffuse sources
Catchment
setting
Pollution Impact
Potential maps
Source apportionment
Stakeholder information
What’s causing the problem?

6. 2nd Cycle RBMP Significant Pressures

7. 3rd Cycle Characterisation Approach:
Water Quality Change
Draft Ecological Status (2016-2018)
indicating:
• Water body improvements
• Water body declines
Focus on water bodies that have
changed and reasons why:
• Human Impacts
• Natural Variability
• Data uncertainty
Approach for Assessing the Reasons for Changes
ResponsesChanges
Climate change impacts
What measures are working and not
working?

8. Draft Ecological status indicating positive
impact of the Areas for Action
• Outside of the areas for action, there has been
a net decline of water bodies.
• In the areas for action, there has been a net
improvement of water bodies.
Results are encouraging :
• 190 areas for action were selected and
reflected places where work was underway or
planned in many cases.
• Highlights the on-going efforts of Local
Authorities and other public bodies to
improve water quality.
190 prioritised
Areas for Action

9. Characterisation and
Areas for Action
Selection Timelines
2019 2020 2021 2022
SWMI
report
Draft RBMP
plan
Final RBMP
plan
Report data to Commission
• 3rd cycle plan will be an ‘evolution’ of the 2nd cycle plan
• Focussing on change and new Areas for Action
consultation consultation
Cycle 3 Planning 
Workshops
Start
Characterisation
• Regional Workshops will be run through
the Regional Operational Committees –
March to June 2020
• Selected Areas for Action to be included in
Draft RBMP for consultation

10. WFD App:
Further Characterisation
Capture catchment walks data at
a water body scale
Information will be used in 3rd
Cycle Characterisation

11. WFD App:
Referrals
• LAWPRO starting to upload
referrals here – some may be
referred to Local Authorities
• Local Authorities will also be
able to refer actions on to
organisations

12. WFD App Training for Local
Authorities – 12th November
• Venue – Tullamore Court Hotel
• Aim – to train one person from each LA
• More courses can be run subject to demand
• Data needed by February to input into
Characterisation
• https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/wfd-app-training-
12-november-2019-tickets-65670776059
• Password: significantpressureLAs Registered
LAs Not Registered
Local Authorities Registered for
the training

13. Urban Local Catchment
Assessment Guidance
Working Group Members
Marie Archbold, EPA (Chair)
John Stack, DCC,
Gerry O’Connell, DCC,
James Wall, Fingal CoCo,
Jayne Dobson, DLRCoCo
Richard Fitzpatrick, SDCoCo
Anne Goggin Limerick City &
CoCo
Donnachadh Byrne, IFI
Hugh Feely, EPA
Catherine Bradley, EPA,
Emma Quinlan, EPA
Jenny Deakin, EPA
Keiron Philips, EPA
John Sexton, Wicklow CoCo
Seamus Whelan, DHPLG
Olivia Feeney, Mayo CoCo
Trudy Higgins, Irish Water
Margaret Keegan, LAWPRO
Final Draft review ongoing – Final version available in November
Pilot Training
Course completed
• Content will be
available in
November

14. Thank you