Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'European Water Framework Directive (WFD)'

<p>The thesis studies one method, focus group discussions, for public participation in the starting of implementing the European Community Water Framework Directive at a catchment level. Focus group discussions can be used as a method for bringing relevant stakeholder-groups into the discussion and evaluation of different possible solutions to problems of managing local waters in order to lower nutrient emissions and stop eutrophication. Of special interest in the study is the participants’ development of collaboration and collaborative learning in the focus groups. Also of interest is their change in attitudes during the focus group process and their will to participate in similar settings. The thesis assesses the results of three questionnaires responded by focus group participants in a study carried out by the Swedish Water Management Research Programme, VASTRA. The participants represent stakeholders in Rönne å catchment in Skåne, and also the results from ten focus group discussions with the same participants.</p>

Le aree costiere sono sottoposte a pressioni antropogeniche e ai cambiamenti climatici. Negli ultimi venti anni, il concetto di gestione integrata della zona costiera ben presente nelle diverse azioni politiche, manca degli strumenti a supporto degli sforzi di pianificazione e gestione, specialmente nelle aree di estuario dove gli effetti dei bacini fluviali sulle zone costiere sono poco evidenziati nella maggior parte delle implementazioni. Gli ambienti costieri costituiscono un ambiente dinamico influenzato da input continentali sia naturali che antropogenici e controllato da fattori idrodinamici e climatici. Alcune zone costiere sono, con la loro geografia e geomorfologia, un recettore in cui sono presenti corpi idrici carichi di minerali esogeni e / o di materia organica derivanti dall'attività antropica. Il tempo di permanenza di questi corpi idrici è legato all'intensità delle correnti marine che controlla la distribuzione e la diluizione delle sostanze disciolte che possono influenzare l'ecosistema. Al fine di valutare lo stato trofico delle acque marine costiere del Mediterraneo, la Direttiva Quadro sulle Acque (DQA) richiedeva il monitoraggio della concentrazione di Clorofilla-a (Simboura et al., 2005) e l'indice trofico TRIX proposto da Vollenweider et al. (1998), che tiene conto delle sostanze nutritive complessive, della clorofilla e dell'ossigeno disciolto nell'ambiente. I nostri risultati hanno fornito la classificazione dello stato di qualità ecologica (EQS) dei tre siti Sonactere, Cheliff e Sokhra rispettivamente come stato Scadente, in base alla concentrazione di clorofilla, e come Cattivo, secondo l'indice trofico (TRIX). Le acque costiere di Mostaganem nell'Algeria occidentale mostrano una situazione di grave eutrofizzazione. Tuttavia, per capire meglio lo stato dell'ecosistema, è essenziale esplorare l'intera area costiera di Mostaganem per un lungo periodo. Gli indici Chl-a e TRIX sono stati sviluppati per le regioni del Mediterraneo, ma dovrebbero essere adattati alle condizioni locali in modo che siano pertinenti e più affidabili e rappresentativi, dato l'aspetto eterogeneo delle zone costiere del Mediterraneo.<br>Coastal areas are under anthropogenic and climate change pressures. During the last twenty years, the concept of Integrated Coastal Zone Management, as provides the overall policy frames, but tools supporting the planning and management efforts are almost lacking, especially in the estuary areas where the effects of river basins on coastal zones are nearly absent in most implementations. Coastal environments constitute a dynamic environment influenced by both natural and anthropogenic continental inputs and controlled by hydrodynamic and climatic factors. Some coastal zones are, by their geography and geomorphology, a receptor where are trapped water bodies loaded with exogenous mineral and /or organic matter resulting from the anthropic activity. The residence time of these water bodies is related to the sea currents intensity which controls the distribution and dilution of dissolved substances that can unbalance the ecosystem. In order to assess the trophic status of coastal Mediterranean marine waters, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) required the monitoring of the Chlorophyll-a concentration (Simboura et al., 2005) and the trophic index TRIX proposed by Vollenweider et al. (1998), which takes into account the overall nutrients, chlorophyll-a, and dissolved oxygen in the environment. Our results highlighted the ranking of the ecological quality status (EQS) of the three sites Sonactere, Cheliff, and Sokhra as bad according to the Chlorophyll concentration and as Poor status according to trophic index (TRIX). The coastal waters of Mostaganem in western Algeria have proved to be in a situation of severe eutrophication. However, to better understand the state of the ecosystem, it is essential to explore the entire coastal area of Mostaganem over a long period. The Chl-a and TRIX index were developed for Mediterranean regions but it should be adapted to local conditions so that it is relevant and more reliable and representative, given the heterogeneous aspect of the Mediterranean coastal zones.

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/EC) establishes a framework for the protection of all water (inland surface waters, transitional (Estuarine) waters, coastal waters and groundwater) which: a) prevents further deterioration, protects and enhances the status of water resources; b) promotes sustainable water use; c) aims at enhancing protection and improvement of the aquatic environment through specific measures for the progressive reduction of discharges; d) ensures the progressive reduction of pollution groundwater and prevents its further pollution; e) contributes to mitigating effect of floods and droughts. The ecological quality status of 20 stations from six Adriatic coastal lagoons was assessed using a suite of biotic indices: S (number of taxa), N (total number of individuals per sample), d (Margalef’s Index), J’ (Pielou’s Index), H’ (Shannon-Weaver diversity), AMBI, M-AMBI, BENTIX, BOPA, BITS. The analysis indicated the difficulties in deriving and using the existing indices from benthic communities in highly variable environmental conditions in coastal lagoons. Different metrics rendered different results: AMBI classified the majority of the stations as “Good/Moderate”, M-AMBI as “Good/Moderate/Poor”, BENTIX as “Poor/Bad”, BOPA as “High/Good” and BITS as “High/Good/Moderate”. Sediments are predominantly silt and clay, only in some sea mouths stations there is sand dominance. This sediment’s typology favour TOC accumulation. TOC values are comprise between 7,7 mg/g in station 2 Sacca del Canarin and 30,9 mg/g in station 4 Sacca di Scardovari. In Magni et al. (2009) were report that normal TOC values in coastal lagoons are between 10 and 28 mg/g (in Cabras, Orbetello and Venice lagoon). This is an index that show a good ecological status in Delta Po river lagoons. If we consider that AMBI and M-AMBI are indices developed for estuarine and coastal environmental, that BENTIX is developed for Mediterranean ecosystem, that BOPA not consider oligochaeta (very abundant in our lagoons) and that BITS is an index developed specifically for coastal lagoon, it possible deduce that Delta del Po lagoons are in EcoQ “Moderate-Good”, supported also by TOC data.

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) promotes increased awareness of catchment processes and challenges the established dependence on a ‘treatment-led approach’ for the supply of European Drinking Water Directive (DWD) compliant potable water. In particular, WFD Article 7 promotes a ‘prevention-led approach’ to DWD compliance, based on pollution prevention at source to reduce investment in new treatment. In this context the challenge of preventing diffuse pesticide pollution from agricultural sources is significant because metaldehyde (a molluscide) and to a lesser extent the herbicide clopyralid are, despite current treatment, causing DWD non compliance for drinking water in a number of English catchments. Analysis presented here identifies that a successful transition from a ‘treatment-led’ to a ‘prevention-led’ approach will require collective action from, and shared mutual understanding between, a number of stakeholder groups. However, each of these groups has a unique perspective on WFD Article 7 and other elements of the currently uncoordinated legal and voluntary framework for diffuse pesticide pollution prevention. A toolbox of intervention options and a set of criteria to evaluate current catchment management actions are proposed to help the WFD competent authority facilitate WFD Article 7 compliance. Water suppliers need to improve their understanding of the reasons for pesticide use. Through consultation with pesticide agronomists, important drivers of pesticide use, a hierarchy of adaptation options available if a particular pesticide is restricted and key messages for catchment managers and regulators were identified. Based on this foundation a classification system to inform and prioritise water sector decision making for investment in catchment management was developed. Additionally, analysis presented here demonstrates that the DWD standard for pesticides, which determines the level of catchment management required for WFD Article 7 compliance, is not itself consistent with European environmental policy principles, particularly the precautionary principle, and needs to be reviewed.

Greater protection and more sustainable use of water resources are priorities of public policies at international and European level. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC, WFD), indeed, establishes a common framework for European water policies based on a substantial transformation in the governance of water resources. In particular, the Directive requires Member States to divide their national territories into River Basin Districts for which specific plans, called River Basin Management Plans, must be developed and implemented. Furthermore, the Directive requires civil society to be actively involved in the elaboration of River Basin Management Plans. Almost twenty years after its entry into force, however, the implementation of river basin planning and public participation is limited, and institutional and territorial fragmentation are still key challenges for water governance systems throughout Europe. Moreover, scientific literature is sparse on how implementation of WFD is conducted for the whole River Basin District. This thesis, therefore, aims is to contribute to the understanding of how national governance systems are evolving to meet the requirements of river basin planning and public participation in order to identify what elements are more significant for promoting coordinated and inclusive planning at river basin. In doing so, a specific focus is on how implementation is conducted in Italy. More in detail, this thesis aims to fulfil three specific objectives. The first aims to identify, analyse and compare the different approaches adopted in European countries to comply with the WFD requirements of river basin planning and participation through a qualitative meta-analysis of scientific literature. The analysis focuses on seven Member States representing different approaches to WFD’s implementation: Denmark, England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden. The second objective concerns the analysis of the entire process of implementation, from planning to on-the-ground implementation, using the River Basin District as scale of analysis. This second objective was achieved through a case study carried out in the Italian Eastern Alps River Basin District where the overall implementation process, from planning to implementation of measures to increase irrigation efficiency, was analysed. Finally, the third objective aims at providing policy recommendations for the future implementation cycle of WFD in Italy and more specifically in the Eastern Alps River Basin District. The results show that the implementation of WFD has indeed promoted greater coordination and participation in decision-making processes in many Member States, but that this has mainly occurred at sub-River Basin District scale. For instance, advisory boards have been set up at sub-district level (e.g. at river basin or local level) to promote greater coordination and participation in decision-making processes. In the Eastern Alps RBD, it was found that while cross-administrative coordination can be effectively achieved for the whole RBD through specific coordination mechanisms established by the River Basin District authority, stakeholders’ engagement in the elaboration of plans was limited. It is at regional level where, indeed, public participation should find more appropriate spaces and greater integration between water protection and irrigation management should be achieved. The thesis has therefore highlighted the need for the process of adaptation of water governance systems to take place on different government levels that should act synergistically to produce significant results. At national level, where obstacles that prevent a better coordination should be overcome, at River Basin District, where inter-regional coordination should be strengthened, and at regional level, where greater integration between water protection and management and greater public participation should be promoted.<br>Una maggiore tutela e un uso più sostenibile delle risorse idriche sono una priorità inderogabile dell’agenda pubblica a livello internazionale ed europeo. La Direttiva Quadro sulle Acque (2000/60/CE, DQA), infatti, stabilisce un quadro comune di azione per le politiche idriche europee, fondato su una sostanziale trasformazione della governance delle risorse idriche. In particolare, la Direttiva richiede agli stati membri di suddividere i territori nazionali in distretti idrografici e, per ciascuno di essi, di sviluppare e attuare specifici piani, chiamati Piani di Gestione. Inoltre, la Direttiva richiede che la società civile in generale, e in maggior misura i portatori di interesse, vengano attivamente coinvolti nell’elaborazione dei Piani di Gestione. A quasi venti anni dall’entrata in vigore della DQA, tuttavia, l’attuazione di tali requisiti sembra essere ancora limitata. Allo stesso tempo, il governo delle acque sembra ancora risentire di una profonda frammentazione istituzionale e territoriale. Inoltre, la letteratura scientifica risulta tuttora carente per quanto riguarda l’analisi dei meccanismi di pianificazione e partecipazione pubblica all’interno dei distretti idrografici. Questa tesi si propone di contribuire allo studio dell'evoluzione dei sistemi nazionali di governance per rispondere agli obblighi di pianificazione su scala di bacino idrografico e di partecipazione pubblica posti dall’Europa, al fine di individuare quali sono gli elementi più significativi per promuovere una pianificazione coordinata e inclusiva dei bacini idrografici. Nel fare ciò, un'attenzione specifica è rivolta a come viene condotta l'attuazione in Italia. Nel dettaglio, la presente tesi si pone tre obiettivi specifici. Il primo consiste nell’identificare, analizzare e confrontare i diversi approcci adottati nei paesi europei per l’attuazione dei requisiti di pianificazione di bacino e partecipazione. Tale obiettivo è stato realizzato attraverso una meta-analisi qualitativa della letteratura scientifica. In particolare, l’analisi si è soffermata su sette stati membri rappresentativi di diversi approcci per l’attuazione della Direttiva: Danimarca, Inghilterra, Germania, Italia, Francia, Spagna e Svezia. Il secondo obiettivo riguarda l’analisi dell’intera attuazione della DQA su scala di distretto idrografico. Il presente scopo è stato perseguito attraverso un caso studio condotto in Italia, nel distretto idrografico Alpi Orientali, dove l'intero processo di attuazione è stato analizzato, dalla pianificazione all'implementazione delle misure per aumentare l'efficienza irrigua. Infine, il terzo obiettivo mira a fornire delle raccomandazioni politiche per l’attuazione della Direttiva in Italia e, più nello specifico, nel distretto idrografico Alpi Orientali. I risultati mostrano che l’attuazione della DQA ha effettivamente promosso un maggior coordinamento e una crescente partecipazione nei processi decisionali in molti stati membri. Ma evidenziano anche che ciò ha raramente riguardato l’intero territorio del distretto idrografico. In molti dei paesi analizzati, infatti, sono stati creati comitati consultivi a livello sotto-distrettuale (ad es. a livello di bacino idrografico o locale), per promuovere un maggiore coordinamento e coinvolgimento degli attori nei processi decisionali. Nello studio condotto nel distretto idrografico Alpi Orientali, è stato rilevato che, mentre il coordinamento amministrativo può essere realizzato efficacemente attraverso specifici meccanismi di coordinamento stabiliti dall'autorità distrettuale, la partecipazione pubblica ha una maggiore risonanza se condotta a livello regionale. La tesi ha quindi evidenziato la necessità che il processo di adeguamento della governance delle risorse idriche avvenga su più livelli che devono agire sinergicamente per produrre risultati significativi. A livello nazionale, dove gli ostacoli che impediscono un migliore coordinamento su scala distrettuale devono essere superati, a livello di distretto idrografico, dove il coordinamento inter-regionale deve essere rafforzato, e a livello regionale, dove una maggiore integrazione tra tutela e gestione delle risorse idriche e una maggiore partecipazione pubblica devono essere promosse.

Effective implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is dependent on Member States’ national water institutions and organizations, often designated as ‘competent authorities’. Although substantial research relating to the Directive itself has been carried out, less is known about the extent to which competent authorities have the organizational capacity to deliver it. The literature notes that conceptual understanding of capacity has been hampered by lack of definitional clarity making both its management and assessment challenging. In this contribution, several conceptualizations of organizational capacity found in the literature are used to construct a set of core qualitative organizational components that encourage analysts to consider the ways in which legal authority, information and knowledge, skills, resources and leadership shape a competent authority’s ability to deliver the WFD. Malta, the smallest European Member State, is the case study used to test the application of these components. Qualitative empirical data collected from policy documents, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and online news media articles, provided the evidence to thematically explore and evaluate the Maltese competent authorities’ organizational capacity across the implementation of three main WFD provisions that are in focus: Article 8, 9 and 14. As a result, the core components of organizational capacity are expanded and refined to produce an organizational capacity thematic map. The results show that competent authorities experience influences across the institutional frameworks they work in as well as external factors (primarily political). The results also support the idea of the organizational capacity components being highly interlinked and the presence (or lack thereof) of one component having knock-on effects on others within an organization. The combination of these two factors highly affect management options and outcomes in the implementation of the WFD. In the small state context of Malta these highlight the need to channel support in a coordinated manner from European counterparts to the Maltese water network. In turn, the water network can have positive knock-on effects on the organizational capacity of the Maltese competent authorities, which currently struggle to perform and seize available opportunities due to low possession of human resources and time availability. The approach and findings presented in this research provide a mechanism and evidence base that can facilitate bilateral discussions between Member States as well as with the European Commission, and help inform the WFD review process planned by end of 2019.

Following the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) integrated catchment management plans must be prepared for all river basins, in order to achieve 'good ecological status' (GES) in all EU waters. This concept is a broader measure of water quality than the chemical and biological measures, which were previously dominant in EU water policy. The Directive also calls for a consideration of the economic costs and benefits of improvements to ecological status in catchment management plans, along with the introduction of full social cost pricing for water use. In this thesis, the primary focus is on the use of the Choice Experiment (CE) method. The CE method is reviewed and then used to estimate the value of improvements in a number of components of ecological status on two Irish waterways (the Boyne and the Suir). Apart from CE method another stated preference approach to environmental valuation is also considered; the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). This thesis determines what value the targeted population of the two catchments place on the nonmarket economic benefits of moves towards GES by employing both approaches and various model specifications, while the applicability of Benefit Transfer (BT) method is also assessed under different tests. In addition, the design of the questionnaire used in the survey stage of the research, offered the possibility of investigating issues related to the effect of cognitive ability and psychometric factors on choice. Respondents with discontinuous preferences are identified and analysis is conducted to investigate the implications of not accounting for these preferences. Finally, due to experiencing protesting behaviour by a proportion of the sampling population an attempt is made to investigate the parameters that contributed to this inclination.

Research focus: This paper asks to what extent the European Union (EU) can influence as an external actor Turkey’s integrated water management policy. In particular this paper focuses on the case example of the water conflict arising over the usage of the transboundary Euphrates-Tigris river basin and what extent the EU can bring to bear its influence on Turkey to bring a resolution to the management of this river basin. Method: This paper consists of a comparative literature review of recent journals, academic articles, official publications and website content as well as respected news website material. The research method used consisted of an analysis assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the EU’s influence on Turkey’s water policy. Whilst this analysis tool is fairly straight forward to apply to assessing the EU’s influence on Turkey’s broad national water management policy, assessing how the EU can encourage Turkey to cooperate further on the International river basin of the Euphrates-Tigris is far more difficult, owing to the controversy and importance of the river to all three Countries sharing it; Turkey, Iraq and Syria. Findings: Through using a comparison of literature this paper has found that the main strength of the EU’s influence on Turkey’s integrated water management policy is through the very definite obligations Turkey must fulfil under the WFD as a candidate member for the EU. Secondly, this paper submits that the EU’s strong river management experience through large river cooperation projects, for example that of the Danube river basin, further enhances the ability of the EU’s credibility in its influence. The weakness the EU’s influence faces is the difficulty associated with Turkeys candidacy process to the EU which if hampered could quickly reduce the EU’s influence on Turkey. Opportunities for cooperation on the Euphrates–Tigris are also looked at positively in this paper especially in the light of a new Middle Eastern politics even though considerable uncertainty remains as to the full outcome. Lastly a threat that could face the EU’s influence is the results that a third way relationship between the EU and Turkey could have on limiting the EU’s influence with regard to integrated water policies. The main conclusion: This paper has concluded that the EU’s influence through the WFD is very strong on Turkey’s water policy, owing largely to Turkeys desire to obtain eventual full membership of the EU. Should the candidacy process fail, this could have a quick and damaging impact on the EU’s influence. This paper has also found that the EU has a strong potential influence in pushing Turkey towards further cooperation on the Euphrates-Tigris, however Turkey’s progress has to date been slow and remains a major challenge.   This paper recommends that Turkey uses the Ministry for Foreign Affairs to open up dialogue with lower riparian river states towards cooperation, that the EU suggest setting up a ‘commission’ as a means of achieving improved transboundary river cooperation and the need for a research network or center to bring together efforts towards cooperation on the Euphrates-Tigris river basin.

<p>Management of water bodies according to their river basinsis becoming increasingly common, as the concept of IntegratedWater Resources Management (IWRM) is getting more and moreacknowl-edged. In Europe, a large portion of these“new”management units will probably be internationalor transboundary. Decisions and policies consideringtransboundary water issues need to be based on reliable andcomprehendible information. In this thesis, a review of variousexisting models that may be used for understanding the role anduse of information in (transboundary) water management ispresented. Further, the thesis reports on an assessment of theinformation management of three transboundary water regimes inEurope, namely the international water commissions for LakeNeusiedl, Lake Constance and Elbe River. Besides examining theinformation management of the regimes as such, the managementwas also related to information needs implied by the IWRMcon-cept and by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Thereviewed models and approaches were grouped into threecategories: information management models, information cyclemodels and communication between actors. The first categorycomprised models that may be used for managing and assessingdifferent types of information. The second group dealt withmodels explaining the production and communication ofinformation predominately from an information producer/senderperspective. The third group focused on ideas concerninginteractions and communication of information between differentkinds of actors. The studies on information management intransboundary water regimes showed that the information needsand strategies often were defined primarily with watercommissions’own needs in mind. The data collected by thecommissions were predominated by monitoring data, describingthe status of the environment and the impact caused by humanactivities. Furthermore, any communication of information toother groups of actors was mainly done through passivechannels. The information management in these transboundarywater regimes was not fully in accordance with informationneeds implied by the IWRM concept and the EU WFD.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM);transboundary water management; information; EU Water FrameworkDirective (WFD); regimes; policy and decision making; LakeNeusiedl; Lake Constance; Elbe River.</p>

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) structures long-term plans for Europe's threatened water resources. Owning to the inherent and human-made complexities of the water cycle, stakeholders must move strategically to avoid crisis and restore sustainability. Yet, the reality of water resource management today is falling short on delivery. Stakeholders require strategic tools that will help them to build consensus and take action in the right direction. Using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD), this study shows how Decision Support Systems can be strategically improved using a whole-systems approach grounded in basic Principles for Sustainability. In this way, stakeholders will be capable of making synchronized moves towards sustainability and thus more likely to realize the WFD’s goal of ‘good status’ for all European waterways by 2015.

The issue of environmental risks from the pharmaceutical endocrine disrupter 17 alpha-ethinyl oestradiol (EE2), which is an active ingredient in the contraceptive pill, confronts government responsibilities for citizens' health with potential environmental risks from its presence in aquatic ecosystems. Further to a risk appraisal process conducted under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) between 2006 and 2012, the European Commission recommended the imposition of an environmental quality standard for EE2. In 2013, this recommendation was rejected by politicians. The outcome was both contested and commended. The UK Government was particularly vehement in its opposition and claimed that the risk assessment process for EE2 was not robust. The UK Government also insisted that it had swayed opinion of other EU Member States to convince them that action for EE2 was not proportionate given the extremely elevated costs of risk control options. At the present time, environmental policy for EE2 and other endocrine disrupters remains resolutely ineffective. Despite three distinct policy interventions recommending precautionary action for EE2 during the past twenty years, emissions of this potent, oestrogenic endocrine disrupter continue unabated. This thesis explains why European politicians rejected the European Commission’s risk governance recommendations for EE2 in 2013 under the Water Framework Directive. This comprises its principal empirical contribution. A novel analytical framework which draws on insights from the policy sciences, risk governance and wicked problems literature is developed. This framework is employed to determine whether the policy outcome for EE2, and the decision-making processes that preceded it, were legitimate. The research findings in this respect advance understanding of the implications of specific properties of wicked problems, of which it is argued, EE2 is an example, for the legitimacy of decision-making processes during the risk appraisal and political phases of policy development in Europe. This comprises the principle theoretical contribution of the thesis. Recommendations to promote more effective and legitimate policy development for wicked problems in similar multi-level governance contexts are also made.

Using paleolimnological techniques, I have studied surface-water acidification and the effects of liming in Swedish lakes on a decadal to millennial time-scale. The overall objective was to contribute to the discussion on the fulfilment of goals within the Swedish liming program. One of the main goals of this program is to restore lakes to natural or nearly natural conditions, i.e. to a reference condition as termed in the EU Water Framework Directive. In this context, a key issue is to define reference conditions. This is a central theme of my thesis, as lake sediments offer a unique way to study past lake conditions. Past lake-water acidity of 12 reference lakes in the Swedish liming program (ISELAW) was determined using diatom analysis of sediment cores. Pollen, lead, and flyash from coal/oil combustion were used as indicators of impact from land use and atmospheric pollution. A general trend in these lakes is an initial decline in pH after lake formation due to natural soil processes, which was then followed by rather low pH values (pH 5.3-6.5). In six of the lakes pH increased as a result of expansion of agriculture (burning, forest grazing) 2000 to 1000 years ago. Local mining and long-range airborne pollution have also impacted the lakes since medieval time. These results show that the conditions of the study lakes were not natural prior to industrialization and recent (20th century) acidification. The ISELAW lakes were selected on the basis of representing typical limed lakes, and they have been limed and monitored since at least the 1980s. A comparison of chemical/biological monitoring data and the paleolimnological data gives somewhat diverging results. Most of the monitoring data suggest that the lakes were subjected to acidification during the 20th century, but the paleolimnological data can only identify clear evidence of acidification in five of the 12 lakes, hence, all lakes were probably not recently acidified. According to conclusions from monitoring the lakes have recovered following liming. The paleolimnological data give a more complex picture and three different responses have been identified: 1) a return to a diatom composition found in the lake one hundred to several thousand years ago; 2) very small shifts in the diatom composition; or 3) a diatom composition previously not found in the lake. The latter response raised the question whether liming can cause an unnatural diatom community. A comparison of diatoms in surface sediment samples of 31 limed lakes with pre-industrial reference samples from 291 lakes showed that liming does not create an unnatural diatom composition. These results illustrate that the goals for liming were not reached in all of the limed lakes, and that paleolimnology can play an important role for assessments of acidification and liming. The comparative study also highlights the importance of designing monitoring programs that can produce reliable and long data series. Given the results of the paleolimnological investigations, it is obvious that we cannot assume that the 19th century represented a natural or near natural state, and thus is a realistic reference conditions. Natural long-term lake development and previous land-use impacts need to be considered in defining reference conditions. Neither can we disregard the fact that humans always will impact nature. Although paleolimnological studies are time consuming, I believe that they could be simplified to the extent that paleolimnology could become a routine method for environmental management.

La qualité des services écosystémiques qu'offrent les lacs est liée à la structure et au fonctionnement de leur écosystème. Protéger leur masse d'eau est devenu un objectif global qui requiert une meilleure compréhension de leur fonctionnement, un suivi et une évaluation de leur qualité. Expliquer les hétérogénéités spatio-temporelles des variables physico-chimiques et du phytoplancton est un problème récurrent rencontré en écologie et en hydrobiologie. Comprendre la dynamique de ces hétérogénéités est aussi un prérequis essentiel pour évaluer, protéger et restaurer objectivement les écosystèmes lacustres. En ce qui concerne la surveillance, les hétérogénéités spatio-temporelles introduisent des incertitudes sur la représentativité des mesures par rapport à l'entièreté de la masse d'eau qui est donc discutable et doit être vérifiée. En Europe, la directive cadre sur l'eau (DCE) initiée en 2000 définit un cadre pour la gestion et la protection des eaux. La classification des masses d'eau en fonction de leur état écologique est un point important dans l'implémentation de cette directive. Pour les lacs et les retenues, l'évaluation de cet état écologique est basée sur des paramètres biologiques, physico-chimiques et hydromorphologiques. Les indicateurs liés au phytoplancton et aux paramètres physico-chimiques sont calculés à partir de quatre prélèvements réalisés pendant la période d'activité biologique pour une année sur un plan de gestion de six ans. Dans ce contexte, la modélisation tridimensionnelle (3D) et la prise en compte des forçages qui conduisent aux hétérogénéités spatio-temporelles est une condition préalable nécessaire tant en limnologie appliquée que théorique. Cette thèse aborde la complexité du fonctionnement des lacs et la capacité des modèles 3D à reproduire leur fonctionnement. L'apport de la modélisation 3D est présenté i) pour la compréhension du fonctionnement de lacs de différentes tailles, ii) couplée aux observations satellitaires, pour l'étude de l'influence des forçages par le vent et de l'hydrodynamique sur l'abondance et la distribution spatiale de phytoplancton, iii) dans le cadre de la DCE, pour l'évaluation des incertitudes d'une évaluation de l'état écologique d'un plan d'eau. Pour cela, deux modèles 3D ont été créés et analysés, un pour le lac de Créteil (42~ha) et un autre pour le Léman (580~km$^2$). Celui du lac de Créteil a été validé à partir de données à hautes fréquences acquises en trois points du lac. Il reproduit correctement son hydrodynamique complexe, sa structure thermique, l'alternance entre les périodes de stratification et les épisodes de mélange, ainsi que les ondes internes. Le modèle du Léman a été validé en utilisant des données mensuelles et bimensuelles en deux stations de prélèvement du lac. Il reproduit aussi correctement son hydrodynamique et la variabilité saisonnière de paramètres physico-chimiques et biologiques. Les résultats des simulations mettent en avant les mécanismes physiques et hydrodynamiques responsables de l'apparition de sites où la biomasse de phytoplancton observée est plus élevée. Dans le cadre de la DCE, ces résultats montrent aussi une variabilité spatiale importante des sous-états écologiques basés sur les différents paramètres qui dépendent du choix des dates des campagnes de mesure et du point d'échantillonnage. Ces résultats ont aussi été utilisés pour estimer la représentativité d'une station de prélèvement. Les résultats de cette thèse i) confirment que le fonctionnement des plans d'eau de toute taille est complexe et que les processus physiques génèrent des hétérogénéités spatio-temporelles, ii) suggèrent que le vent et l'hydrodynamique influencent significativement l'abondance et la distribution spatiale du phytoplancton et que iii) ces hétérogénéités peuvent biaiser notre estimation du statut écologique des plans d'eau dans le cadre de la DCE<br>The quality of ecosystem services provided by lakes is related to the ecosystem structure and functioning. Protecting water bodies is therefore a global goal that requires a better understanding of their function, a monitoring and a water quality assessment. Explaining spatio-temporal heterogeneities of physico-chemical parameters and phytoplankton has been a recurrent ecological and hydrobiological issue. Understanding the dynamics of these heterogeneities is an essential prerequisite for objectively assessing, protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems. Moreover, three-dimensional (3D) and taking into account and drivers of these heterogeneities are essential prerequisites for theoretical and applied limnology. Concerning the monitoring, spatio-temporal heterogeneities are responsible of uncertainties on the representativeness of the data versus the whole lake which might be questionable and needs to be verified. In Europe, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) initiated in 2000 defines a framework for managing and protecting water bodies in Europe. The classification of water bodies into ecological status is a key issue for the implementation of that framework. For lakes and reservoirs, the assessment of this status is based on biological, physico-chemical and hydro-morphological indicators. Physico-chemical and phytoplankton indicators are calculated based on four observations at an unique sampling station over the growing season, this evaluation being assessed one year for a six-year management plan. In this context, this thesis focuses on the complexity of lakes functioning and the capability of three-dimensional (3D) models to reproduce their functioning. The contribution of 3D models is presented i) for understanding the functioning of lakes of different sizes, ii) coupled to satellite observations, for studying of the influence of wind forcing and hydrodynamics on phytoplankton abundance and spatial heterogeneities, iii) in the context of the WFD, for assessing uncertainties in the lake ecological status assessment. To do that, two 3D models have been created and analyzed, one for Lake Créteil (42 ha) and another for Lake Geneva (580 km2). Lake Créteil 3D model was validated by using high frequency data recorded at three stations. It reproduces well the complex hydrodynamic functioning of the lake, its thermal structure, the alternation between thermal stratification episodes and mixing events, and internal waves. Lake Geneva 3D model was validated by using monthly and bimonthly data at two stations. It reproduces also properly the hydrodynamic functioning of the lake and the seasonal variability of biological and physico-chemical parameters. Simulation results highlight physical and hydrodynamic mechanisms responsible for the occurrence of seasonal hot-spots in phytoplankton abundance. In the context of the WFD, simulation results show also a strong spatial variability of lake ecological status depending on the timing of the four sampling dates as well as the location of the sampling station. These results were also used to assess to representativeness of sampling stations. The results of this thesis suggest that i) the functioning of lakes of different sizes is complex and physical processes generates spatio-temporal heterogeneities, ii) wind and hydrodynamics influence the abundance and the spatial distribution of phytoplankton et iii) spatio-temporal heterogeneities can bias our evaluation of lake ecological status in the WFD

.<br>This study is about the on-ground implementation of sustainable farm practices supported by policies and directives that form the core of the European Union’s sustainability policy. Its goal is to identify the blockers to effective policy implementation in order to improve the approach to sustainability in the agricultural sector. Exploring ways to engage local stakeholders in farm sustainability has been central to create a holistic understanding about the processes that drive practices in agriculture systems, and the extent to which these processes can be transformed. Sustainability in agriculture is a broad topic, hence this study focuses on one segment of sustainability namely the use and management of water resources in irrigated agriculture. The study’s final recommendations to improve policy design and interventions, however, are general and apply to the implementation of all sustainable farm practices. Practical effectiveness of EU policies and directives for sustainable agriculture is constrained by: a lack of evaluating criteria to measure policy impact and communicate progress; incentives for growers to commit to more than the minimum required, and continuous local renegotiation of proposed measures and programmes which have contributed to a weakening of initial policy proposals. This study demonstrates that policies serve different purposes for different people at different social and political levels. However, sustainability comes into practice on the farm, which is why farmers’ perspective about a sustainable agricultural sector and the proposed voluntary and mandatory policy measures is so important. Farmers’ perspectives are still missing elements in policy design for sustainable agriculture. Co-developing and testing technologies that are meant to deliver sustainability in practice, as well as farm decision support tools, are critical in engaging farmers and other local stakeholders in sustainability and to transform embedded practices and institutions. Collaboration across disciplines is also important to address environmental goals and farmers’ needs in order to extract substantial environmental benefits as well as a long term commitment from land managers in sustainability. This study shows that there are many insights to be gained and learnings to be extracted from scrutinizing policy interventions. It raises awareness about improving policy implementation by providing practical examples from case studies conducted in Spain and in Italy. These insights encourage the use of interdisciplinary approaches, including socio-technical approaches, for an integrated people and technology based perspective on natural resource management to better policy design and interventions and make sustainable agriculture real.

.<br>This study is about the on-ground implementation of sustainable farm practices supported by policies and directives that form the core of the European Union’s sustainability policy. Its goal is to identify the blockers to effective policy implementation in order to improve the approach to sustainability in the agricultural sector. Exploring ways to engage local stakeholders in farm sustainability has been central to create a holistic understanding about the processes that drive practices in agriculture systems, and the extent to which these processes can be transformed. Sustainability in agriculture is a broad topic, hence this study focuses on one segment of sustainability namely the use and management of water resources in irrigated agriculture. The study’s final recommendations to improve policy design and interventions, however, are general and apply to the implementation of all sustainable farm practices. Practical effectiveness of EU policies and directives for sustainable agriculture is constrained by: a lack of evaluating criteria to measure policy impact and communicate progress; incentives for growers to commit to more than the minimum required, and continuous local renegotiation of proposed measures and programmes which have contributed to a weakening of initial policy proposals. This study demonstrates that policies serve different purposes for different people at different social and political levels. However, sustainability comes into practice on the farm, which is why farmers’ perspective about a sustainable agricultural sector and the proposed voluntary and mandatory policy measures is so important. Farmers’ perspectives are still missing elements in policy design for sustainable agriculture. Co-developing and testing technologies that are meant to deliver sustainability in practice, as well as farm decision support tools, are critical in engaging farmers and other local stakeholders in sustainability and to transform embedded practices and institutions. Collaboration across disciplines is also important to address environmental goals and farmers’ needs in order to extract substantial environmental benefits as well as a long term commitment from land managers in sustainability. This study shows that there are many insights to be gained and learnings to be extracted from scrutinizing policy interventions. It raises awareness about improving policy implementation by providing practical examples from case studies conducted in Spain and in Italy. These insights encourage the use of interdisciplinary approaches, including socio-technical approaches, for an integrated people and technology based perspective on natural resource management to better policy design and interventions and make sustainable agriculture real.

The European Water Framework Directive commits the member states to achieve the good ecological status for all waterbodies. For this purpose on the level of the national states monitoring programs are established with the aim to verify the actual status by means of regular surveys. Already in the past remote sensing data in conjunction with methods of geospatial data analysis revealed the added value in terms of monitoring strategies regarding the European Water Framework Directive. Depending on the type of data they can be used for example for the determination of several parameters of rivers and streams. The present analyses show how it is possible to determine the parameter of width variation of small and medium rivers based on digital orthophotos. Because this parameter strongly depends on the geometric quality of the riverbank line, its determination is given particular attention. It turns out that mainly riparian vegetation has a large impact on the visibility of the riverbank line. In a multi-stage process different methods for the identification of affected areas are developed with the aim to reconstruct the true riverbank line in a second step. Finally these data form the basis for the determination of river width variations.

Rivers are the lifelines of our environment. For this reason they are always in the focus of environmental studies. For the assessment of the ecological status of rivers the member states of the European Union have developed different monitoring programs and approaches. The shadowing of a river affects the temperature of the water and also the energy balance of the water body. Therefore changes in temperature also in uence the biological and chemical status of rivers and lakes. The main objective of this study is the simulation of the shadowing of a section of the river Freiberger Mulde for a full year. This ensures that effects of different sun positions over the year (azimuth, elevation) and also local topography conditions in the close environment of the river section are taken into account. For all analyses a digital surface model and a digital elevation model with a geometric resolution of 2 m is available. The result of this simulation is a raster layer which represents the theoretical annual hours of shadowing of the river section. The results indicate a decrease of illumination of partly more than 80 %. In future this information can be expanded by means of further affecting factors such as the consideration of the phenological status of deciduous trees in the riparian zone.

The vegetation in the riparian zone of a watercourse in fluences the water state with multiple factors, first via direct substance discharge and secondly via shadow casting on the water surface. Shadowing directly regulates the solar radiant energy arriving at the water surface. Solar radiation input to aquatic environments is the most important abiotic factor for aquatic flora and fauna habitat development. Thus, to adequately asses the ecological state of water courses it is necessary to quantify the solar surface irradiance E (W=m2) arriving on the water surface. When estimating the solar surface irradiance the complex coherence between incoming solar radiation, atmospheric in uences, and spatial-temporal geometries need to be investigated. This work established a work flow to compute the solar surface irradiance for water bodies using different remote sensing data. The work flow was tested on regional level for a section of the river Freiberger Mulde, Saxony, for the year 2016. Product of the calculations is a map visualising the annual sum of the solar surface irradiance (kWh=m2) arriving on the Freiberger Mulde water surface and the surrounding terrain. Based on these information bio-hydrological issues can be further examinated.

The diversity of habitats in water bodies like rivers is characterised by the status of morphological and hydrological conditions. The good ecological status of water bodies is claimed in the EuropeanWater Framework Directive. For the assessment of this status the hydro-morphology is one of the most important supporting components for the classification of the ecological status of water bodies. Therefore the periodical monitoring is a mandatory measure in the scope of the European Water Framework Directive. Regarding the so called overview-method of the LAWA (German Working Group on water issues of the Federal States and the Federal Government represented by the Federal Environment Ministry) the use of remote sensing data and remote sensing methodologies becomes more important. Therefore remote sensing data on different scales (satellite, aerial photographs) as well as other topographic information (ATKIS) and a high resolution DTM are merged into an integrative process of analysis using remote sensing and GIS methodology. The analyses ared focused on two parameters. First, a detailed landuse classification based on LANDSAT satellite data is performed for whole catchment of a small river. The results show significant increase of urban areas close to the river. The second analyses deals with the determination of river curvature and introduces the use of a quasi-continously representation of the river. An additional challenge is the chosen study area of a low mountain range river. While large rivers are clear visible in remote sensing data, the usability and transformation of the well-established algorithms and work ows to small rivers need a further substantial research.

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD; 2000/60/EC) was incorporated into the Swedish legislation in 2004 through the ordinance Förordningen om förvaltningenav kvaliteten på vattenmiljön (SFS 2004:660). The objective is that all water bodies shall reach a good status by the year 2015. In Sweden the comprehensive plans of the municipalities can play a large role in reaching these goals. A comprehensive plan deals with the long term water and land use of the municipality, which can facilitate an early consideration of water management in the planning process of the municipality. In Sweden five river basin districts have been established in accordance with the Water Framework Directive. The focus of this study is on the Northern Baltic Sea river basin district. Action strategies have been created for each river basin district, dictating what measures the authorities, among them the municipalities, need to take. The purpose with this study is to find out to what extent the municipalities have taken the action strategies regarding the Northern Baltic Sea river basin and the water quality standards set in Förordningen om förvaltningen av kvaliteten på vattenmiljön (SFS 2004:660) into account when working with their comprehensive plans. The study also sheds light on the municipalities’ view on the demands made on them and what actions can facilitate the working process. The study was made in three parts; a survey, literature studies and interviews. An overall study of all the municipalities in the county of Stockholm was made and three were selected for an in-depth study. The results of the study show that the demands on the municipalities have not been met due to lack of knowledge. The municipalities are aware of the existence of the Water Framework Directive but find it hard to interpret the environmental quality standards and the action strategies. The municipalities wish for a clearer legal definition of the environmental quality standards and a better definition of how the implementation of the action strategies can be made. The municipalities are asking for a clarification of the demands they can make on other organizations and of the demands made on them by the county boards and the River Basin District Authorities.

Même si la réduction des apports de nutriments dans les écosystèmes aquatiques est généralement envisagée avec des approches « effects-based », ce n’est pas le cadre qui a été suivi dans cette thèse. En effet, dans une démarche de développement durable, il semble plus pertinent, de définir des mesures de contrôle de la pollution agissant sur les relations de cause à effet. Selon cette logique, la méthodologie proposée par la Directive Cadre sur l’Eau (DCE) pour protéger les écosystèmes aquatiques présente plusieurs faiblesses. Par le fait qu’elle réfère à certains principes de l’économie standard de l’environnement, l’analyse économique de la DCE pose plusieurs problèmes pour agir sur la causalité de la pollution. Néanmoins, la méthodologie proposée par la DCE est pertinente par le fait qu’elle recommande l’utilisation combinée de mesures techniques et d’instruments pour diminuer les dommages environnementaux. Conformément à cette disposition, l’effet de mesures techniques et d’instruments sur le secteur agricole et sur la chaine alimentaire l’englobant a été évalué puisque cette dernière est responsable de la majorité des émissions diffuses et ponctuelles d’azote et de phosphore dans les eaux de surface. La définition de mesures techniques en fonction de l’efficience de l’utilisation des nutriments (Nutrient Use Efficiency, NUE) dans la production agricole a été complétée par l’étude des instruments économiques utilisés dans la Politique Agricole Commune (PAC) pour développer une agriculture multifonctionnelle. Si la thèse concerne de manière générale l’eutrophisation des écosystèmes aquatiques, elle se penche plus particulièrement sur les pressions au sein du bassin de l’Escaut et sur leurs impacts jusqu’à la zone côtière de la mer du Nord. Des mesures techniques agissant sur les causes des émissions diffuses du secteur agricole et sur les émissions ponctuelles des stations d’épuration ont été proposées pour ce bassin. Ces mesures techniques ont été caractérisées prioritairement par leur efficacité environnementale (grâce aux modèles Sénèque-Riverstrahler et MIRO) et en fonction de leurs coûts directs. <p><p>/<p><p>Although reducing the load of nutrients in aquatic ecosystems is usually looked at through "effects-based" approaches, this is not the context which this paper has chosen to follow. In fact, keeping in line with sustainable development, it seems more relevant to define measures to control pollution which act on cause and effect relations. According to this way of thinking, the methodology proposed by the Water Framework Directive (WFD) to protect aquatic ecosystems presents a number of weaknesses. By the fact that it refers to certain standard economic principles for the environment, the WFD’s economic analysis poses several problems towards acting on the cause of the pollution. Nevertheless, the methodology proposed by the WFD is relevant, as it recommends the combined use of technical measures and of instruments to reduce environmental damage. In accordance with this disposition, an assessment has been made of the effect of technical measures and instruments on the agricultural sector and on the food chain encompassing it, since the food chain is responsible for the majority of diffuse and point emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus in surface waters. The definition of technical measures in terms of efficient use of nutrients (Nutrient Use Efficiency, NUE) in agricultural production has been complemented by a study of economic instruments used in the Common Agricultural Politicy (CAP) to develop a multifunctional type of agriculture. Although the paper deals with the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems in a general way, it concentrates particularly on the increasing pressures in the Scheldt basin and on their impacts as far as the North Sea coastal zone. Technical measures acting on the causes of diffuse emissions in the agricultural sector and on point emissions in the water treatment plants have been proposed for this basin. These technical measures have been categorised in order of priority according to their environmental effectiveness (thanks to the Sénèque-Riverstrahler et MIRO models) and depending on their direct costs.<br>Doctorat en Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique<br>info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Les données issues de la surveillance des rivières sont volumineuses, avec des relations complexes. Des méthodes de fouille de données non supervisées peuvent s’y appliquer et donner des résultats pertinents pour leur gestion, sous réserve d’une collaboration étroite entre hydroécologues et informaticiens. L’extraction de motifs partiellement ordonnés à partir de séquences temporelles de pressions physico-chimiques précédant un état biologique a été réalisée. Ces motifs temporels permettent d’identifier une partie des pressions en cause dans un état écologique dégradé ou non, de préciser l’importance de la durée des séquences avant l’évaluation de l’état biologique, d’identifier les altérations caractéristiques à l’échelle d’une hydro-écorégion. A terme nous envisageons d’élargir ces motifs aux pressions hydromorphologiques<br>Data from the assessment of river are big data, with complex relationships. Unsupervised data mining methods can be applied on them and give relevant results for their management, if a close collaboration exists between hydroecologists and computer scientists. The extraction of partially ordered patterns from temporal sequences of physicochemical pressures preceding a biological state has been achieved. These temporal patterns allow to identify a part of the pressures involved or not in a degraded ecological status, to specify the importance of the sequences time-length before a biological assessment, to identify the characteristic pressure categories at a regional scale. To go further, we plan to extend these patterns to hydromorphological pressures

This thesis provides an analysis how social learning can be supported during the implementation of the WFD. Four research questions address the different characteristics of river basin management: 1) How do spatial misfits between participatory and decision-making institutions impede social learning"2) Does the formalized context of river basin management in Europe allow for social learning" 3) What are conducive environments for social learning in river basin management" 4) How does research contribute to social learning in river basin management" What challenges arise in applied research"The concept of social learning (SL), especially as developed in the European project HarmoniCOP (www.harmonicop.uos.de), formed the theoretical backbone of the analysis. This allowed to consider the challenge of SL to be supported by process design or the institutional settings. At the same time, it allowed to understand to which extent the efficiency of this support depends on the question whether or not the participants in the process recognize the options for improving their knowledge base and make use of them. The analyses have been mainly based on a German case study on the international Elbe river basin district, which was embedded in the European project HarmoniCOP. Here, the specific challenges (spatial misfit; the need for collaboration in formalized contexts) have been addressed exploring participatory and other collaboration processes as well as the actors approach to SL. In order to understand collaboration processes between research and water management, the role of research in delivering tools to support the new challenges of the WFD has been studied during activities of the European Concerted Action Harmoni-CA (www.harmoni-ca.info). The thesis closes with recommendations to improve social learning in practical river basin management.

The Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) is an innovative piece of legislation aimed at harmonizing Water Policy among the 27 Member States. This Directive, the reading of which may appear quasi-revolutionary due to its territorial and material scope, is a new policy instrument with, as of yet, still ongoing implementation. The final deadline for the complete implementation of the Water Framework Directive is 2015, when the good ecological status of the water bodies in the European Union should have been achieved. The purpose of this study is to analyze the development of the implementation on three essential aspects of the Directive: the transposition, the creation of the administrative authorities, and the public participation in the elaboration of the River Basin Management Plans. My thesis has two main research questions: 1) Have France and Spain implemented the WFD correctly? 2) Does the pervasive theory of the Mediterranean Syndrome apply to my study cases? In order to answer the first question, I use the scoreboard method to assess of the correctness of implementation of the three essential aspects of the Directive mentioned above, complemented by an examination of the domestic dynamics that shaped the implementation categorized into different modes of governance. To address the second question the two case studies I have chosen will test the doctrine of the northern leaders and southern laggards as based on institutional culture. The doctrine of the Southern Laggards (also known as the Mediterranean Syndrome doctrine) advocates that the Southern/Mediterranean states are doomed to fail implementing EU environmental policy. In my thesis, I address this doctrine by using a practical case study: the comparison of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive between France and Spain. The essence of these arguments is rooted in the mainstream doctrine of the goodness of fit. That is, a Directive is more likely to be correctly implemented where there is a matching institutional framework. In order to use this theory as a departure point to examine the hypothesis of likeliness of correct implementation of the WFD by France and Spain, I selected three main institutional features that are hallmarks in France and Spain and also practically opposed: political centralization versus decentralization, democracy and participation versus totalitarianism, and the status of economic development of each EU Member. I use them as indicators to determine the degree of fit of France and Spain´s institutional frameworks with the purpose, the policy style and the institutions required by the WFD. I conclude with highlighting the importance of this study for the contribution that it may make to two contemporary issues: the current Eastern/Western divide in the EU (can the doctrine of the Northern/Southern states usefully be extrapolated to the Western/Eastern Members?) and the thorny economic situation of the EU today. At the time of finishing writing this thesis, all the fingers point to Greece, immersed in a striking public debt that has shaken the rest of the Mediterranean countries: is the Mediterranean Syndrome attacking again?<br>Graduate

Tese mest. , Gestão da Água e da Costa, 2008, Universidade do Algarve<br>The Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to achieve a good quality status of all the European water bodies by the year 2015. The Directive demands that the ecological status is quantified based primarily on biological indicators. Seagrasses are one of the biological quality elements (BQE) to be used in defining the ecological quality status (EQS) of transitional and coastal waters. This thesis focuses on the application of seagrasses as BQE to assess the ecological status of the Ria Formosa lagoon. The sites of Ponte and Ramalhete, already registered as part of the European list of inter-calibration sites for the WFD, were assessed. The metrics established by the Directive for this BQE, i.e. the taxonomic composition and the seagrass abundance (bed area extent and shoot density), were determined and compared with the reference conditions. The Ponte and Ramalhete sites had a mean score of Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) of 0.90 and of 0.97, respectively (both scores correspond to high ecological status). The main difference resulted from the lost of one seagrass species in the Ponte site. As a result Ria Formosa was considered at high ecological status using the seagrass biological quality element. However the classification provided by seagrasses was slightly higher than the classification obtained by other studies considering other BQE (phytoplankton, nutrients). This study was the first attempt to establish the EQS of Ria Formosa using seagrass as a BQE. Further research is required to establish a more accurate and integrated EQS of the Ria Formosa lagoon.

The problematic of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) in the European Union (EU) surface water has been reported over the last decades as well as CEC’s potential impact on human health and the environment. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC; WFD) is the main EU Directive for the protection of aquatic environments since it came in force. This Directive requires the monitoring of 45 priority substances regarding their environmental quality standards in order to achieve the good chemical status of water bodies until 2027. The last revision of the WFD in 2015 showed that Member States have not met the targets yet. The present dissertation aims to analyse whether WFD has been efficient enough to protect the aquatic ecosystems against CEC and evaluate if the environmental objectives will be complied until its last revision. The Netherlands was used as the case study. Interviews were carried out to 13 employees of the different layers in the Dutch water management system. Based on results obtained, it was concluded that the WFD has been the main European water legislation used to protect the aquatic environment from the occurrence of CEC in the last years. The Directive have created awareness and encourages Member States to take actions, however, some issues were identified. The conclusion is that WFD has not been efficient enough in the protection of aquatic environments against CEC. Although it is difficult to predict its success in 2027, two possible scenarios were identified. In the end, it was suggested a consistent assessment of CEC in aquatic environments, connection of WFD goals with EU’s chemicals regulations, collaboration between all interested parties and an integrated strategy to WFD implementation in the Member States.

This Ph.D. thesis focuses on the characteristic of littoral vegetation in reservoirs with a storage function and on the factors that may affect it. The current state of the littoral vegetation in different types of biotopes was detected by a detailed survey of the littoral in Lipno reservoir. Complexes of environmental factors characteristic for different types of biotopes were described. The dynamics of littoral vegetation in response to changes in water level fluctuations was monitored in a protected bay during three years. Based on the results, the vegetation zonation was described in the eulittoral zone of an aquatic ecosystem with irregular fluctuations in water levels. The thesis also deals with the use of a breakwater structure to protect littoral vegetation in erosion exposed biotopes. The results of all three studies are used as a basis for proposals for supporting the development of littoral vegetation in the eulittoral zone in reservoirs as defined in the Water Framework Directive.

Im 6. Informationsblatt zur »Umsetzung der Wasserrahmenrichtlinie in Sachsen« liegt der Schwerpunkt auf der Umsetzung von Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung des Gewässerzustands. Zum einen wird eine Zwischenbilanz zum Stand der Arbeiten gezogen. Zum anderen wird beleuchtet, ob die bisherigen Anstrengungen ausreichend sind, um die hoch gesteckten Ziele in Sachsen erreichen zu können. Außerdem werden Projekte des LfULG und seiner Partner vorgestellt, die beispielhaft für Sachsen sein können.