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HomeOverall approach to the classification of ecological status and ecological potential. Guidance document No 13
Overall approach to the classification of ecological status and ecological potential. Guidance document No 13
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The development of ecological assessment and classification systems is one of the most important and technically challenging parts of the implementation of the water framework directive. It is the first time such systems have been required under Community legislation and all Member States are in a position of needing to significantly expand their technical knowledge and experience. Consequently, the development and improvement of appropriate systems will involve a learning process. This guidance document provides a starting point for this learning process. It sets out some key principles and ideas on practical approaches. It is hoped these will help Member States build on their existing expertise to develop practical and reliable systems for assessment and classification that satisfy the requirements of the water framework directive. Much of the guidance document is based on Member States’ existing national experiences of assessing and classifying surface waters or on the interim outcomes of some of the development work currently underway. As implementation progresses and Member States begin to monitor and assess the ecological status of water bodies, the richness of Member States’ practical experiences with ecological classification in relation to all surface water categories will increase. New ways of dealing with some of the technical challenges, such as controlling the risk of misclassification, may be identified. The sharing of this growing body of experience among Member States will benefit all and should be encouraged.
- Published:
- Corporate author(s): Directorate-General for Environment (European Commission)
- Themes: Environment policy and protection of the environment , Environmental regulations
- Subject: directive (EU) , ecological balance , ecosystem , EU environmental policy , freshwater , surface water , water management , watercourse
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| ISSN 1725-1087 | ISBN 92-894-6968-4 | DOI | Catalogue number KH-57-03-758-EN-N |
- Released on EU Publications:
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