References and Status designation of the Dutch Wadden Sea

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References and Status designation of the Dutch
Wadden Sea
Paul J.F. de Graaf Ministry of Transport,
Public Works and Water Management, Division North
Netherlands
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Contents

• Requirements WFD
• Status designation preconditions
• References and Classification tools
• Status Dutch Wadden Sea
• Points of Discussion

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Requirements WFD

• Limited (technical) space for interpretation on
• Reference values for biological, physico-chemical
  and hydromorphological elements
• Defining Good Ecological Status and Good Chemical
  Status
• Intercalibration
• EU-Guidances are leading
• Some administrative space on
• Reversibility of hydromorphological interventions
  (including costs)
• Appeal to derogation.
• Including valid arguments!

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Status designation preconditions

• Report on references and classification tools for
  transitional and coastal waters
• Status Dutch Wadden Sea should be identical to
  German and Danish Wadden Sea (kein Alleingang)

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Classification tools (type CW-NEA4)

• Tidal salt marshes
• Area covered
• High gt30,000 ha Good gt20,000 ha
• Quality (balanced distribution of vegetation
  zones)
• High 6 Good 4-5

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Classification tools (type CW-NEA4)

• Tidal salt marshes
• Area covered
• High gt30,000 ha Good gt20,000 ha
• Quality (balanced distribution of vegetation
  zones)
• High 6 Good 4-5
• Seagrass
• Area covered ( total water body)
• High gt10 Good gt5
• Quality (mean coverage)
• High Dwarf grass-wrack gt60 or Eelgrass
  gt30
• Good Dwarf grass-wrack gt40 or Eelgrass gt20

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Heavily Modified Water Body?

• Significant, irreversible hydromorphological
  interventions?
• Yes, diking along mainland and isles.
• Good Ecological Status for salt marshes and
  seagrass can not be achieved in 2015
• gt Dutch Wadden Sea HMWB
• Consequences
• Status Dutch Wadden Sea differs from status
  German and Danish Wadden Sea (negative).
• Goals and measures for salt marshes and seagrass
  can be adapted to the present hydromorphological
  situation (positive).

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Dutch Wadden Sea (Report 2005)

• Characterization
• Type CW-NEA4 Sheltered polyhaline coastal
  water
• Preliminary status Natural water body,
• since natural processes dominate the system
  within the present bounderies (dikes).
• Preconditions (additional)
• No limits to future coastal defense measures
• No extra conditions upon Bird and Habitat
  Directives.
• Consequence
• Good Ecological Status for tidal salt marshes and
  seagrass can not be achieved in 2015
• gt appeal to derogation

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Dutch Wadden Coast (Report 2005)

• Characterization
• Type CW-NEA3 Polyhaline coastal water
• Preliminary status Natural water body.
• Hydromorphological pressures
• Coastal protection dams, sand suppletion (not
  significant)

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Points of discussion

• Which basic assumptions concerning water body
  boundaries should be employed in formulating
  reference values?
• How to harmonize different approaches for
  adjacent river basins between EU-member states?
  (key issue of Interreg IIIB-project HARBASINS)