Towards sustainable management of Mediterranean river basins: policy recommendations on management aspects of temporary streams

Water Policy ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 830-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos P. Nikolaidis ◽  
Leeda Demetropoulou ◽  
Jochen Froebrich ◽  
Claire Jacobs ◽  
Francesc Gallart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Temporary Streams ◽  
Temporary Rivers ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
The Eu

In 2011, the European Council stressed the significance of water quality for sustainable development in Europe and emphasized the need for better integration of the water policy objectives into the Common Agriculture Policy reform in rural areas. Since 2000, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has required the EU Member States to target good ecological status for their water bodies. However, the implementation of the Directive for the numerous Mediterranean temporary streams has been delayed indicating the need for elaboration of the tools and methods that address the special characteristics of such water bodies. This requirement has been addressed by the recently completed MIRAGE project. In the context of the recent publication of the European Commission's Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Waters, the MIRAGE-proposed framework for the characterization of the eco-hydrological dynamics and the systematic description of the measured impact for temporary rivers could bring considerable added value to the EU revision of all relevant water policies. The project recommends additions to WFD articles including an explicit definition of temporary rivers, adaptation of environmental objectives to their peculiarities and establishment of a proper method to determine the initial status and specific actions in River Basin Management Plans.

Water-Related Tools for Climate Change Adaptation in the Flemish Region: The Art of Linking Water Quality Standards to Spatial Planning

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-301
Author(s):  
Peter De Smedt
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Spatial Planning ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Water Quality Standards ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) establishes a framework for integrated water management and functions as a major legal frame for the protection of water bodies in Europe. In the Flemish Region the Directive has been implemented by the Decree of 18 July 2003 on Integral Water Policy. As climate change affects the quality and quantity status of water bodies, the question arises whether the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Flemish implementation legislation are well-suited to handle climate change impacts. Although climate change concerns are not explicitly incorporated in the text of the WFD and the Flemish Decree, this author believes that the main components for an effective adaptation strategy are included in the above mentioned legislation. More in particular, this is achieved by the environmental objectives which have to be elaborated in environmental quality standards (EQS) on the one hand, and the integrated approach on the other hand. Water quality management on the basis of a high level of protection of the aquatic environment is indispensable for adapting to climate change, as ecosystem-based adaptation is most cost-effective. Therefore spatial planning should integrate water quality concerns, as spatial planning may be critical for spatial quality and more specific for the achievement of the environmental objectives. Consequently this contribution focuses on the impact of water quality standards on permit decision-making and spatial planning. In this context some legal instruments anchored in the Flemish legislation on integral water policy will be highlighted, especially the 'watertoets' (translated as the water checkup), which may be useful to facilitate adaptation to climate change.

Model-based knowledge acquisition in environmental decision support system for wastewater integrated management

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1123-1129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pau Prat ◽  
Lorenzo Benedetti ◽  
Lluís Corominas ◽  
Joaquim Comas ◽  
Manel Poch
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Decision Support System ◽  
Support System ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Integrated Modelling ◽  
Environmental Decision

The main goal of the Water Framework Directive is to achieve good chemical and ecological status of water bodies by 2015. The implementation of integrated river basin management, including sewer systems, wastewater treatment plants and receiving water bodies, is essential to accomplishing this objective. Integrated management is complex and therefore the implementation of control systems and the development of decision support systems are needed to facilitate the work of urban wastewater system (UWS) managers. Within this context, the objective of this paper is to apply integrated modelling of an UWS to simulate and analyse the behaviour of the ‘Congost’ UWS in Spain, and to optimize its performance against different types of perturbations. This analysis results in optimal operating set-points for each perturbation, improves river water quality, minimizes combined sewer overflows and optimizes flow lamination from storm water tanks. This is achieved by running Monte Carlo simulations and applying global sensitivity analysis. The set-points will become part of the knowledge base composed of a set of IF-THEN rules of the environmental decision support system being developed for this case study.

scholarly journals European Union Water Policy in Aspect of Rural Areas Development

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-21
Author(s):  
Edward Pierzgalski
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Agriculture And Environment ◽  
Agricultural Areas ◽  
State Of The Environment ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Agriculture and environment are among others the most important priorities of the European Union. Agriculture is strongly influenced by the state of the environment, including water resources. In addition to many other policies, the EU water policy is crucial for the sustainable development of rural areas. Directives are the main tools for implementation of water policy. This article contains an overview of the directives on aspects of quality and quantity of water resources. Within the paper three most important agricultural areas of the Directive are characterized: the Water Framework Directive, the Floods Directive and the Nitrates Directive. Presented mandatory EU action aimed at their implementation and the problems associated with it. Current proposals for changes in the EU water policy are described.

scholarly journals Agriculture in Poland and Ukraine – Potential and Dynamics of Changes in Production

2017 ◽  
Vol 17(32) (4) ◽  
pp. 326-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludwik Wicki ◽  
Mykola Orlykovskyi ◽  
Lesia Zaburanna
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
High Growth ◽  
High Growth Rate ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Support Programs ◽  
Land Market ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
High Importance ◽  
The Eu

The article attempts to compare the importance of agriculture and the dynamics of its development in Ukraine and Poland. The most important constraints on the development of Ukrainian agriculture were identified, including the unregulated land market, lack of coherent support programs for agriculture and rural areas, poorly developed infrastructure of the agricultural environment and lack of capital for development. It was found that agriculture in Ukraine is characterized by a high growth rate of productivity and production. The observed output gap in relation to agriculture in Poland is about 10 years. The agricultural sector in Ukraine has about 10% share in generating GDP and as much as 40% share in exports. Such high importance can be maintained even in the conditions of economic development, as there are large reserves in the development of agribusiness. The most important development factors include the introduction of a coherent program for the development of the agribusiness sector, including production of goods with high added value and increasing the availability of capital for the development of agriculture. A great opportunity is the development of trade in the conditions of affiliation with the EU.

scholarly journals Between Emulation and Assemblage: Analysing WFD Policy Transfer Outcomes in Turkey

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burcin Demirbilek ◽  
David Benson
Keyword(s):  
Water Policy ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
River Basins ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Policy Transfer ◽  
Monitoring Cost ◽  
Transboundary Cooperation ◽  
Eu Policy ◽  
Environmental Objectives

Turkey’s protracted European Union (EU) accession process has resulted in the transfer of environmental policy, primarily the water acquis. Despite a recent reversal in accession negotiations, this process is continuing and has thereby resulted in the active Europeanisation of Turkish water policy. However, the resultant pattern of Europeanisation remains poorly understood with questions arising as to whether policy transfer is leading to significant convergence with EU policy, or if a uniquely Turkish hybrid system of water governance is emerging. The paper therefore provides an analysis of transfer outcomes from the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), using eight core institutional features: identification of river basins; transboundary cooperation; environmental objectives setting; characterisation of river basins; monitoring; cost recovery and water pricing; river basin management planning; and public participation. While analysis of legal frameworks and their implementation shows many areas of emulation, some features of the WFD in Turkey are an amalgam of pre-existing water institutions, the mimetic influence of integrated water resources management (IWRM) norms, EU policy and changing national water policy priorities: what we call assembled emulation. This observation has implications for future studies on policy transfer, Europeanisation, IWRM and Turkish accession.

scholarly journals The Influence of Tax Rates for the Groundwater Extraction to the Ecological Status of Water Bodies in the EU Countries

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Groundwater Extraction ◽  
Member States ◽  
Tax Rate ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Eu

Purpose. To analyze the relationship between the ecological status of water bodies and the size of the tax rate for groundwater extraction. Methods. A complex of general scientific methods of research was used. In particular, a comparative analysis of the level of tax rates for the extraction of groundwater in the EU member states. Results. A comparative analysis of the level of tax rates for groundwater extraction in the EU member states has been made.The issue of allocating state income from rent payments for groundwater extraction has been investigated. It has been established that the cost of rent payments from groundwater extraction is usually attributed to: general taxation (Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany), water resources management (France), fund for the protection and restoration of groundwater (Belgium, Germany), expenditure on water resources (provinces in the Netherlands, Australia).The modern ecological status of water objects of EU countries has been studied. It has been established that rent payments for groundwater extraction in the EU member states vary considerably. The smallest are observed in the post-Soviet area (Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania). The highest tax, among the countries under study, in Denmark. Denmark is leading the quality indicators of underground and surface waters. 70-90% of water bodies in Denmark have a good ecological status.Conclusions.It has been practically proved that the high tax rate for the extraction of groundwater does not solve environmental problems. The experience of European countries shows that the improvement of the ecological status of water objects is possible by budget allocations from the extraction of groundwater to the management and protection of water resources.

scholarly journals Sawdust for Treatment of Stormwater - Test on Synthetic Stormwater Contaminated with Heavy Metals

2017 ◽  
pp. 315-323
Author(s):  
Henric Svensson ◽  
Audrey Forest ◽  
Marion Geoffre ◽  
Marcia Marques ◽  
William Hogland
Keyword(s):  
Toxic Metals ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Oxygen Depletion ◽  
Resin Acids ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Inorganic Pollutants ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
Real Wastewater ◽  
The Eu

Stormwater from urban, industrial and rural areas is very often discharged into recipient water bodies without any treatment. This is now changing in many parts of the word, especially in Europe due to The EU Water Framework Directive (European Union, 2000). According to the new policy, will probably stormwater that has often small concentrations but complex mix of different organic and inorganic pollutants has to be treated. Many different systems have been used, such as wetlands and soil infiltration trenches, among others. Sawdust has many times been reported as a good sorbent used for removing mostly toxic metals from wastewaters. However, in most cases, studies have been carried out with distilled water spiked with, for instance, 1-2 different toxic metals. Very few studies have used real wastewater and even less have studied removal of metals from stormwater using sorbent such as sawdust. Sawdust has also drawbacks, since it may release potentially hazardous substances as tannins: lignin, phenolic compounds, resin acids and overall high COD concentrations which results in oxygen depletion in the recipient water bodies. In this paper, the results of using sawdust as sorbent for removal of heavy metal from stormwater with different pollutants are presented.

scholarly journals Αποτελέσματα εισοδήματος στην οριακή επιθυμία για πληρωμή μέσα στο πλαίσιο του κοινοτικού πλαισίου για τους υδάτινους πόρους

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Εμμανουήλ Τυλλιανάκης
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Scientific Models ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Human Welfare ◽  
The Impact

This thesis aims to analyse and comment on the impact of large agri-environmental policy directives in the welfare of European citizens. THe focus of this thesis is on the Water Framework Directive which had as its orearching target to achieve Good Ecological Status for all European water bodies. The directive set out an integrated river basin management framework which in turn was at the juristiction of regional bodies to implement. The purpose of the theisis is to offer a balanced approach from both the social and the economic side of assessing such large pieces of legislation, without turning a blind eye to its shortcomings, while aknowledging its importance to the European Union goals. The approach of the thesis is anthropocentric, which is not always the case in neoclassical economic theory, which has influenced the design of the Water Framework Directive. The thesis prides itself in its analysis of the impacts of the directive during its design state and its implementation state as well. Finally, the thesis comments on its findings from the viewpoints of physical, social and economic sciences.In particular, the thesis attempts to answer the following questions:1. What are the real implications of large pieces of policy work such as the Water Framework Directive on human welfare?2. Which is, if any, the impact and value of scientific models in the design of case-specific agri-environmental policies for river basins?3. Are such directives cost-effective in their implementation in the regional level?4. Who benefits more from these directives, poorer or richer househlods?5. If individual perceptions on risk are taken into consideration, how well do these reflect the true threats to the water environment, and how that affects public consultation in the preparatory phase of such directives?6. How do European-set ecologcal and environmental indexes for the waters help European citizens realise the true threats to the water bodies in their region?

scholarly journals Assessment of the Impact of Small Hydropower Plants on the Ecological Status Indicators of Water Bodies: A Case Study in Lithuania

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 433
Author(s):  
Laima Česonienė ◽  
Midona Dapkienė ◽  
Petras Punys
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Fish Abundance ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
The Impact

Hydropower plants produce renewable and sustainable energy but affect the river’s physico-chemical characteristics and change the abundance and composition of the aquatic organisms. The impact of large HPPs on the ecological conditions of surface water bodies have been extensively studied, but less attention has been paid to environmental impact studies of small hydropower plants (SHPs). The impact of hydropeaking on both the river flow regime and ecosystems has been well-studied for peaking mode plants, mainly medium to large-sized ones. However, for small hydroelectric power plants, and especially for those in lowland rivers, the available information on water quality, benthic macroinvertebrates communities and fish abundance, and biomass is not sufficient. Ten small hydropower plants were selected, and the ecological status of water bodies was assessed in different parts of Lithuania. The studies were performed at the riverbed upstream from the SHPs, where the hydrological regime has not changed, and downstream from the SHPs. It was found that the small hydropower plants do not affect the physico-chemical values of the water quality indicators. This study demonstrated that the total number of benthic macroinvertebrates taxa (TS) is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids, the water flow, the river area, and the current speed; the number of EPT (Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies)) taxa is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids. The studied indicators do not have a significant impact on biomass. The SHPs affect the fish abundance and biomass. The Lithuanian fish index (LFI) is influenced by the average depth and area of the river. Some SHPs operating in lowland areas may yield somewhat significant hydrograph ramping but more detailed investigation is needed to support the significance of this impact on the biological indices.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of an escape room for undergraduate interprofessional learning: a mixed methods single group pre-post evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh Moore ◽  
Narelle Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Interprofessional Education ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Individual Student ◽  
Single Group ◽  
Interprofessional Practice ◽  
Student Focus ◽  
Practice Knowledge ◽  
Work Integrated Learning

Abstract Background Interprofessional practice (IPP) has been shown to contribute to quality service provision and improved health outcomes. This knowledge has led to the integration of interprofessional education into course curricula for many health-care disciplines. Offering interprofessional education in rural areas to students undertaking work integrated learning placements is challenging particularly because of the diversity of students and placement dates combined with the student focus on the assessable placement curriculum. This research investigated and evaluated the utility of an escape room as an educational modality that facilitates learning whilst providing a supportive and motivating learning environment. Our project focused on the acquisition of interprofessional practice knowledge and experience by a health professional student cohort. Methods This study used the novel intervention of an escape room combined with an interactive teaching session to test student engagement and learning about interprofessional practice and teamwork. The research used a mixed methods single group pre-post design. Results Fifty students (78% female) from seventeen universities and seven professions participated in teams of three to six members. Most participants (66%) had not previously completed an escape room. The results showed that the intervention provided effective and engaging learning and was intrinsically appealing to students despite its non-assessable nature. Individual student reflection on their participation showed developing insight into the critical importance of clear communication and intentional team member collaboration in the provision of effective interprofessional practice. Conclusions The escape room intervention added value to the placement curriculum and proved flexible for a heterogeneous student cohort.

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