|
1. Definition
| Name |
RIVER
BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN |
| Brief definition |
The indicator
measures if the area has approved a River Basin Management Plan
and the rapidity of its adoption. |
| Unit of measure |
Years, months. |
| Spatial scale |
|
| Temporal scale |
|
2. Position
within the logical framework DPSIR
| Type of Indicator |
Response |
3. Target and
political pertinence
| Objective |
The
indicator shows if a River Basin Management plan has been adopted
for the area. A RBMP is the main tool of water system management,
such as envisaged by the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (CEC
2000). In the new EU water policy, the level at which goals
and measures will be set is that of the decentralised, hydro-political
unit of the river basin. River basin districts correspond to
large catchment basins as composites of multiple catchments
(CEC 2000). The establishment and operation of the river basin
authorities is the cornerstone of the implementation of the
WFD. Each authority will be responsible for preparing and implementing,
in 6-year periods, an RBMP (CEC 2000), which will include description
and mapping of the basin and the monitoring network and a summary
of significant pressures and the measures taken to achieve the
goals of the EU Directive. |
| Importance
with respect to desertification |
The River Basin Management
Plan is a key element to effect the sustainable management
of water resources and to control and prevent hydrogeological
risk connected with land degradation processes. The RBMP aims
to coordinate the water basin management and to introduce
new standards and tools for the protection of the ecological
quality of waters. RBMPs have to include:
- an overall analysis
of the river basin characteristics
- a review of the impact
of human activities on the status of waters (in terms of
both quantity and quality) and ecosystems in the basin
- an assessment of existing
leglislation and shortcomings in meeting the WFD objectives,
including a set of measures to address these shortcomings
- the perceived involvement
of the public in an open planning process
- a 'combined approach'
of Emission Limit Values (e.g. discharge concentrations)
and water quality standards (e.g. the quality of waters
receiving effluents)
- an economic analysis
of water (use) within the river basin, identifying means
of cost recovery.
Each plan should be complemented
with a programme of measures including a number of mandatory
'basic' measures. These include those required at a minimum
to comply with the requirements of the directive. First and
foremost these include the implementation of all other relevant
Community legislation for the protection of water (i.e. IPPC,
urban w/w, nitrates, drinking and bathing water directives).
|
| International
Conventions and agreements |
Water Framework Directive
(WFD) (CEC 2000).
Agenda 21, Chapter 18:
Protection Of The Quality And Supply Of Freshwater Resources:
Application Of Integrated Approaches To The Development, Management
And Use Of Water Resources.
|
| Secondary
objectives of the indicator |
The
River Basin Management Plan aims to harmonize water policy and
water management of the river basin as a whole, in close consultation
with stakeholders including industries, municipalities, basin
authorities, NGOs, government institutions and the public at
large. The adoption of the Plan thus reflects the local ability
to follow a participatory approach in the management of environmental
resources. |
4. Methodological
description and basic definitions
| Definitions
and basic concepts |
The
indicator shows the "state of the art" of the river
basin management in EU, considering the adoption of the River
Basin Management Plan according to the requirements of EU Water
Framework Directive. |
| Benchmarks
Indication of the values/ranges of value |
The indicator
compares the "state of the art" existing in different
EU countries and between Basin Authorities. |
| Methods
of measurement |
The difference between the time when the River Basin Management
Plan was adopted in the area and the time when the first River
Basin Management Plan was adopted in the EU. |
| Limits of the
indicator |
Generally the
Basin Authorities still have to adopt management plans. The
indicators does not inform about the implementation of the River
Basin Management Plan |
| Linkages with
other indicators |
Aquifer
over-exploitation; Groundwater
depth (change in); Water
consumption by sector; Water
scarcity; Wastewater
recycling |
5. Evaluation
of data needs and availability
| Data
required to calculate the indicator |
Time
of adoption of the local River Basin Management Plan; time of
the adoption of the first River Basin Plan adopted in EU.
|
| Data sources |
Regional and
Local authorities with jurisdiction on water matters. |
| Availability
of data from national and international sources |
Data are easily
available from regional and local sources. |
6. Institutions
that have participated in developing the indicator
| Main institutions
responsible |
University
of Basilicata |
| Other
contributing organizations |
Universities
of Lisbon, Murcia, Athens |
7. Additional
information
| Bibliography
|
Kallis, G. and Butler,
D. (2001) The New EU Water Framework Directive: Measures and
Implications, Water Policy, 3(3), 125-142.
Kallis, G. and Nijkamp,
P. (2000) Evolution of EU Water Policy: a critical assessment
and a hopeful perspective, Journal of Environmental Law and
Policy, 3, 301-335.
|
| Other references |
Howarth, W.
(1992) New Strategies for Water Directives, European Environment
Law Review, 1(4), 117-121. |
| Contacts Name
and address |
Prof. Giovanni
Quaranta
Dipartimento Tecnico-Economico per la Gestione del Territorio
Agricolo-Forestale
Università della Basilicata
Via Macchia Romana
85100 Potenza
Italia
quaranta@unibas.it |
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