Overview

This standard will enable broad comparisons to be made of river hydromorphological modifications throughout Europe (e.g. for reporting by the European Environment Agency). The assessment of river "quality" in Europe has evolved over the past 20 years. From its original focus on organic pollution it now relies on methods for analysing a range of chemical and biological attributes. More recently, several European countries have developed systems for evaluating the hydromorphological features of rivers. The EC Water Framework Directive (WFD) has reinforced the need for this broader view of river "quality" through its requirement for determining "ecological status" based on macrophytes, phytobenthos, invertebrates and fish. The Directive also requires that hydromorphological and physico-chemical conditions should be suitable for supporting biological communities, although hydromorphology is only classified at "high status". While the guidance standard for assessing the hydromorphological features of rivers (DIN EN 14614) describes a protocol for field survey and feature recording, this standard gives guidance on assessing the modification of river hydromorphological features. It focuses especially on human pressures that affect rivers; thus, it may be helpful for implementing the WFD by indicating the extent to which these pressures might have caused a departure from hydromorphological reference conditions. Although the procedure described in this standard enables the hydromorphological characterization of rivers, it does not attempt either to describe methods for defining "high status" for hydromorphology under the WFD or to link broad scale hydromorphological classification to assessments of ecological status. In addition to its relevance regarding the implementation of WFD requirements, this standard has applications for land-use planning, nature conservation, environmental impact assessment, river basin management, flood risk assessment (e.g. the EC Floods Directive) and setting targets for river restoration work. The European Standard has been prepared by CEN/TC 230 "Water Analysis". The responsible German Committee is Working Group NA 119-01-03-05-06 AK "Biologisch-ökologische Gewässeruntersuchung" ("Biological-ecological water examination") of Working Committee NA 119-01-03 AA "Wasseruntersuchung" ("Water Analysis") at NAW. The project has been funded by Länderfinanzierungsprogramm "Wasser, Boden und Abfall" (federal funding programme "Water, soil and waste").

Document: references other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 119-01-03 AA - Water quality (CEN/TC 230, ISO/TC 147)  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 230 - Water analysis