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2.5 Pressures and impacts
The main significant pressures causing risk of not achieving good ecological status are point and diffuse source pollution and hydromorphological pressures. The main impacts on surface water bodies are nutrient enrichment, chemical pollution and altered habitats due to morphological changes, reflecting the key pressures.
Diffuse pollution and point source pollution affects 38 % and 18 % of the surface water bodies, respectively. A relatively higher proportion of transitional and coastal water bodies are affected by pollution pressure compared to rivers and in particular lakes. The main drivers for point source pollution pressures are urban wastewater, followed to a lesser degree by industrial plants and storm overflow. For diffuse source pollution, the main driver is agriculture, followed by atmospheric deposition and discharges not connected to sewerage plants.
Hydromorphological pressures comprise all physical alterations of water bodies (including continuity interruptions) which modify their channel, shores, riparian zones, water level/flow, e.g. dams, embankments, channelization, flow regulation. These activities cause damage to the morphology and hydrology of the water bodies. They result in altered habitats, with significant impacts on the ecological status.
Figure 2.8. Proportion of water bodies affected by main pressures of all surface water bodies and by categories: rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters.
Notes: The term all SWBs means all surface water bodies summarizing rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters. A full attribution of main pressures to ecological status or chemical status is not possible. For diffuse source pollution, 25% of the classified water bodies have diffuse pollution only from atmospheric deposition, which is most relevant for chemical status.
Source: Preliminary results based on WISE-SoW database including data from 25 Member States EU28 except Greece, Ireland and Lithuania).
Hydromorphological pressures affect around 40 % of the surface water bodies, and the highest proportion is reported for rivers and transitional water bodies. Hydromorphological pressures are subdivided into further categories of pressures: physical alterations in the channel, bed, riparian zone or shore (26 %), as well as structures which impact longitudinal continuity (dams/barriers and locks, 24 %) affect the largest share of water bodies. Hydrological alterations affect a smaller share (7 %) of total surface water bodies.
Figure 2.9. Proportion of water bodies affected by main pressures (left) and detailed point source, diffuse source and hydromorphological pressures (right).
Note: Proportion of water bodies with specific pressures, for example, 18 % of water bodies are affected by point sources, and the main point source pressure is discharges from urban waste water treatment plants affecting 12 % of all surface water bodies. A water body may be affected by more than one pressure therefore the sum of percentages is greater than 100 % for the main significant pressures or the percentage for the groups, e.g. the sum of detailed point source pressures is greater than 18 %.
Source: Preliminary results based on WISE-SoW database including data from 25 Member States. EU28 except Greece, Ireland and Lithuania).
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Further and detailed information on pressures and impact results is available in WISE · Main pressures by category table, · Main impacts by category table · Detailed pressures table; point source pressures table, diffuse source pressures table and hydromophological pressures table; abstraction pressures table; other pressures table |
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"Diffuse pollution and point source pollution affects 38 % and 18 % of the surface water bodies, respectively."
At pages 5 and 21 of the report diffuse pollution was given as 37 % . Please harmonize the values - is 37 or 38% the correct value?
"Hydromorphological pressures affect around 40 % of the surface water bodies, and the highest proportion is reported for rivers and transitional water bodies."
At pages 8 and 21 of the report 41% was given for hydromorphological pressures. Please harmonize the values.
In figure 2.8, the diagramm on the left-hand side can be deleted as the information is included in the diagramm on the right.
BE-FLA (RV): p. 30, §4 A relatively higher proportion of transitional and coastal water bodies are affected by pollution pressure compared to rivers and in particular lakes
Please, explain. Is it atmospheric deposition? Also, TC waters are lower in numbers + located downstream. Percentages give a wrong indication here.
BE-FLA (RV): p. 31, Fig 2.8:
Series 2 >> Atmospheric deposition
BE-FLA (RV): p. 31, §4 Hydrological alterations affect a smaller share (7 %) of total surface water bodies.
Hydrological alterations (water abstractions) affect a smaller share (7 %) of total surface water bodies. // Ref. p. 57
BE-FLA (RV): p. 32, Fig 2.9
Urban waste water >> UWWTPs
BE-FLA (RV): p. 32 note … affecting 12 % of all surface water bodies
p. 59: 70%
BE-FLA (RV-VVDL): p. 32 note … A water body may be affected by more than one pressure therefore the sum of percentages is greater than 100 % for the main significant pressures …
1) Check # water bodies not affected by main pressures and compare with water quality status
2) Give % of water bodies reported to be subject to multiple (at least 2) pressures
It should clearly stated out that ’Significant Pressures’ are those pressures which, either alone, or in combination with other pressures prevent or put at risk the achievement of WFD Article 4(1) Environmental Objectives including the achievement of good status, the non-deterioration of status, the avoidance of a significant and sustained upward trend in pollution of groundwater, and the achievement of objectives in WFD protected areas. Because of definition figures overestimates minor pressures which are typically combined with more significant pressures. For example forestry.
pg. 32 - Main impacts by category table
-for RO Acidification impact type is missing
- for Altered habitats due to morphological change, the RO number is not correct (in the EEA table there are 47 WBs but in RO WISE there are 43 WBs)
The same comments are relevant also for the pg. 40.
"These activities cause damage to the morphology and hydrology of the water bodies. They result in altered habitats, with significant impacts on the ecological status."
Not all changes cause damage to ecology, which is the focus of the WFD. Proposal: Instead of two sentences, modify the last sentence: "The changes of" hydrology and morphology may result in ...
(AT) Figure 2.8, right figure
The presentation of the athmospheric fraction is not really clear. What means 'Series2'?
(AT) Figure 2.9 'Hydromorphology'
What is meant with ”HYMO alteration – Other”? Should be explained.
SK: Figure 2.8 (right): Correct title/description for “series 2” is missing in the legend.
Paragraph before figure 2.9, last sentence 'Hydrological alterations affect a smaller share (7 %) of total surface water bodies.': Such numbers do not take into account the size of the body; one WB can be very different in size from the other; it would be good to rectify this in the final report, otherwise the information can be misleading