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Designation of heavily modified and artificial water bodies
In the case of water bodies that have undergone hydromorphological alteration, the WFD allows Member States to designate some of their surface waters as Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWBs) or Artificial Water Bodies (AWBs).
In many river basins, the upper stretches in mountainous areas, highland areas, and often in forest areas remain largely in their natural state except when hydropower and irrigation reservoirs have changed the system. However, lower stretches, often passing large cities and intensive agricultural land, are modified by embankments and other public works. These areas are usually designated as heavily modified waters. Other examples of heavily modified water bodies are rivers with flood defenses, inland waterways, and reservoirs on rivers, or lakes. Heavily modified transitional and coastal water have often been altered by land reclamation or dredging due to urban, transport, and agricultural developments.
Overall, 17 % of European water bodies were designated as HMWBs (13 %) or AWBs (4 %) during the second RBMPs. Around 30 % of the transitional water bodies were designated as heavily modified and 14 % and 10 % of the river and lake water bodies, respectively.
Artificial water bodies can include canals, reservoirs or open-cast mining lakes. More than 6 % of lakes and around 4 % of river water bodies have been identified as artificial. However, only a few of the transitional and coastal waters are listed as being AWBs.
The main reasons for designating European water bodies as heavily modified are land drainage, urban infrastructure, agriculture, but also water regulation and flood protections.
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Further and detailed information on designation of natural, heavily modified and artificial water bodies is available in WISE: · Designation of natural, heavily modified and artificial water bodies, Number or Size, by Category and Type · HMWB physical alterations Table* · HMWB water uses Table* · CIS Guidance Document Heavily modified water bodies – HMWB Link |
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In reference to "open-cast mining": in the Aggregates Industry, it is possible to create wetlands during and after the extraction phases, in accordance with the permit granted by the administration (including environment and water management authorities, and in many cases under the EIA scheme). Most of those new wetlands or lakes are designed according to suitable hydromorphological parameters, to achieve a new (artificial) water body that is able to grant water quality parameters and biodiversity requirements for their life time. Some of them have flood protection designs or even good quality water supply to urban areas for human consumption. In the European Union, a vast majority of aggregates extraction sites are dealing with inert materials such as sand, gravel and crushed rock, and produce inert wastes according to EU definitions and criteria included in EU Directives. The industry’s production process does not include the use of chemicals and therefore does not represent a threat for water quality. It is necessary to make a clear distinction between the concept of mining and quarrying, as the nature of their activities and the properties of the materials they extract are very different. It is therefore essential to define clearly in the report what is meant by heavy industry or mining. As mining sites counting for less than 5% in comparison with quarries, sand and gravel extraction sites representing 95%, it would be recommended to clearly define which measures apply to mining and which ones to the Aggregates Industry rather than addressing the entire extractive industry.
The sentence: “In many river basins, the upper stretches in mountainous areas, highland areas, and often in forest areas remain largely in their natural state except when hydropower and irrigation reservoirs have changed the system” is a bit a caricature: Of course, in these areas, today’s situation is quite often linked to the history of regional development including periods of industrialization and urbanization of high valleys. Hydropower and irrigation reservoirs do have changed the system BUT are only two of many influencing elements of the past. In many river basins, the upper stretches in mountainous-, highland- or forest areas remain largely in their natural state. In some cases these areas have to be modified with the aim to ensure security of population, enable infrastructure or generate power. Proposal: "reservoirs for irrigation and hydropower" would be better wording.
(AT) 1st sentence: '...some of their surface waters...'
Better explanation is needed -> reference to Art. 4 (3)
Separate category -> Ecological potential instead of status
Following graphs include only status, separate graphs needed for HMWB/AWB.