Report: LAWA: Structure Matrix water types WRRL North Sea — Weser and Elbe. 1. Interim Report (2004)»

“This report is an interim report for the 2003 project “Building a matrix for EC-WRD water types in the coastal region of the North Sea, focusing on river basins Weser and Elbe” (O 9.03). The project started on 1.11.2004, so that the reporting period dates from 1.11. — 31.12.2004. The aim of this project is to provide a meaningful classification system for the assessment of the ecological status under the European Community Water Framework Directive (EC-WFD) for water types in the coastal area of the North Sea, thus closing the current knowledge gaps in this area. According to the ECA, the assessment of the ecological status of the waters is based on the reference state in which there are no or only minor anthropogenic interventions and influences. This “anthropogenically largely unaffected condition” corresponds to the best quality class, the “very good condition”. Based on this, a five-stage classification of the waters is carried out. The “good state” corresponds to the target state to be achieved by 2015 for all types of water. The waters which do not have that status shall be classified in the “moderate”, “unsatisfactory” or “bad state” according to the magnitude of their deviation from the reference state. The ecological condition is assessed on the basis of biotic and abiotic quality components. In this project, the biological components are mainly processed (see tab. 1). In addition, the nutrient and pollutant concentrations are considered, which are essential factors influencing the biological components.”