Scenarios of nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in European freshwater (v. mar.2019)

Spatial dataset consisting of classes of mean annual nutrient concentrations estimated at the outlets of freshwater functional elementary catchments with model GREEN (Grizzetti et al., 2012; March 2019 version) according to four European nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) management scenarios:

1. Reference – REF: historical conditions (year 2012).

2. Business as Usual – BAU: implementation of current level of investments in water protection foreseen under Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and the Rural Development Program.

3. Nutrient Scenario – NUTR: includes a full or enhanced implementation of two EU Directives, the UWWTD for collecting and treating wastewater from urban agglomerations, and the Nitrates Directive to protect freshwater from agricultural pollution.

4. High Technically Feasible Reduction – MTFR: assumes all wastewaters in the EU are treated at the maximum level of nutrient reduction currently possible, while mineral fertilisers are applied to an optimal level.

Sources of nutrients comprise agriculture (mineral and organic fertilization), nitrogen atmospheric deposition, phosphorus releases from natural areas, scattered dwellings, and point sources (domestic and industrial discharges). Nutrients are reduced by attenuation processes in land and freshwater reaches.

The river basin hydrological data model is based on Catchment Characterisation and Modelling (Vogt et al., 2007; https://data.jrc.ec.europa.eu/dataset/fe1878e8-7541-4c66-8453-afdae7469221) as well as the European catchments and river network system (Ecrins , version 1 - European Environment Agency