LegalizeThe Water Framework Directive (Priority Substances and Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
Made: 21st January 2011
Coming into operation: 14th February 2011
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Citation and commencement
1
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Interpretation
2
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Typology and Environmental Standards
3
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Environmental standards for priority substances, Intermittent Discharge Standards and standards for Shellfish Waters
4
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Classification of surface waters
5
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Classification of Groundwater
6
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Designation of Mixing Zones
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Inventory of emissions, discharges and losses
8
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Revocations
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SCHEDULE1
PART 1 — Criteria for identifying the types of river, lake or transitional water to which the environmental standards specified in Part 2 of this Schedule apply
1
Subject to paragraph 2, to determine the dissolved oxygen, ammonia and biochemical oxygen demand standards applicable to a river or any part thereof, the Department shall assign to that river or part thereof the Type specified in Table 1 below which corresponds with the applicable site altitude and applicable alkalinity range specified in that Table.
2
Having assigned a Type in accordance with Table 1, the Department shall assign the subsequent Type in accordance with column 1 of Table 2.
3
To determine the reactive phosphorus standards applicable to a river or any part thereof, the Department shall assign to that river or part thereof the Type specified in Table 3 below which corresponds with the applicable site altitude and applicable alkalinity range specified in that Table.
4
To determine the morphological conditions applicable to a river or part thereof, the Department shall assign to that river or part thereof the Type specified in Table 4 below which corresponds with the applicable descriptions in that Table.
5
To determine the river flow standards applicable to a river or any part thereof, the Department shall assign the Type specified in column 1 of Table 5 below which corresponds to the applicable descriptions in specified in columns 2, 3 and 4 of that Table.
6
To determine the dissolved oxygen standards applicable to a lake or any part thereof, the Department shall assign to that lake or part thereof the Type specified in Table 6 below which corresponds with the applicable description specified in that Table.
7
To determine the total phosphorus standards to apply to a lake or any part thereof, the Department shall assign to that lake or part thereof the appropriate geological category, depth category and colour category specified in Tables 7, 8 and 9 respectively.
8
To determine the lake water level standards and morphological conditions applicable to a lake or any part thereof, the Department shall assign—
- (a) the physical characteristics of the lake or part thereof specified in column 1 of Table 10 below into the categories specified in column 3 of that Table which correspond to the applicable measurements specified in column 3;
- (b) the geological characteristics of the lake or part thereof as being of the category specified in column 1 of Table 11 below which corresponds to the applicable descriptions or measurements specified in columns 2, 3, 4 and 5 of that Table, and
- (c) the hydromorphological characteristics of the lake or part thereof as being of the type specified in column 1 of Table 12 below which corresponds to the applicable measurements specified in columns 3 and 4 of that Table.
| Site Altitude | Alkalinity (as mg/l CaCO₃) | Alkalinity (as mg/l CaCO₃) | Alkalinity (as mg/l CaCO₃) | Alkalinity (as mg/l CaCO₃) | Alkalinity (as mg/l CaCO₃) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site Altitude | Less than 10 | 10 to 50 | 50 to 100 | 100 to 200 | Over 200 |
| Under 80 metres | Type 1 | Type 2 | Type 3 | Type 5 | Type 7 |
| Over 80 metres | Type 1 | Type 2 | Type 4 | Type 6 | Type 7 |
| Final typology for dissolved oxygen, ammonia and biochemical oxygen demand in rivers | Final typology for dissolved oxygen, ammonia and biochemical oxygen demand in rivers | ||||
| --- | --- | ||||
| Column 1 | Column 2 | ||||
| Upland and low alkalinity | Types (1+2), 4 and 6 | ||||
| Lowland and high alkalinity | Types 3, 5 and 7 | ||||
| Altitude | Annual mean alkalinity (as mg/l CaCO₃) | Annual mean alkalinity (as mg/l CaCO₃) | |||
| --- | --- | --- | |||
| Altitude | < 50 | ≥ 50 | |||
| Under 80 metres | Type 1n | Type 3n | |||
| Over 80 metres | Type 2n | Type 4n | |||
| Type | Characteristics | Characteristics | Characteristics | Characteristics | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| Bedrock channel | Normally high altitude | Channel cuts down laterally | May have waterfalls and/or cascades | Bedrock substrate | |
| Cascade Step Pool | Normally high altitude | Channel cuts down | Both turbulent and tranquil flows | Cobble and boulder substrate | |
| Pool-riffle-glide | Normally medium altitude | Often not confined within a valley | Slightly meandering | Pebble and cobble substrate | |
| Meandering | Normally low altitude | Flow laminar and would naturally interact with floodplain | Meandering | More fines than other substrates | |
| Col 1 | Col 2 | Col 3 | Col 4 | Col 4 | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| Type | Standard Average Annual Rainfall mm (period 1961-1990) | Base Flow Index (BFI) | Catchment area (km²) | Catchment area (km²) | |
| A1 | < 810.5 | < 0.715 | Any | Any | |
| A1 | < 810.5 | ≥ 0.715 | ≥ 251.8 | ≥ 251.8 | |
| A2 | < 810.5 | ≥ 0.715 | < 251.8 | ≤ 100 (A2 headwaters)> 100 (A2 downstream) | |
| A2 | ≥ 810.5 and < 1413 | ≥ 0.7495 | Any | ≤ 100 (A2 headwaters)> 100 (A2 downstream) | |
| B1 | ≥ 810.5 and < 1155 | ≥ 0.3615 and < 0.7495 | < 267.4 | < 267.4 | |
| B2 | ≥ 810.5 and < 1413 | ≥ 0.3615 and < 0.7495 | < 267.4 | < 267.4 | |
| C2 | ≥ 1155 and < 1413 | ≥ 0.3615 and < 0.7495 | < 267.4 | < 267.4 | |
| C2 | ≥ 1413 | ≥ 0.3615 | ≥ 32.33 | ≥ 32.33 | |
| D2 | ≥ 1413 | ≥ 0.3615 | < 32.33 | < 32.33 | |
| D2 | ≥ 810.5 | < 0.3615 | Any | Any | |
| Type | Description | ||||
| --- | --- | ||||
| Salmonid | Freshwater lakes which would naturally support populations of salmonid fish | ||||
| Cyprinid | Freshwater lakes in which populations of salmonid fish do not occur naturally | ||||
| Geological category | Annual mean alkalinity (micro-equivalents per litre) | ||||
| --- | --- | ||||
| Low alkalinity | < 200 | ||||
| Moderate alkalinity | 200 – 1000 | ||||
| High alkalinity | > 1000 | ||||
| Marl | > 1000 | ||||
| Depth category | Mean depth (metres) | ||||
| --- | --- | ||||
| Very shallow | < 3 | ||||
| Shallow | 3 – 15 | ||||
| Deep | > 15 | ||||
| Colour category | Platinum (mg/l) | ||||
| --- | --- | ||||
| Humic | > 30 | ||||
| Non humic | ≤ 30 | ||||
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 3 | Column 3 | Column 3 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Characteristics | Unit | Categories | Categories | Categories | Categories |
| Mean depth | Metres | Shallow < 3 | Shallow < 3 | Deep ≥ 3 | Deep ≥ 3 |
| Altitude | Metres | Low < 200 | Mid ≥ 200 < 800 | Mid ≥ 200 < 800 | High ≥ 800 |
| Size (lake area) | Hectares | Small < 50 | Small < 50 | Large ≥ 50 | Large ≥ 50 |
| Basin form | Vd = 3Dmean / Dmaxwhere D = depth of lake in metres, Dmean = mean depth and Dmax = maximum depth | VVd < 0.67 | VVd < 0.67 | LVd ≥ 0.67 | LVd ≥ 0.67 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| Categories | Solid geology of catchment | Alkalinity | Conductivity | Colour | |
| % of catchment | Micro-equivalents per litre | Micro Siemens per centimetre | Platinum (mg/l) | ||
| Peat | > 75% peat | n/a | n/a | > 30 | |
| Low Alkalinity | > 90% siliceous | < 200 | ≤ 70 | ≤ 30 | |
| Moderate Alkalinity | > 50% siliceous and ≤ 90% siliceous | 200 – 1000 | > 70 and ≤ | ≤ 30 | |
| High Alkalinity | > 50% calcareous | > 1000 | > 250 and ≤ 1000 | ≤ 30 | |
| Marl | > 65% limestone | > 1000 | > 250 and ≤ 1000 | ≤ 30 | |
| Brackish | Any | n/a | > 1000 | ≤ 30 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | ||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | ||
| Type | Lake-MImAS[^f00011] code | Mean Depth | Alkalinity | ||
| Low AlkalinityVery Shallow | P/L-vS | <4m | < 20 mgl⁻¹ CaCO₃ | ||
| Low Alkalinity Shallow/Deep | P/L-ShD | >4m | < 20 mgl⁻¹ CaCO₃ | ||
| Moderate Alkalinity Very Shallow | MA-vS | <4m | 20 – 100 mgl⁻¹ CaCO₃ | ||
| Moderate Alkalinity Shallow/Deep | MA-ShD | >4m | 20 – 100 mgl⁻¹ CaCO₃ | ||
| High Alkalinity Very Shallow | HA/M-vS | <4m | > 100 mgl⁻¹ CaCO₃ | ||
| High Alkalinity Shallow/Deep | HA/M-ShD | >4m | > 100 mgl⁻¹ CaCO₃ |
PART 2 — Environmental Standards
Environmental standards for river water quality
1
Once the Department has, in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part I of this Schedule, assigned to a river or any part thereof a Type—
- (a) specified in column 1 of Table 1 below, it shall apply, as applicable, the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” dissolved oxygen standard specified in columns 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively of that Table to that river or part thereof;
- (b) specified in column 1 of Table 2 below, it shall apply, as applicable, the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” ammonia standard specified in columns 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively of that Table to that river or part thereof;
- (c) specified in column 1 of Table 3 below, it shall apply, as applicable, the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” biochemical oxygen demand standard specified in columns 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively of that Table to that river or part thereof.
2
The Department shall apply the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” biochemical oxygen demand standard specified in Table 3 below only for the purpose of deciding action to meet the standard for dissolved oxygen.
3
Once the Department has, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Part I of this Schedule, assigned to a river or part thereof a Type specified in column 1 of Table 4 below, it shall apply, as applicable, the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” reactive phosphorus standard specified in columns 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively of that Table to that river or part thereof.
4
The Department shall, as applicable, apply the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” acid condition standards specified in columns 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively of Table 5 below to any river or part thereof.
Environmental standards for river flows
5
- (1) Once the Department has, in accordance with paragraph 6 of Part I of this Schedule, assigned to a river or part thereof a Type specified in column 1 of Tables 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 below, it shall apply, as applicable, the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” river flow standards as specified by the boundary values in those Tables to that river or part thereof.
- (2) The result of this classification shall be used only to determine “high” status in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 2.
Environmental standards for lake water quality
6
Once the Department has, in accordance with paragraph 7 of Part I of this Schedule, assigned to a lake or part thereof the Type “salmonid” or “cyprinid”, it shall apply, as applicable, the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” dissolved oxygen standard specified in Table 11 below to that lake or part thereof.
7
The Department shall apply the “good” salinity standard specified in Table 12 below to all lakes or parts of such lakes.
8
Once the Department has, in accordance with paragraph 8 of Part I of this Schedule, assigned to a lake or part thereof a geological category, depth category and colour category specified in Tables 7, 8 and 9 in that Part, it shall apply, as applicable, the “high”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor” or “bad” total phosphorus standard to that lake or part thereof, calculated in accordance with the formulae specified in columns 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively of Table 13 below, where in relation to those formulae—
- “R” represents the annual mean total phosphorus concentration expected for the lake in the absence of more than very minor phosphorus inputs to the lake resulting from human activities and, where a reliable estimate of ‘C’ is available, shall have the value given by the formula: Antilog₁₀ [1.36 – (0.09 x A) + (0.24 x B)] for non-humic lakes; and Antilog₁₀ [1.62 – (0.09) x A + (0.24 x B)] for humic lakes;
- “A” = Log₁₀ of the altitude in metres above mean sea level of the lake;
- “B” = Log₁₀ (C÷D);
- “C” = the mean alkalinity of the lake in milli-equivalents per litre estimated for the lake;
- “D” = the mean depth of the lake in metres;
- “H” = 0.755 + (0.012 x C) – (0.001 x D); or 0.7, whichever is larger value; and
- “G” = 0.506 + (0.023 x C) – (0.002 x D); or 0.46, whichever is the larger value.
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