The Water Framework Directive and Habitats Directive
The Water Framework Directive is described variously as: "the most Exciting .... the most Substantial .... Innovative ...Holistic etc, etc.... piece of EU legislation." It's easy to get carried away!
Promises, promises...
What it seeks to do (notice the choice of words) is to establish "Good Ecological Status" (GES) to all water bodies in the EU by a certain date. "GES" is a very lofty aspiration as it embodies good biological status with good physical status. The problem is that if you cost the whole thing out to achieve this across the UK, it could swallow up money faster than a dozen Olympics, so there are a number of "Out" clauses. The essence of these is that if something is not cost effective then you don't have to do it, or you can find a cheaper but less effective solution.
River District Basins...
The country is divided into eleven "River District Basins". The Wye and Usk are firmly in the Severn RDB, which like the Dee spans England and Wales. A tiered system of representation is set up with a panel that have the almost impossible task of representing the whole region. The panel is a cross section of governmental organisations and statutory bodies, industry, water companies, land user groups, water consumers and NGOs. If you like, it's polluters vs. those trying to combat the problem. WUF's director is one of the NGOs representing fisheries interests.
Significant Water Management Issues (SWMIs)
A key task is to determine and assess SWMIs for the Severn RBD, a largely academic exercise led with information from the Agency
There is some good news, however: the situation for Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) is that the requirements for (wait for it)... "Favourable Conservation Status" is, de facto, the requirements for "GES". On this there should be no compromise and the date for achievement of GES is 2008! Both Usk and Wye are SACs and therefore there are considerable efforts being made to move towards this watery utopia.
Of course the subject is huge and we have included some links below for those wishing to know more:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterquality/955573/1458449/1458605/?version=1&lang=_e http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/index_en.html
The Habitats Directive
It was as a result of a complaint made under the Habitats Directive that the Irish Drift nets were finally removed. This is environmental legislation with teeth! The aim is to protect biodiversity on a pan EU perspective. The Joint Nature Conservancy Council describes:
"The Habitats Directive introduces for the first time for protected areas, the precautionary principle; that is that projects can only be permitted having ascertained no adverse effect on the integrity of the site. Projects may still be permitted if there are no alternatives, and there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest. In such cases compensation measures will be necessary to ensure the overall integrity of network of sites. As a consequence of amendments to the Birds Directive these measures are to be applied to SPAs also. Member States shall also endeavour to encourage the management of features of the landscape to support the Natura 2000 network."
You will find this in full at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1374
The network includes the reason for listing the three SACs of interest to us and it is well worth looking at all three:
Severn Estuary: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013030
Wye: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0012642
Usk: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013007
We suspect the provisions of these Directives will be fully tested in respect of the impending Severn Barrage.
