7.4. Methodologies classification chemical status

The legislation covering the assessment of chemical status is presented in detail in the introduction to Section 2.5.

Annex V of the WFD specifies how Member States are to monitor and present chemical status classification. The European Commission needs to ensure that chemical status has been addressed according to the provisions of the Directive, and in a consistent and comparable way throughout the EU. The normative provisions of Annex V provide a starting point. However, interpretation and application of these provisions may differ, which may lead to a wide range of variation between the Member States. It is, therefore, important to be able to compare the criteria and thresholds that Member States have applied.

The RBMPs should include information at RBD level on trend monitoring according to Article 3(3) of the Environmental Quality Standards Directive (Directive 2008/105/EC) and on the designation of mixing zones according to Article 4. Where a Member State has designated mixing zones, the RBMP must include a description of:

• The approaches and methodologies applied to define such zones.
• The measures taken with a view to reducing the extent of the mixing zones in the future.

Class SWPrioritySubstance

1. Please include here any comments which apply to all the schema elements in this Class.
2. In addition to those general schema element level comments, we welcome your views on: a) whether you think this Class can be simplified;  and b) whether you think the linkages with other reporting Classes or Schemas can be improved, and how;

psCode - Required.(PS_Enum)

There will be one entry per Priority Substance. Report the information in each of the following schema elements for each Priority Substance.

psStatusAssessment - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether the Priority Substance has been used in the assessment of chemical status.

psStandardsUsed - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

For each Priority Substance indicate whether the only standards used are all the relevant ones from the version of Directive 2008/105/EC in force on 13 January 2009, except for the AA-EQS for naphthalene in transitional and coastal waters, which will be from the version of that Directive in force since 14 September 2013. If alternative or additional standards (for the same or other matrix, for particular water categories) are used for that substance reply 'No'. If all and no other standard than those in the EQSD are used reply 'Yes'.

psMatrix - Conditional.(Matrix_Enum)

Select the matrix in which the standard for the Priority Substance is applied for the purpose of assessment of chemical status.

psCategoryRW - Conditional.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Is this standard used for the assessment of chemical status in rivers?

psCategoryLW  - Conditional.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Is this standard used for the assessment of chemical status in lakes?

psCategoryTW - Conditional.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Is this standard used for the assessment of chemical status in transitional waters?

psCategoryCW - Conditional.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Is this standard used for the assessment of chemical status in coastal waters?

psCategoryTeW - Conditional.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Is this standard used for the assessment of chemical status in territorial waters?

psStandardType - Conditional.(EQStandardType_Enum)

Select the type of standard applied for each Priority Substance and matrix.

psValue - Conditional.

For every combination of Priority Substance, matrix, standard type and category, report the value or range of the standard applied.

psUnit - Conditional.(UnitOfMeasure_Enum)

Report the unit of the Priority Substance standard.

psScale - Conditional.(GeographicalScale_Enum)

Report the level at which the standard has been set.

psAnalyticalMethod - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether the analytical method used meets the minimum performance criteria laid down in Article 4.1 of the QA/QC Directive (2009/90/EC) for the strictest standard applied.

psAnalyticalMethodBAT - Conditional.(YesNoCode_Enum)

If the analytical method does not meet the minimum performance criteria laid down in Article 4(1) of the QA/QC Directive, indicate whether the analytical method complies with the requirements laid down in Article 4.2 of the QA/QC Directive (2009/90/EC) for the strictest standard applied.

Class SWChemicalStatusClassificationRBD

1. Please include here any comments which apply to all the schema elements in this Class.
2. In addition to those general schema element level comments, we welcome your views on: a) whether you think this Class can be simplified;  and b) whether you think the linkages with other reporting Classes or Schemas can be improved, and how;

percentageSWBNotMonitoredChemical - Required.

Report the overall percentage of surface water bodies (for all categories) for which there is no monitoring of chemical status.

approachSWBNotMonitoredChemical - Required.(ApproachSWBNotMonitoredChemical_Enum)

Report the approach taken for the assessment of chemical status in surface water bodies which have not been monitored. 

approachSWBNotMonitoredChemicalReference - Conditional.(ReferenceType )

If the assessment of chemical status of surface water bodies which have not been monitored is derived or extrapolated from monitoring in other comparable surface water bodies, provide references or hyperlinks to technical documents describing how the assessment of chemical status was carried out. Guidance on what should be included in this document is provided in Section 7.4.3.3.

limitOfQuantification - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether the method of dealing with measurements lower than the limit of quantification is as specified in Article 5 of the QA/QC Directive (2009/90/EC)? 

backgroundConcentrations - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether natural background concentrations for metals and their compounds are taken into consideration where such concentrations prevent compliance with the relevant EQS.

backgroundConcentrationsReference - Conditional.(ReferenceType)

If natural background concentrations for metals and their compounds are taken into consideration where such concentrations prevent compliance with the relevant EQS, provide references or hyperlinks to technical documents where further specific information can be found, particularly the list of metals concerned. Guidance on what should be included in this document is provided in Section 7.4.3.3.

bioavailability - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether hardness, pH, dissolved organic carbon or other water quality parameters that affect the bioavailability of metals are taken into consideration when assessing monitoring results against relevant EQSs.

bioavailabilityReference - Conditional.(ReferenceType)

If water quality parameters affecting the bioavailability of metals are taken into consideration when assessing monitoring results against relevant EQSs, provide references or hyperlinks to technical documents where further specific information can be found, particularly the list of metals concerned. Guidance on what should be included in this document is provided in Section 7.4.3.3.

longTermTrendAnalysis - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether arrangements are in place for the long-term trend analysis of concentrations of those Priority Substances listed in Part A of Annex I of the EQS Directive 2008/105/EC that tend to accumulate in sediment and/or biota (Article 3(3) EQSD).

longTermTrendAnalysisReference - Conditional.(ReferenceType)

If arrangements are in place for the long-term trend analysis of concentrations of those Priority Substances listed in Part A of Annex I of the EQS Directive 2008/105/EC that tend to accumulate in sediment and/or biota (Article 3(3) EQSD), provide references or hyperlinks to technical documents where further specific information can be found, particularly the list of Priority Substances concerned. Guidance on what should be included in this document is provided in Section 7.4.3.3.

mixingZoneDesignation - Required.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether mixing zones have been designated under Article 4 of the EQSD. 

mixingZoneMethodology - Conditional.(YesNoCode_Enum)

Indicate whether the methodology for the designation of Mixing Zones in the RBD/Sub-unit follows the tiered approach as laid down in the ’Technical Background Document on Identification of Mixing Zones’.

alternativeMixingZoneMethodologyReference - Conditional.(ReferenceType)

If the methodology for the designation of Mixing Zones in the RBD/Sub-unit does not follow the tiered approach as laid down in the ’Technical Background Document on Identification of Mixing Zones’, provide references or hyperlinks to technical documents describing the alternative methodology applied. Guidance on what should be included in this document is provided in Section 7.4.3.3.

mixingZoneMeasures - Conditional.(MixingZoneMeasures_Enum)

Indicate the measures taken with a view to reducing the extent of the Mixing Zones in the future.

mixingZoneMeasuresReductionReference - Conditional.(ReferenceType)

Provide references or hyperlinks to documents describing the measures taken with a view to reducing the extent of Mixing Zones in the future. Guidance on what should be included in this document is provided in Section 7.4.3.3.

chemicalStatusReference - Required.(ReferenceType)

Provide references or hyperlinks to documents describing the methodology for the assessment of chemical status. Guidance on what should be included in this document is provided in Section 7.4.3.3. 

Guidance on contents of RBMPs/Background Documents

(Please see the full text of this sub-section in the WFD Reporting Guidance 2016 or above chapter)

Include here any comments that relate to the information contained in this sub-section of the Reporting Guidance, namely concerning information you think could/should be reported electronically and information which you believe should not be included in the River Basin Management Plans or background documents.