6. investigative assessments for evaluating and targeting mitigation measures where needed - donal...

Investigative Assessments for Evaluating and Targeting Mitigation Measures where

Needed

Role and Progress to-date

February 2017

Donal Daly Catchment Science & Management Unit

EPA

Acknowledgements: Catchments Unit colleagues, members of IA Development Group

What do we want to achieve?

Risk-based and evidence-based decision-making and targeting of mitigation measures

WFD environmental objectives Specifically those given in the River Basin Management Plan

(RBMP)

The question is: How? (In the context that we know that our one size fits all basic measures, while beneficial and essential, will not work on their own in the complex biophysical and pressure settings present in Ireland.)

One vital strategy: Working out what exactly the situation is and what to do

about it

Investigative Assessments (incl. measures evaluation)

Steps in the Integrated Catchment Management Process 1 1. Build Partnerships

Identify key stakeholders Identify issues of concern Conduct public outreach

2. Create and communicate a vision of ICM For example: A healthy, resilient, productive and valued water

resource, that supports vibrant communities. 3. Characterise the Catchment

Gather existing data and create a catchment inventory Identify data gaps & collect additional data, if needed Analyse data Identify causes and sources of pollution Estimate pollutant loads Evaluate hydromorphological pressures Undertake risk assessments

4. Undertake Further Characterisation Collect and evaluate local information Locate critical source areas (CSAs) Undertake investigative monitoring Undertake catchment walks Estimate load reductions needed

5. Identify & Evaluate Possible Management Strategies Evaluate existing measures Get stakeholder input Take account of ecosystem and geosystem services, water value,

pollution sources and CSAs Develop possible management options Undertake SEA and Habitats Directive Assessment, as appropriate Undertake economic analysis Rank the measures

6. Design an Implementation Programme Set environmental objectives Select appropriate mitigation measures Develop an implementation schedule with milestones Develop the monitoring component Develop an engagement strategy Identify technical & financial assistance needed Prepare RBMP

7. Implement the River Basin Management Plan

Prepare a work plan with short- and long-term outcomes Implement the measures Use metrics to track progress Integrate with planning process Conduct engagement, including awareness raising, consultation &

collaboration 8. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments

Analyse trends and outcomes Give feedback to stakeholders Make adjustments, if necessary

1 Adapted from USEPA (2008)

Characterisation & Analysis Tools

GIS Databases Statistical

packages Numerical

models Flow estimations Load estimations Monitoring

Catchment Information

Tool

River Basin

Management Plan

Step 4: Further Characterisation

Step 3: Characterise the catchment

ICM Steps in the Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) Process (adapted from USEPA (2008)

Step 5: Identify & evaluate possible management strategies and measures

Steps in the Integrated Catchment Management Process [footnoteRef:1] [1: Adapted from USEPA (2008)]

1. Build Partnerships

Identify key stakeholders

Identify issues of concern

Conduct public outreach

2. Create and communicate a vision of ICM

For example: A healthy, resilient, productive and valued water resource, that supports vibrant communities.

3. Characterise the Catchment

Gather existing data and create a catchment inventory

Identify data gaps & collect additional data, if needed

Analyse data

Identify causes and sources of pollutionCharacterisation & Analysis Tools

GIS

Databases

Statistical packages

Numerical models

Flow estimations

Load estimations

Monitoring


Tool

Estimate pollutant loads

Evaluate hydromorphological pressures

Undertake risk assessments

4. Undertake Further Characterisation

Collect and evaluate local information

Locate critical source areas (CSAs)

Undertake investigative monitoring

Undertake catchment walks

Estimate load reductions needed

5. Identify & Evaluate Possible Management Strategies

Evaluate existing measures

Get stakeholder input

Take account of ecosystem and geosystem services, water value, pollution sources and CSAs

Develop possible management options

Undertake SEA and Habitats Directive Assessment, as appropriate

Undertake economic analysis

Rank the measures

6. Design an Implementation Programme

Set environmental objectives

Select appropriate mitigation measures

Develop an implementation schedule with milestones

Develop the monitoring component

Develop an engagement strategy

River

Basin

Management

Plan

Identify technical & financial assistance needed

Prepare RBMP


Prepare a work plan with short- and long-term outcomes

Implement the measures

Use metrics to track progress

Integrate with planning process

Conduct engagement, including awareness raising, consultation & collaboration

8. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments

Analyse trends and outcomes

Give feedback to stakeholders

Make adjustments, if necessary

How far has characterisation taken us? Given us the locations of At Risk water bodies The significant issues

Total P (lakes) or PO4 (rivers) Sediment & Hydromorphology (habitat conditions) Nitrogen NH4 (rivers) or NO3 (groundwater, estuaries) Pesticides Etc

The Significant Pressures UWWTPs & DWWTSs Agriculture (diffuse and point/farmyards) & Forestry Peatland drainage & extraction Diffuse urban misconnections, runoff, leaky sewers Etc

What else has characterisation given us? Numerous regional-scale (1:25,000-1:40,000) GIS

layers Aquifers, soils, subsoils, groundwater vulnerability,

landuse, pressures over 100 maps available from GSI, Teagasc, EPA, etc

Critical source area maps - Pollution Impact Potential (PIP) maps for both PO4 and NO3 at 1:25,000 scale

For diffuse and small point source pollution, these act as a guide to where further investigation and targeting of measures is required.

Note the map scales!!

Pollution Impact Potential Map

(CSAs for P to SW)

A map of relative

risk

Water body scale (1:25,000) Not all farmland or farmyards or houses in the dark blue areas will be causing problems

Steps in the Integrated Catchment Management Process 1 1. Build Partnerships

Identify key stakeholders Identify issues of concern Conduct public outreach

2. Create and communicate a vision of ICM For example: A healthy, resilient, productive and valued water

resource, that supports vibrant communities. 3. Characterise the Catchment

Gather existing data and create a catchment inventory Identify data gaps & collect additional data, if needed Analyse data Identify causes and sources of pollution Estimate pollutant loads Evaluate hydromorphological pressures Undertake risk assessments

4. Undertake Further Characterisation Collect and evaluate local information Locate critical source areas (CSAs) Undertake investigative monitoring Undertake catchment walks Estimate load reductions needed

5. Identify & Evaluate Possible Management Strategies Evaluate existing measures Get stakeholder input Take account of ecosystem and geosystem services, water value,

pollution sources and CSAs Develop possible management options Undertake SEA and Habitats Directive Assessment, as appropriate Undertake economic analysis Rank the measures

6. Design an Implementation Programme Set environmental objectives Select appropriate mitigation measures Develop an implementation schedule with milestones Develop the monitoring component Develop an engagement strategy Identify technical & financial assistance needed Prepare RBMP


Prepare a work plan with short- and long-term outcomes Implement the measures Use metrics to track progress Integrate with planning process Conduct engagement, including awareness raising, consultation &

collaboration 8. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments

Analyse trends and outcomes Give feedback to stakeholders Make adjustments, if necessary

1 Adapted from USEPA (2008)

Characterisation & Analysis Tools

GIS Databases Statistical

packages Numerical

models Flow estimations Load estimations Monitoring


Tool

River Basin

Management Plan

Step 4: Further Characterisation

Step 3: Characterise the catchment

ICM Steps in the Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) Process (adapted from USEPA (2008)

Step 5: Identify & evaluate possible management strategies and measures

Questions arising 1. What further characterisation exactly?

2. What management strategies & measures?

3. What priority do we give to them?

Steps in the Integrated Catchment Management Process [footnoteRef:1] [1: Adapted from USEPA (2008)]

1. Build Partnerships

Identify key stakeholders

Identify issues of concern

Conduct public outreach

2. Create and communicate a vision of ICM

For example: A healthy, resilient, productive and valued water resource, that supports vibrant communities.

3. Characterise the Catchment

Gather existing data and create a catchment inventory

Identify data gaps & collect additional data, if needed

Analyse data

Identify causes and sources of pollutionCharacterisation & Analysis Tools

GIS

Databases

Statistical packages

Numerical models

Flow estimations

Load estimations

Monitoring


Tool

Estimate pollutant loads

Evaluate hydromorphological pressures

Undertake risk assessments

4. Undertake Further Characterisation

Collect and evaluate local information

Locate critical source areas (CSAs)

Undertake investigative monitoring

Undertake catchment walks

Estimate load reductions needed

5. Identify & Evaluate Possible Management Strategies

Evaluate existing measures

Get stakeholder input

Take account of ecosystem and geosystem services, water value, pollution sources and CSAs

Develop possible management options

Undertake SEA and Habitats Directive Assessment, as appropriate

Undertake economic analysis

Rank the measures

6. Design an Implementation Programme

Set environmental objectives

Select appropriate mitigation measures

Develop an implementation schedule with milestones

Develop the monitoring component

Develop an engagement strategy

River

Basin

Management

Plan

Identify technical & financial assistance needed

Prepare RBMP


Prepare a work plan with short- and long-term outcomes

Implement the measures

Use metrics to track progress

Integrate with planning process

Conduct engagement, including awareness raising, consultation & collaboration

8. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments

Analyse trends and outcomes

Give feedback to stakeholders

Make adjustments, if necessary

Potential Strategies and Measures

1. Investigative assessments (IAs) 2. Local (field-scale) mitigation measures 3. Engagement & Partnership 4. Incentives, e.g., GLAS 5. Innovation & new technology 6. Licensing of discharges to water 7. Compliance checking 8. Integration into the planning process

UWWTPs

Significant pressures

For large point sources as the single pressure, such as UWWTPs, we can locate them precisely and then decide on and undertake measures But where UWWTPs are one of several pressures, there is a need for an IA (an IA4) essentially probably taking a few water samples upstream and downstream to get sufficient information to decide on the precise situation & measure

Catchments of waterbodies where forestry & agriculture are the significant pressures

Significant pressures

But 1. In many of these catchment areas, there is

more than one significant pressure; however we dont know their relative

impact. 2. We seldom have field-scale/street-scale

information to locate significant diffuse and small point sources precisely.

And Inspections/compliance checking on their own will not

be efficient or sufficient.

Therefore We often dont know:

what exactly we need to deal with where it is arising and

what we need to do about it. what priority to give to the actions

Approach to Measures Identification & Implementation (1)

This works for large point sources, but not sufficiently effective generally for diffuse and small point sources

Source Pathway Receptor

Current situation


Option 1: Reduce the source


Option 2: Repair the receptor


Receptor/in-stream works (e.g. rubble mats, boulders) can have benefits for fish, but not a general solution


Option 3: Break the pathway


Generic one size fits all measures beneficial but not adequate on their own.

Often need field-scale (in rural areas) or street-scale (in urban areas) information to work out what and where the issue is, and what needs to be done (where the

pathway is and how to break it).

What is needed? Detective work to tell the story To derive our conceptual model of the

situation? What is likely to be causing the unsatisfactory

situation? Where exactly are the issues arising? How (initial ideas at least) do we solve the

problems? What strategies and measures?

What further information is needed, if any. In many situations, where staff resources are

limited, only with this investigative assessment approach can appropriate measures be considered, fully costed, prioritised and decided on. Thereby optimising existing and new resources

Where will IAs be undertaken?

In the catchment areas of water bodies that are: At Risk (and some in Review WBs) Prioritised by the WFD Regional Committees,

taking account of the RBMP Where the location of the significant pressure is

not known with sufficient detail to enable measures to be decided on, prioritised and undertaken.

10 Scenarios for Investigative Assessments

1. Provision and further evaluation of existing Information 2. Point source desk-based assessment 3. Unassigned status and Review risk category waterbodies,

requiring field visits 4. Regulated point sources, requiring field visits 5. Stream (catchment) walk general (in defined 1 km river stretch) 6. Stream (catchment) walk in urban areas 7. Stream (catchment) walk in rural areas 8. Stream (catchment) walk along high ecological status objective

rivers 9. Lakes field assessment 10.Groundwater body field assessment

What will it involve?

Mainly catchment walks /detective work/boots on the ground

For rivers and streams, it is stream walking Using basic, common-sense interdisciplinary science and techniques Visual biological indicators, e.g. macroalgae Easily collectible data, e.g. conductivity, D.O. Noting direct pathways, e.g. pipes, cattle access points Noting hydromorphological impacts, e.g. recent drainage, new excavations Noting invasive species, e.g. Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed Noting pathway indicators, e.g. rushes, rock outcrops Evaluating pathway interceptors, e.g. hedges, riparian zones Conceptualising water and contaminant movement and impact Assessing possible mitigation measures to achieve outcomes

There is strength in combination and integration

Note: IAs involve using basic, common-sense inter-disciplinary science and techniques, aimed at getting

quickly at the issues and solutions.

Who will do IAs?

Mainly local authority staff.

Resources for IAs Can be estimated Existing (it is worthwhile allocating a %age to IAs) New????

Developing Guidance

IA Development Group set up Membership Local authorities (Paul Buggy, Emmet Conboy, Ruth Hennessy, Andrew Holmes,

Joan Martin, Gerry OConnell, Mairead Shore)

LAWCO (Fran Igoe) IFI (Michael Fitzsimons) Geological Survey (Taly Hunter-Williams) Teagasc (Eddie Burgess) Dept HPCLG (Donal Grant) Forest Service (Ken Bucke) EPA (Marie Archbold, Donal Daly, Jenny Deakin, Bryan Kennedy, Anthony Mannix,

Emma Quinlan, Conor Quinlan, Brendan Ward)

Developing Guidance

One meeting of IA Development Group held (1 Feb)

Writing of material has started

First draft ready by August 2017

Training will be organised in early 2018

No illusions

Making this work effectively will be challenging.

But, it is the right thing to do! So, we must make it work.

Conclusions on achieving the right measure in the right place Reducing the source load on its own will NOT achieve

the required environmental outcomes, but will help: And, we need to know where to do this! IAs

Nor will receptor measures. Nor will inspections, on their own.

However, we need to know where to do them IAs Breaking the pathway is critical in many instances Need field-scale/street-scale information For diffuse and small point sources (in both urban and rural areas),

IAs and follow-up targeted measures are essential to achieving the required environmental outcomes.

Lough Guitane, Co Kerry.

Investigative Assessments for Evaluating and Targeting Mitigation Measures where NeededRole and Progress to-dateWhat do we want to achieve?ICM How far has characterisation taken us? What else has characterisation given us? Slide Number 6ICMPotential Strategies and MeasuresSlide Number 9Slide Number 10Approach to Measures Identification & Implementation (1)Slide Number 12Slide Number 13What is needed?Detective work to tell the story Where will IAs be undertaken? 10 Scenarios for Investigative Assessments What will it involve? Who will do IAs? Developing Guidance Developing GuidanceConclusions on achieving the right measure in the right placeSlide Number 22