WATERS, Waterbody Assessment Tools for Ecological Reference Conditions and Status in Sweden, is a programme devoted to developing criteria and methods for assessing ecological status according to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD).
The programme is structured around three scientific areas: coastal, inland waters and integrated assessment. Another part of the programme is responsible for management and communication.
About the programme areas
Coastal and inland WATERS are focused on developing and testing biological indicators for quality assessment according to the WFD. These are based on measurements of microfauna, macro- and microflora and fish. This is done by compilation and analysis of existing data, but also by coordinated collection of new data in a distribuance gradient. "Integrated assessment" deals with general issues such as definition of reference conditions and class boundaries, methods for accounting for uncertainty in classification and integrated assessment using multiple indicators and whole-system assessment. This part of the project is also responsible for coordination and quality assurance of statistical treatment of data.
Use of results
The research developed within WATERS is of high societal relevance: its results will be used to improve water quality assessment in Sweden, particularly with respect to the WFD, but also the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive and a number of national conservation objectives.
Communication with stakeholders
The deliverables of the project also need to be highly influenced by users' perspective. This means that these need to be developed in continuous communication with national and regional authorities and other stakeholders in water management.
Coordination is also necessary in an international context. The programme involves researchers and experts from 13 universities, authorities and consultancies in Sweden and Denmark.
The Swedish EPA has allocated SEK 19 million to the programme (2010–2012). The programme will run from 2010 to 2015.
Contacts
Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment
Mats Lindegarth, programme coordinator
Phone: +46 (0)526 686 72, +46 (0)705 483 111
E-mail: mats.lindegarth@havsmiljoinstitutet.se
Swedish EPA
Jen Edgren
Phone: +46 (0)10 698 1156
E-mail: jen.edgren@swedishepa.se