BS EN 16503:2014 pdf free download.Water quality – Guidance standard on assessing the hydromorphological features of transitional and coastal waters.
This European Standard gives guidelines for characterizing the hydromorphology of transitional or coastal (TraC) waters, but does not prescribe detailed methods of assessment. The main aim of this document is to improve the comparability of hydromorphological survey methods, data processing, and the interpretation and presentation of results.
Hydromorphology of transitional and coastal( TraC)waters is one of the basic features of marine and coastal ecosystems controlling the presence of biota. Hydromorphology is the result of the interaction between the structure of the systems and their functioning. Structure includes sea-bed geology, sediment features morphology and water depth, whereas functioning includes hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics and morpho- dynamic processes.
Over the past several millennia, human developments in TraC waters throughout Europe have caused substantial changes in the hydromorphological characteristics and ecological functioning of many water odies Hydromorphological changes are an important consideration in implementing the Water Framework Directive (WFD)and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive(MSFD). In addition, for the Habitats Directive there is a need to maintain certain features in favourable condition, which has also given rise to a focus on hydromorphological assessments.
In a general sense, transitional waters(e.g. estuaries, fjords, some lagoons)are neither fully open coastal systems nor enclosed or flowing freshwater areas. (for the WFD definition, see Clause 2).Their boundaries may be defined by hydromorphological features and discontinuities, by salinity, or by any other hydrographic feature(e.g. water depth and tidal regime). The term coastal waters has been defined for various legal and pOlitical purposes (e.g. see Clause 2) but in this hydromorphological standard they are defined as waters naracterized by coastal features and influenced by coastal processes.
This European Standard:
a)supports environmental and conservation agencies in meeting monitoring requirements of the WFD and MDFD:
b)provides information supporting other environmental reporting requirements(e. g. in relation to biodiversity or environmental impact assessment)
c)supports management and restoration initiatives;
d)identifies and defines the main pressures affecting European TraC waters.
Note that in this standard, “assessment” is used as a broad term referring to the general description of features and the pressures that impinge upon them. It is not used to imply the judgement of particular levels of quality or”value, whether related to status under the WFD, MSFD or more generally.
BS EN 16503:2014 pdf download
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