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WISE WFD Database

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Prod-ID: DAT-124-en
Created 12 Nov 2012 Published 12 Nov 2012 Last modified 06 Jan 2020
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This is an old version, kept for reference only.

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This page was archived on 13 Jun 2018 with reason: Other (New version data-and-maps/data/wise_wfd-1 was published)
The WISE-WFD database contains data from River Basin Management Plans reported by EU Members States according to article 13 of the Water Framework Directive. The full database is quite complex and not yet made available for public download. However, a number of aggregation queries have been made, these aggregation queries extract data from the database and present it as data tables that can be downloaded in Excel format. Most of the reported data are considered final, however, in some cases they are considered provisional by Member States. The aggregation tables are updated when the underlying WFD Database is updated with new or corrected data. It is therefore important to associate the use of any information in the tables with the date in which data was retrieved. The tables are organised for an access at various levels of overviews versus details - aggregated at country, river basin district (RBD) or in some cases even RBD-subunit level.

European data

Groundwater bodies
  • Numbers and statistics of groundwater bodies
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Groundwater bodies
  • Chemical and quantitative status of groundwater bodies
    Download file
Surface water bodies
  • Numbers and statistics of surface water bodies
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Surface water bodies
  • Ecological and chemical status of surface water bodies
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Surface water bodies
  • Significant pressures affecting surface water bodies
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Surface water bodies
  • Impacts on surface water bodies
    Download file

Metadata

information.png Reporting obligations (ROD)
information.png Rights:
EEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (https://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV).
information.png Data sources

Data reported by EU Member States under the Water Framework Directive, Article 13.

information.png Owners:
Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV)
information.png Processors:
European Environment Agency (EEA)

Additional information

  • According to the WFD, from 22 December 2009, the RBMPs should be available for all RBDs across the EU. There are, however, serious delays in some parts of the EU, and in some countries consultations are still on-going.
  • In May 2012, data from 161 RBDs was uploaded by Member States and incorporated into the WISE-WFD database. The WISE-WFD database also included data from Member States (Portugal, Spain, and Greece) that have not yet adopted RBMPs. There is still missing reporting from some Member States and RBDs, and reporting is incomplete on some issues. 
  • In addition to the River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), Member States have reported a comprehensive set of data related to the results of the RBMPs (such as ecological status for each individual water body or significant pressures affecting a water body) to WISE (Water Information System for Europe). The EEA has a central role in the management of WISE due to the Agency’s role as the EU Data Centre for water. The reporting of RBMP data is described in the WFD-CIS Guidance No 21 (EC, 2009c).
  • The development of the queries aims at supporting a number of assessment reports prepared by the European Commission and EEA. Some technical insight and familiarity with the terms and contexts used for the implementation of the WFD is required to make use of the tables.
  • The data for characterising the status of water bodies (ecological, chemical, quantitative) can either be assessed by their numbers or by aggregations weighted by length of rivers or area of other water bodies. Both methods have advantages and drawbacks and aggregations from both methods are included in the tables.

 

Tables can be exported directly into Excel and downloaded for any further use, e.g. in research projects.

 

     

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    Interactive charts

    Interactive maps produced

    GIS Map Application
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    Urban Waste Water Treatment map     The map reflects the most recent available information at the EU-level on implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) in EU 28 plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland based on data reported by the Member States (for reference years 2013 or 2014) in 2015.
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    Urban Waste Water Treatment maps     The map reflects the most recent available information at the EU-level on implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) in EU 27 based on data reported by the Member States (for reference years 2011 or 2012) in 2013.
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    Macrophytes in lakes     The map shows the ecological status or potential of European lakes and reservoirs, expressed using a specific biological quality element (BQE), namely macrophytes, reported by EEA member countries via WISE. The ecological status class is assessed by each country according to their national classification system, following the principles established by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The assessment may be based by one or more samples taken during the year of reporting. The map displays the latest reported information under the WISE SoE reporting, so the year of reference may vary. Note that under the WFD reporting, the ecological status or potential based on all BQEs combined is represented by the BQE with the worst class - the "one-out-all-out" principle - which does not apply here, given that only one BQE is represented and that the reporting is done annually. The purpose of the map to enable the user to compare values per country or per monitoring station, depending on the scale of visualisation.
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    Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in rivers     The map shows the mean annual value of BOD observed in river monitoring stations since 1993, reported by EEA member countries via WISE. BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand or Biochemical Oxygen Demand) is the amount of dissolved oxygen, expressed in milligrams of oxygen per litre of water, consumed by micro-organisms to decompose the organic matter present in water. BOD is commonly reported as BOD5, the amount of oxygen consumed over a 5-day period of incubation. Some countries report BOD7, the amount of oxygen consumed over a 7-day period. For comparability, the values of BOD7 are converted to BOD5 (BOD7 = 1.16 BOD5). Large quantities of organic matter (microbes and decaying organic waste) in water are a potential risk to aquatic ecosystems and human health. The reduction in the amount of dissolved oxygen as a result of the decomposition of organic matter can endanger aquatic life through asphyxiation and disrupt the ecological balance of the water. Organic matter can also pollute drinking water and bathing water. High levels of BOD can indicate such organic pollution. The purpose of the map is to provide an overview of the mean annual value of BOD in rivers across Europe and to enable the user to compare values per country, River Basin District (RBD) or individual monitoring station, depending on the scale of visualisation. Historical data since 1992 can be displayed using the time slider.
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    Water quantity monitoring stations     The map shows the location of the water quantity monitoring stations reported by EEA member countries via WISE SoE reporting. Streamflow gauging stations represent points where river discharge (streamflow) is measured (in cubic metres per second) on a daily time step. The purpose of the map is to provide an overview of the density and coverage of streamflow monitoring networks across Europe.
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    Nitrates in groundwater     The map shows the mean annual concentration of nitrates (NO3), expressed as milligrams of NO3-N per litre of water, observed in groundwater monitoring stations and reported by EEA member countries via WISE. The purpose of the map is to provide an overview of the mean annual value of nitrates in groundwater across Europe and to enable the user to compare values per country or per groundwater body, depending on the scale of visualisation. Historical data since 2000 can be displayed using the time slider, and different horizons can be selected using the layers menu.
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    Macroinvertebrates in rivers     The map shows the ecological status or potential of European rivers, expressed using a specific biological quality element (BQE), namely macroinvertebrates, reported by EEA member countries via WISE. The ecological status class is assessed by each country according to their national classification system, following the principles established by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The assessment may be based by one or more samples taken during the year of reporting. The map displays the latest reported information under the WISE SoE reporting, so the year of reference may vary. Note that under the WFD reporting, the ecological status or potential based on all BQEs combined is represented by the BQE with the worst class - the "one-out-all-out" principle - which does not apply here, given that only one BQE is represented and that the reporting is done annually. The purpose of the map to enable the user to compare values per country or per monitoring station, depending on the scale of visualisation.
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    Archived
    Nitrites in groundwater     The map shows the mean annual concentrations of nitrites (NO2), expressed as milligrams of NO2-N per litre of water, observed in groundwater monitoring stations and reported by EEA member countries via WISE. The purpose of the map is to provide an overview of the mean annual value of nitrites in groundwater across Europe and to enable the user to compare values per country or per groundwater body, depending on the scale of visualisation. Historical data since 2000 can be displayed using the time slider, and different horizons can be selected using the layers menu.
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    Orthophosphates in rivers     The map shows the mean annual concentration of orthophosphates (OP), expressed as milligrams of PO4-P per litre of water, observed in river monitoring stations and reported by EEA member countries via WISE. For most countries the mean annual value is based on observations over the whole year, whereas some countries only collect samples during the growing season (due to ice cover in winter). High or increased (compared to reference condition) concentration of phosphates represents a risk to normal functioning of river ecosystems, causing eutrophication with potentially excessive growth of benthic algae or other aquatic vegetation, oxygen deficiency in the bottom substrate and reduced biodiversity. The purpose of the map is to provide an overview of the mean annual value of orthophosphates in rivers across Europe and to enable the user to compare values per country, River Basin District (RBD) or individual monitoring station, depending on the scale of visualisation. Historical data since 1993 can be displayed using the time slider.
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    Ammonium in groundwater     The map shows the mean annual concentrations of ammonium (NH4+), expressed as milligrams of NO2-N per litre of water, observed in groundwater monitoring stations and reported by EEA member countries via WISE. The purpose of the map is to provide an overview of the mean annual value of ammonium in groundwater across Europe and to enable the user to compare values per country or per groundwater body, depending on the scale of visualisation. Historical data since 2000 can be displayed using the time slider, and different horizons can be selected using the layers menu.
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    Archived
    Phytoplankton in lakes     The map shows the ecological status or potential of European lakes and reservoirs, expressed using a specific biological quality element (BQE), namely phytoplankton, reported by EEA member countries via WISE. The ecological status class is assessed by each country according to their national classification system, following the principles established by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The assessment may be based by one or more samples taken during the year of reporting. The map displays the latest reported information under the WISE SoE reporting, so the year of reference may vary. Note that under the WFD reporting, the ecological status or potential based on all BQEs combined is represented by the BQE with the worst class - the "one-out-all-out" principle - which does not apply here, given that only one BQE is represented and that the reporting is done annually. The purpose of the map to enable the user to compare values per country or per monitoring station, depending on the scale of visualisation.
    GIS Map Application
    Archived
    Phytobenthos in rivers     The map shows the ecological status or potential of European rivers, expressed using a specific biological quality element (BQE), namely phytobenthos, reported by EEA member countries via WISE. The ecological status class is assessed by each country according to their national classification system, following the principles established by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The assessment may be based by one or more samples taken during the year of reporting. The map displays the latest reported information under the WISE SoE reporting, so the year of reference may vary. Note that under the WFD reporting, the ecological status or potential based on all BQEs combined is represented by the BQE with the worst class - the "one-out-all-out" principle - which does not apply here, given that only one BQE is represented and that the reporting is done annually. The purpose of the map to enable the user to compare values per country or per monitoring station, depending on the scale of visualisation.
    GIS Map Application
    Archived
    Water quality monitoring station density     The map shows the density of water quality monitoring stations, reported by EEA member countries via WISE SoE reporting. The density of river monitoring stations is represented per national River Basin District (RBD). Note that the set of monitoring stations used by Member States to assess the chemical and ecological status of river water bodies under the Water Framework Directive may not be the same set of stations used for the annual WISE SoE water quality reporting. Historical data since 1992 can be displayed using the time slider.
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    Urban Waste Water Treatment maps     The map reflects the most recent available information at the EU-level on implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) in EU 27 based on data reported by the Member States (for reference years 2009 or 2010) in 2011.
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    State of Bathing waters     A newer version is available at the address: https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/interactive/bathing/state-of-bathing-waters
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    Archived
    Water Quantity: Location of Streamflow Gauging Stations     This map shows the location of Streamflow Gauging Stations in Europe, overlaid on the WFD RBDs. The map enables the user to view, select and display information on the location of streamflow gauging stations in each RBD and have an overview of the coverage and density of such networks in Europe. It further allows comparison among RBDs and retrieval of information on stations’ basic characteristics.

    Produced Indicators

    Produced figures

    Figure Percentage of clasiffied water bodies in less than good ecological status or potential in coastal and transitional waters
    Figure Proportion of classified water bodies in different RBDs affected by pollution pressures, for rivers and lakes (left panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (right panel) The percentage is based on total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.
    Figure Percentage of classified surface water bodies in different river basin districts (RBDs) holding less than good ecological status or potential, for rivers and lakes (top panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (bottom panel) The figure shows percentage of the total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.
    Figure Proportion of classified river and lake water bodies in different River Basin Districts (RBD) holding less than good ecological status or potential for rivers and lakes The figure shows percentage of the total number of classified water bodies.
    Figure
    Archived
    Proportion of classified surface water bodies in different RBDs holding less than good ecological status or potential, for rivers and lakes     The figure shows percentage of the total number of classified water bodies.
    Figure
    Archived
    Proportion of classified water bodies in different RBDs affected by pollution pressures, for rivers and lakes (left panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (right panel)     The percentage is based on total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.
    Figure Observed drought episodes in Europe (1971–2011) A country is coloured with orange if drought episodes have occurred in that country during the reference decade, regardless of their temporal and spatial (local or nationwide) scale. No distinction between the severity, the frequency and the extent of the events is made.
    Figure Relevant pressures for GWBs Relative number of GWB where a pressure is significant (all classified GWBs and GWBs in poor quantitative status)
    Figure
    Archived
    Percent of groundwater bodies in poor quantitative status in 2009 per RBD     Percentage of groundwater bodies in poor quantitative status by RBDs (counted to GWBs with known quantitative status)
    Figure Occurrence of hydromorphology measures in RBMPs (% of RBMPs) -
    Figure Trend in median total ammonium, total phosphorus and nitrate concentration of river water bodies, grouped by ecological status/potential class Concentrations are expressed as a median of annual mean concentrations. Up to three-year gaps of missing values have been interpolated or extrapolated. Only complete series with no missing values after this interpolation/extrapolation are included. The number of time series/river stations is shown in parentheses. The trend for 1992 to 2010 for each of the ecological quality classes has been linearly extended to 2027 — or when the concentration level becomes negative.
    Figure Chemical status of transitional and coastal waters per RBD — percentage of water bodies not achieving good chemical status -
    Figure Percentage of transitional (a) and coastal (b) water bodies in poor and good chemical status, by count of water bodies The graphs illustrate the chemical status of transitional and coastal water bodies as percentage of water bodies in poor and good chemical status, by count of water bodies.
    Figure Chemical status of rivers and lakes per RBD — percentage of water bodies not achieving good chemical status -
    Figure Chemical status of rivers and lakes The graphs illustrate the chemical status of river and lake water bodies as percentage of water bodies in poor and good chemical status, by count of water bodies.
    Figure Percentage of groundwater body area not achieving good chemical status due to nitrate (a) and total nitrogen input from organic and inorganic fertilisers (b) -
    Figure
    Archived
    Proportion of classified groundwater bodies in different River Basin Districts in poor chemical status     The figure shows percentage of the total area of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details
    Figure Chemical status of groundwater bodies The graphs illustrate the chemical status of groundwater, Percentage of groundwater bodies in poor and good status, by area.
    Figure
    Draft
    Distribution of chemical status of groundwater, rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters.     Number of Member States contributing to the dataset: Groundwater (26); Rivers (25); Lakes (22); Transitional (15) and Coastal (20). Percentages shown for rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal are by water body count. Groundwater percentages, however, are expressed by area. The total number of water bodies is shown in parenthesis. Data from Sweden are excluded from surface water data illustrated in the figure. This is because Sweden contributed a disproportionately large amount of data and, classified all its surface waters as poor status since levels of mercury found within biota in both fresh and coastal waters exceed quality standards.
    Figure Ecological status/potential of and proportion of water bodies affected by pollution and hydromorphological pressures for transitional (left panel (a, b, c)) and coastal (right panel (d, e, f)) water bodies, by sea region -
    Figure Ecological status or potential of lake water bodies in different Member States (a), and proportion of lake water bodies affected by diffuse pollution and hydromorphology pressures (b) The graphs illustrate the ecological status of lake water bodies (a) and percentage of lake water bodies affected by diffuse pollution and hydromorphology pressures
    Figure Ecological status or potential of classified river water bodies in different Member States (a), and proportion of river water bodies affected by diffuse pollution and hydromorphology pressures (b) The graphs illustrate the ecological status of river water bodies (a) and percentage of river water bodies affected by diffuse pollution and hydromorphology pressures
    Figure Percentage of natural, heavily modified, artificial and unknown status for river, lake, transitional and coastal water bodies -
    Figure Percentage of natural, heavily modified, artificial and unknown status for river, lake, transitional and coastal water bodies The graphs illustrate the designation of heavily and artificial water bodies
    Figure
    Draft
    Proportion of classified water bodies in different RBDs affected by hydromorphological pressures, for rivers and lakes (left panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (right panel)     The percentage is based on total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.
    Figure
    Draft
    Proportion of total number of classified water bodies with identified significant pressures (left column) and impacts (right column), for rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and transitional waters     The percentage is calculated against the total number of classified surface water bodies in Member States reporting the specific pressure or impact type (or any pressure or impact for the blue bars). The number of Member States included is indicated in brackets. See the indicator specification for more details.
    Figure Ecological status/potential and pollution/hydromorphological pressures of classified river water bodies, according to population density and percentage of arable land in the river basin -
    Figure
    Archived
    Proportion of classified surface water bodies in different RBDs holding less than good ecological status or potential, for rivers and lakes (left panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (right panel)     The figure shows percentage of the total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.
    Figure
    Archived
    Distribution of ecological status or potential of classified rivers, lakes, coastal and transitional waters     The figure shows percentage of the total number of classified water bodies (with total number given in brackets). See the indicator specification for more details
    Figure
    Archived
    Percentage of classified water bodies in different river basin districts (RBDs) affected by pollution pressures, for rivers and lakes (top panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (bottom panel)     The percentage is based on total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.
    Figure
    Draft
    Proportion of classified surface water bodies in different River Basin Districts in poor chemical status for rivers and lakes (left panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (right panel)     The figure shows percentage of the total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.

    See also

    Used in indicators

    Indicator Specification
    Archived
    Impacts and pressures     Main pressures and impacts affecting rivers, lakes, transitional waters and coastal waters. The indicator can be used to illustrate variations between different water categories and geographical variations.
    Indicator Specification
    Archived
    Chemical status     Chemical status of groundwater, rivers, lakes, transitional waters and coastal waters. The indicator can be used to illustrate variations between different water categories and geographical variations.
    Indicator Specification
    Archived
    Ecological status or potential     Ecological status or potential in rivers, lakes, transitional waters and coastal waters. The indicator can be used to illustrate variations between different water categories and geographical variations.
    Indicator Specification
    Archived
    Freshwater quality     This indicator shows: 1. Annual median concentrations in rivers of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and ammonium (NH 4 ). 2. Trends in concentrations of orthophosphate and nitrate in rivers. 3. Ecological status of river and lake water bodies.

    Permalinks

    Geographic coverage

    Temporal coverage

    For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/wise-wfd or scan the QR code.

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