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WISE Water Framework Directive Database

Data
Prod-ID: DAT-124-en
Created 21 Feb 2020 Published 25 Mar 2020 Last modified 01 Oct 2021
1 min read
The WISE Water Framework Directive database contains data from the 1st and 2nd River Basin Management Plans reported by EU Members States, Norway and the United Kingdom according to article 13 of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The database includes information about surface water bodies (number and size, water body category, ecological status or potential, chemical status, significant pressures and impacts, and exemptions) and about groundwater bodies (number and size, quantitative status, chemical status, significant pressures and impacts, and exemptions). The information is presented by country, river basin district (RBD) and river basin district sub-unit (where applicable).

European data

WISE-WFD database
  • WISE-WFD database
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Metadata

information.png Reporting obligations (ROD)
Relation:
Derived data set:  WISE WFD protected area spatial data sets
Derived data set:  WISE WFD protected area spatial data sets
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, Norway and the United Kingdom 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

To facilitate future comparisons, the RBDs and subunits are those used in the 2nd River Basin Management Plans (RBMP). 

The structure of the data and further information are described in the WFD Reporting Guidance.

For more information see also supporting files for 2016 reporting on River Basin Management Plans.

 

Related content

Derived dataset

Data WISE WFD protected area spatial data sets The Water Framework Directive (WFD) protected area data sets include information about European drinking water protected areas, designated waters such as fish protected areas and shellfish protected areas, nitrates vulnerable zones, urban waste water sensitive areas and bathing water protected areas. The protected areas are part of the Water Framework Directive register of protected areas and were reported in second River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) or under other related reporting obligations. The data sets are part of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE), and compile information reported by the EU Member States, Albania, Iceland, Norway, Montenegro, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to the European Commission (EC) and the European Environment Agency (EEA).
Data
Archived
WISE WFD protected area spatial data sets The Water Framework Directive (WFD) protected area data sets include information about European drinking water protected areas, designated waters such as fish protected areas and shellfish protected areas, nitrates vulnerable zones, urban waste water sensitive areas and bathing water protected areas. The protected areas are part of the Water Framework Directive register of protected areas and were reported in second River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) or under other related reporting obligations. The data sets are part of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE), and compile information reported by the EU Member States, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland to the European Commission (EC) and the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Interactive charts

Interactive maps produced

GIS Map Application Water Framework Directive - Quality Elements The WISE Water Framework Directive Quality Elements map contains information from the 2nd River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) reported by EU Members States and Norway according to article 13 of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The map shows the ecological status or potential of surface water bodies based on their quality elements status value. The following quality elements are presented: QE1 - Biological quality elements; QE1-1 - Phytoplankton; QE1-2 - Other aquatic flora QE1-2-1 - Macroalgae; QE1-2-2 - Angiosperms; QE1-2-3 - Macrophytes; QE1-2-4 - Phytobenthos; QE1-3 - Benthic invertebrates; QE1-4 - Fish; QE2 - Hydromorphological quality elements; QE2-1 - Hydrological or tidal regime; QE2-2 - River continuity conditions; QE2-3 - Morphological conditions; QE3 - Chemical and physico-chemical quality elements; QE3-1 - General parameters; QE3-1-1 - Transparency conditions; QE3-1-2 - Thermal conditions; QE3-1-3 - Oxygenation conditions; QE3-1-4 - Salinity conditions; QE3-1-5 - Acidification status; QE3-1-6 - Nutrient conditions; QE3-1-6-1 - Nitrogen conditions; QE3-1-6-2 - Phosphorus conditions and QE3-3 - River Basin Specific Pollutants.

Produced Indicators

Produced figures

Figure Percentage of reported monitoring sites with pesticides exceeding thresholds in surface waters, different sized rivers, lakes and groundwater in European countries in time period 2013-2020 The figure shows the percentage of monitoring sites with threshold exceedances of pesticides in surface waters, different sized rivers, lakes and groundwater in European countries. This was used to examine threshold exceedances according to Surface Waters; Rivers, small; Rivers, medium; Rivers, large; Lakes, and Groundwater.
Figure Diffuse pollution from agriculture causing poor chemical status in groundwater bodies in the EU-27 The map illustrates groundwater bodies of poor chemical status, affected significantly by diffuse source pollution from agriculture in the EU-27, as reported in national 2016 RBMPs.
Figure
Archived
Percentage of reported monitoring sites with pesticides exceeding thresholds in surface waters, different sized rivers, lakes and groundwater in European countries, 2013 – 2019 The figure shows the percentage of monitoring sites with threshold exceedances of pesticides in surface waters, different sized rivers, lakes and groundwater in European countries. This was used to examine threshold exceedances according to Surface Waters; Rivers, small; Rivers, medium; Rivers, large; Lakes, and Groundwater
Figure Percentage of water bodies not in good ecological status or potential, per river basic district The map presents the proportion of surface water bodies (rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters) in less than good ecological status per River Basin District.

Used in indicators

Indicator Specification Ecological status of surface waters in Europe Countries report data on the ecological status of their water bodies to the European Commission and these data are stored in the WFD database. Much work has been done in relation to implementing the WFD and producing RBMPs. The ecological status of water bodies is based on comprehensive work carried out in the RBDs and is by far the best estimate of the status of surface waters. The ecological status is comparable between countries and RBDs to a certain extent; however, the interpretation of differences in status should take into account differences in the use of quality elements in determining overall status. Overall, the second RBMPs (published after December 2015) show limited change in status since the first RBMPs were published in 2009, with the same status being reported for most water bodies in both cycles (EEA, 2018b). The proportion of water bodies with unknown status has decreased, however, and confidence in status assessments has grown. Improvements are visible at the level of individual quality elements or pollutants, but often do not translate into improved overall status.

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For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/wise-wfd-4 or scan the QR code.

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