Water Framework Directive 

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) promotes a new approach to water management through river basin planning. It aims to prevent deterioration in water quality; improve and protect inland and coastal waters and groundwater; lead to better and more sustainable use of water as a natural resource; create better habitats for wildlife that live in and around water and help reduce the effects of floods and droughts.

The Directive applies to all water bodies, including rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters up to 1 nautical mile offshore.  Planning and implementation takes place at river basin level.  10 River Basin Districts have been set up in England and Wales, one in Scotland and one cross-border between England and Scotland.  However these do not coincide with RYA regional boundaries.

Under the terms of the WFD, the Environment Agency (England and Wales), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland) are the competent authorities for implementing the Directive.

The Directive introduces six-year cycles of planning and action.  The first River Basin Management Plans have been approved by the Secretary of State and were published on 22 December 2009.  Work has started on implementing these Plans by 2015.  The Plans set out in general terms how the water environment will be managed and provide a framework for more detailed decisions to be made.  Current actions include:

• A major programme of investigations to discover why water bodies are failing
• Investment and improvements by water companies
• Government  investment of £92 million in river improvement
• A programme of catchment improvements, starting with 10 priority catchments

In the first planning cycle, impacts from recreational boating have been shown to be relatively minor.  However implementation and future planning cycles could affect recreational boating, including:

• Maintenance dredging
• Bank protection and weed control
• Navigation and vessel movements
• Discharges e.g. boat waste, scrub-down residue
• New developments, moorings and pontoons
• Spread of non-native invasive species

The RYA is monitoring implementation of the Plans closely and is represented on the WFD National Liaison Panel, the National Water Stakeholder Forum, and on some River Basin Liaison Panels.  If you want to get more involved in implementation at regional or club/marina level, please contact the RYA Planning & Environmental Advisor on environment@rya.org.uk for further information.