This presentation was given on 26.11.15 at the Catchment Management Network Meeting in Tullamore. The day included presentations on the approach to characterisation for the 2nd Cycle of the Water Framework Directive and how this would involve both the EPA and Local Authorities, along with other public bodies. A key focus was the new Local Authority Water and Communities Office and its role in the 2nd cycle. Presentations on integrating planning and the WFD, the UK 'Love Your River Telford' project and 'The Living Loobagh' from Limerick were also included.

1. The Role of Investigative Assessments
Donal Daly, Jenny Deakin & Marie Archbold
Catchment Science & Management Unit
EPA

2. Steps in the
ICM Process
(adapted from
USEPA (2008)
Integrated
Catchment
Management
(ICM)
Steps in the Integrated Catchment Management Process 1
1. Build Partnerships
• Identify key stakeholders
• Identify issues of concern
• Conduct public outreach
2. Create and communicate a vision of ICM
• For example: A healthy, resilient, productive and valued water
resource, that supports vibrant communities.
3. Characterise the Catchment
• Gather existing data and create a catchment inventory
• Identify data gaps & collect additional data, if needed
• Analyse data
• Identify causes and sources of pollution
• Estimate pollutant loads
• Evaluate hydromorphological pressures
• Undertake risk assessments
4. Undertake Further Characterisation
• Collect and evaluate local information
• Locate critical source areas (CSAs)
• Undertake investigative monitoring
• Undertake catchment walks
• Estimate load reductions needed
5. Identify & Evaluate Possible Management Strategies
• Evaluate existing measures
• Get stakeholder input
• Take account of ecosystem and geosystem services, water value,
pollution sources and CSAs
• Develop possible management options
• Undertake SEA and Habitats Directive Assessment, as appropriate
• Undertake economic analysis
• Rank the measures
6. Design an Implementation Programme
• Set environmental objectives
• Select appropriate mitigation measures
• Develop an implementation schedule with milestones
• Develop the monitoring component
• Develop an engagement strategy
• Identify technical & financial assistance needed
• Prepare RBMP
7. Implement the River Basin Management Plan
• Prepare a work plan with short- and long-term outcomes
• Implement the measures
• Use metrics to track progress
• Integrate with planning process
• Conduct engagement, including awareness raising, consultation &
collaboration
8. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments
• Analyse trends and outcomes
• Give feedback to stakeholders
• Make adjustments, if necessary
1
Characterisation &
Analysis Tools
 GIS
 Databases
 Statistical
packages
 Numerical
models
 Flow estimations
 Load estimations
 Monitoring
Catchment
Information
Tool
River
Basin
Management
Plan
Step 5: Identify & evaluate possible
management strategies and measures

3. Potential Strategies and Measures
1. Local (field-scale) mitigation measures
2. Engagement & Partnership
3. Incentives, e.g., GLAS
4. Innovation & new technology
5. Licensing of discharges to water
6. Compliance checking
7. Integration of WFD objectives into the
planning process
8. ????
But …… these have to be based on good
information & knowledge and therefore are not
enough on their own.

4. What does the initial subcatchment & catchment
characterisation process provide for “At Risk” &
“Review” water bodies?
For majority of situations, it is a good guide to:
 The parameters causing the problems (P. &/or N. &/or etc)
 The pressures causing the problems, including the %age of
pollutant loads coming from each pressure
 The likely locations of the significant pressures & CSAs
 But this is not enough on its own to justify use of
resources – time, staff & money.
Therefore, further assessment necessary ……..
 Where pressure is a large point source or a detailed evaluation has
already been carried out, or the measure is in place, no further
assessment needed, but this is an uncommon situation for most
WBs.

5. So, what is needed?
Detective work to get further evidence
of :
 The parameters causing the problems (P. &/or N.
&/or sediment, etc.)
 The pressures causing the problems.
 The locations of the significant pressures
 We are calling this “INVESTIGATIVE
ASSESSMENT”
 In most situations, only with this
‘investigative assessment’ approach can
appropriate measures be considered, fully
costed, prioritised and decided on.

6. Potential Strategies and Measures
1. Investigative assessment
2. Local (field-scale) mitigation measures
3. Engagement & Partnership
4. Incentives, e.g., GLAS
5. Innovation & new technology
6. Licensing of discharges to water
7. Compliance checking
8. Integration into the planning process

7. Investigative assessments (1)
 Focus on subcatchments with “At Risk” and “Review”
water bodies.
 Focus on subcatchment scale critical source areas
(delineated by the EPA pollution impact potential (PIP) maps)
in the case of likely diffuse pressure impacts.
 Focus on locations of small and large point sources, e.g.,
farmyards, silage pits/clamps, cattle stream
access/crossing points, farm roadways, WWTPs, etc.
 Therefore, process enables targeting of further
characterisation & ultimately targeting of
measures

8. Investigative assessment (2)
Step 1
Desk study, based largely on information in the
WFD App, LA and/or other public body datasets
and, if necessary, other readily available
information, such as at www.gsi.ie , www.opw.ie
and/or http://gis.epa.ie/Envision
Gives essential background information
and helps focus the work

9. Investigative assessment (3)
Step 2 “Boots on the ground”
IA consists of some or most of the following:
 Catchment walks and visual assessment
 Talking to local people, particularly farmers (can be part of engagement &
of resolving problems)
 Soil sampling and testing results, with NMP evaluation.
 Noting potential pollution sources, land-use, vegetation indicators of water
movement
 Soils mapping/checking & evaluation of role of ditches & land drainage &
slope & drainage density.
 Field measurements of water conductivity, temp, DO and pH in local
streams
 Physico-chemical and chemical sampling & analysis
 Small stream risk score assessments
 Analysis of information and conceptualisation of the situation, followed by
conclusions.All undertaken in the context of water quality outcomesAll undertaken mainly by LA staff

10. Investigative assessment (3)
Step 3
Comprehensive Investigations:
Numerical modelling
Drilling & testing boreholes
Stream flow measurements
Determining Q values
Etc

11. Recording work & results
 RMCEI
 It will be necessary to record
Investigative Assessment work
undertaken by local authorities

12. Recording work & results
On-going EPA/LA monitoring

13. The Future – an Opportunity
 We have/will have information readily available in the
WFD App
 We have the required knowledge and expertise in
public bodies & consultancies
 We have a holistic, effective approach – integrated
catchment management (ICM)
 LA scientists have a critical role…. But, LAs must
have adequate resources
 There is not only the necessity, but also the
momentum and enthusiasm to succeed.
 However, words won’t make it happen; only actions
will. We have to be unselfish …..
This opportunity is our challenge.

14. Investigative Assessment
But, it is interesting, exciting, rewarding
& even perhaps fun!!