Donal Daly, EPA Catchment Science and Management Unit outlines a possible approach to integrating Water Framework Directive and Biodiversity goals at the catchment scale.

1. The Catchment Services Concept – A
Means of Connecting and Progressing
Water Framework Directive and
Biodiversity Requirements in the
Context of Sustainable Intensification
of Agriculture
Donal Daly
Catchment Science & Management Unit, EPA
Acknowledgements: Catchments Unit colleagues, people who encouraged development of the concept
such as Paul Withers, Donnacha Doody, Alec Rolston, Owen Carton, ++

2. Context of presentation:
My impression, my fear ….
We are making great progress in the
biodiversity and water quality areas,
BUT
mental, discipline, process,
regulatory and organisational SILOS
are limiting our progress overall, in
my view.

3. Influences (for me!!): A Quote
“Moorland weevil specialists become
moorland weevil champions”
George Monbiot in his book “Feral”
OR
The “if all you have is a hammer,
everything looks like a nail” problem
Hydrogeologists, like myself, become groundwater champions!!!!!

4. 4
WaterFrameworkDirective
BiodiversityStrategy&
HabitatsDirective
Greenhousegasemissions
FloodsDirective
Environmental/Regulatory
Requirements
Limited linkages

5. 5
Hydrogeologists
Engineers
Agric.scientists
Biologists
Disciplines
Et cetera
“Science is broken down into
non-communicating disciplines”
James Lovelock

6. 6
EPA
Localauthorities
Teagasc
NPWS
Organisations
+ different government
departments

7. And then,
… there
are silos
within
silos!!!!!
7

8. 8
Tunnel vision

9. 9

10. But …., let’s be clear!
We still need moorland weevil
specialists ……

11. 11
This is not the solution!
We need to link up the ‘silos’, make
them more permeable and we need to
work together more than at present.

12. Let us remember …….
Quote from John Muir (Environmentalist)
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we
find it hitched to everything else in the
Universe”
We live in an
INTERCONNECTED WORLD

13. However, …. is there a
solution?
Proposal:
To use a catchment-based approach to water
(quality, quantity, flooding) and biodiversity
management

14. 14
A basic tenet of catchment management is that what
happens in one part of the catchment, as an
interconnected system, affects people and
environments in other parts.

15. 15

16. 16
“Catchments: connecting land, water and people
from the mountains to the sea”

17.  Water in catchments is the linking thread through
any landscape.
 Catchments are coherent topographically-based
features, which can encompass and connect all
activities, past and present, and all functions and
services needed in an area, including water
supply, ecosystems, geosystems, biodiversity,
food production, recreation, etc.
 People/communities often relate to their local
river or lake and the surrounding catchment or
can be encouraged to relate. (Everyone lives in a
catchment.)
Therefore, catchments can provide the
appropriate Organising Framework and Mental
Image for water and biodiversity management

18. I
I
Local
18
Copied from: Forum for the Future website

19. I
I
Local
19
Consideration of all 3 services essential to ensure
successful water (quality, quantity, flooding) and
biodiversity management

20. I
20
High
nature
value
farming

21. Benefits of Catchment Services Approach
 Helps ensure that water, biodiversity & communities
are considered in an integrated, holistic manner.
 Would encourage the different disciplines and
organisations to work together.
 Would encourage achievement of multiple benefits
from agri-environmental measures.
 Would encourage ecological restoration.
 Would appeal to local communities as their views and
involvement is essential 21

25. What is the EPA doing? (1)
We have adopted the Integrated
Catchment Management (ICM)
approach to water management.
25

26. 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
Adapted from USEPA (2008)
Characterisation &
Analysis Tools
 GIS
 Databases
 Statistical
packages
 Numerical
models
 Flow estimations
 Load estimations
 Monitoring
Catchment
Information
Tool
River
Basin
Management
Plan
Step 1: Build Partnerships
Step 2: Create & communicate a
VISION
Steps 3 & 4: Characterise &
further characterise the
catchment
Step 5: Identify & evaluate
possible management strategies
Step 6: Design an implementation
programme
Step 7: Implement the programme
Step 8: Measure progress and
make adjustments

27. The Vital Components of Integrated
Catchment Management (ICM)
 Partnerships with local communities & citizen
engagement
 “Bottom up” as well as “top down” approaches
 Linkages, cooperation & networks, while maintaining
the good elements of silos.
 Seeing catchments in 3-D
 Consideration of ecosystems, geosystems and human-
social systems in a holistic process
 A broader range of tools in the “toolkit” ranging in a
continuum from local participation and partnership to
enforcement
ICM is a means of helping to achieve several objectives, not only WFD,
but also Habitats, Nitrates, Bathing Waters, Drinking Water etc.

28. What is the EPA doing? (2)
Is including in principle and, in so
far as is practicable, the
biodiversity requirements in
considering WFD implementation, for
instance, catchment characterisation
& mitigation measures.
But, help and support is needed!!
28

29. Lough Guitane, Co Kerry.
Kilmaine Spring, Co. Mayo.
Catchment characterisation
(knowing and understanding our
catchments)
is the foundation of water resources
& biodiversity management
Doovilra strand, Killary Harbour, Co Galway. Source: Shane O’Boyle, EPA.

30. 4933 Water
bodies
582
Subcatchments
46 Catchments
1 National
River Basin
District
2 International
RBDs
Water management unit scales and
boundary delineation

31. Catchment assessments
• Estuaries
• Coasts
• Groundwater
• Load reductions
Protected area assessments
• SACs
• Drinking waters
• Bathing waters
• Shellfish waters
• Etc..
Catchment assessments

32. Sustainable Intensification (SI)
Context
 Catchment characterisation will enable:
 The capacity of catchments for nutrients and
water abstraction to be evaluated.
 Critical source areas (CSAs) and significant
pollution sources to be located
 Strategies and measures to enable achievement of
WFD, SI and biodiversity objectives to be
evaluated.
Increased intensification will not be feasible in all areas.
 Provide useful information on every cm2 of the
country for catchment communities, researchers,
consultants and public bodies to use beneficially.32

33. What else is the EPA doing? (3)
Consultants are assisting the
characterisation process which must be
finished in 12 months.
 We are recording ALL the main
services in each subcatchment report.
We are trying to ensure that all WFD
measures also include consideration of
biodiversity requirements to encourage
cobenefits. 33

34. Conclusions and a Challenge
 There are a lot of organisations and experts involved
with water & biodiversity management, & sustainable
intensification. We need a common platform to
connect all the objectives, organisations, disciplines,
communities, etc.
34
 Silos, silo thinking, etc., must be overcome
 While it won’t be easy, there is a need for
change!
“We must become the change we wish to see in
the world” Mahatma Gandhi
 The Catchment Services Concept can provide
the platform and connecting principles
 Would you support & help develop this approach?