River Basin Management Planning and the Catchment Based Approach in Estuarine

and Coastal Waters 

Severn Estuary Forum 2015

Paul ParkerSenior Advisor, Estuaries & Coasts Planning

Environment Agency© Photo Copyright Environment Agency

Through river basin planning, we have developed an integrated evidence base on the state of the water environment The ‘one out, all out’ approach to assessing the environment can obscure the true state

Balanced costs and benefits There is significant funding in place for the next cycle

Contents1. Introduction to River Basin

Management Planning

2. Estuarine and Coastal Waters – current status, pressures & objectives

3. Working in partnership through a Catchment Based Approach

4. River Basin Management Planning Timescales

River basin planning is a catalyst for more shared decision making and delivery – partnership working

Key Messages

From this...

3

To this...

What we are trying to achieve with others

Bristol Port

Estuaries & CoastsWater Body Name Region/Area Reason for A/HMWB

DesignationCurrent Status Objective

Severn Lower Natural Resources Wales

Flood Protection Use Moderate Good (2021)

Severn Middle Shropshire Herefordshire Worcestershire and Gloucestershire

Flood Protection Use Moderate Good (2027)

Severn Upper Shropshire Herefordshire Worcestershire and Gloucestershire

Flood Protection Use Moderate Good (2027)

Usk Natural Resources Wales

Flood Protection Use Moderate Good (2021)

Bristol Avon Wessex Flood Protection UseNavigation, ports & harbours

Moderate Good (2021)

Wye Natural Resources Wales

Not Designated A/HMWB

Moderate Good (2021)

Catchment Coordinators:Andrew Osbaldiston & Jeremy Reilly

Severn Middle & Severn Upper

Jeremy Taylor – Bristol Avon

Overall Water Body status

Water CategoryNo. of water bodies High Good Mod Poor Bad

Coastal 61 0 22 39 0 0Estuarine 104 0 18 76 5 5Estuarine and Coastal 165 0 40 115 5 5

Overall Water Body 2013 interim classification in England

Proposed long term overall water body status objectives in England

Overall Water Body Objective

Water CategoryNo. of water bodies High Good Mod Poor Bad

Coastal 61 2 45 14 0 0

Estuarine 104 0 59 43 2 0

Total Estuarine and Coastal 165 2 104 57 2 0

UNCLASSIFIED 6

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Angiosperms Fish Invertebrates Macroalgae Phytoplankton Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen

Dissolved oxygen

Specific pollutants

Priority hazardous substances

Priority substances

Biological Physico-Chemical

ECOLOGICAL CHEMICALElement or Component

Bad Poor Moderate Fail - Chemical Good - Chemical Good - High

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Angiosperms Fish Invertebrates Macroalgae Phytoplankton Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen

Dissolved oxygen

Specif ic pollutants

Priority hazardous

substances

Priority substances

Biological Physico-Chemical

ECOLOGICAL CHEMICALElement or Component

Bad Poor Moderate Fail - Chemical Good - Chemical Good - High

Angiosperm

s

Fish Inverts Macro-algae

Phyto-plankton

DIN DO Spec poluta

nts

PHS PS

Cur

rent

Pro

pose

dBad Poor Mod Good High Fail Good

National Liaison Panel for England Estuaries & Coasts Subgroup

Source: Environment Agency (2014)

Working in Partnership

River Basin Districts:

Severn River Basin District:

http://www.catchmentbasedapproach.org/

Source: Environment Agency (2010) CaBA National Steering Group (2015)

Source: Conservation Ontario

Catchment Scale

Catchment Based Approach

11

River

Cross Border coordination• EA & NRW working closely on

development of cross border RBMPs

• Any difference in approach will be clearly explained and sign-posted in RBMP

• Flood Risk Management plans

• Shoreline Management Plans

• Catchment Data Explorer

• Water Watch Wales

• Marine Plans

• Marine Strategy Framework Directive

RBMP Timetable• 30th October – formal submission of plans to Secretary of State for approval

• November – Ministerial consideration & sign off

• 22nd December – once approved publication of approved updated RBMPs

• January 2016 – continued RBMP implementation

Cycle 12009-2015

Cycle 22015-2021

Cycle 32021-2027

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/river-basin-management-plan-update

Source: Environment Agency (2015)

Thank You / Diolch yn Fawr!

Marine@environment-agency.gov.uk