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1. SURFACE WATER STATUS 1.1. Quality elements for the classification of ecological status 1.1.1. Rivers 1.1.2. Lakes 1.1.3. Transitional waters 1.1.4. Coastal waters 1.1.5. Artificial and heavily modified surface water bodies 1.2. Normative definitions of ecological status classifications 1.2.1. Definitions for high, good and moderate ecological status in rivers 1.2.2. Definitions for high, good and moderate ecological status in lakes 1.2.3. Definitions for high, good and moderate ecological status in transitional waters 1.2.4. Definitions for high, good and moderate ecological status in coastal waters 1.2.5. Definitions for maximum, good and moderate ecological potential for heavily modified or artificial water bodies 1.2.6. Procedure for the setting of chemical quality standards by Member States 1.3. Monitoring of ecological status and chemical status for surface waters 1.3.1. Design of surveillance monitoring 1.3.2. Design of operational monitoring 1.3.3. Design of investigative monitoring 1.3.4. Frequency of monitoring 1.3.5. Additional monitoring requirements for protected areas 1.3.6. Standards for monitoring of quality elements 1.4.

Classification and presentation of ecological status 1.4.1. Comparability of biological monitoring results 1.4.2. Presentation of monitoring results and classification of ecological status and ecological potential 1.4.3. Presentation of monitoring results and classification of chemical status 2. GROUNDWATER 2.1. Groundwater quantitative status 2.1.1. Parameter for the classification of quantitative status 2.1.2. Definition of quantitative status 2.2. Monitoring of groundwater quantitative status 2.2.1. Groundwater level monitoring network 2.2.2. Density of monitoring sites 2.2.3. Monitoring frequency 2.2.4. Interpretation and presentation of groundwater quantitative status 2.3. Groundwater chemical status 2.3.1. Parameters for the determination of groundwater chemical status 2.3.2. Definition of good groundwater chemical status 2.4. Monitoring of groundwater chemical status 2.4.1. Groundwater monitoring network 2.4.2. Surveillance monitoring 2.4.3. Operational monitoring 2.4.4. Identification of trends in pollutants 2.4.5. Interpretation and presentation of groundwater chemical status 2.5. Presentation of groundwater status 1. SURFACE WATER STATUS

1.1. Quality elements for the classification of ecological status 1.1.1. Rivers Biological elements Composition and abundance of aquatic flora Composition and abundance of benthic invertebrate fauna Composition, abundance and age structure of fish fauna Hydromorphological elements supporting the biological elements Hydrological regime quantity and dynamics of water flow connection to groundwater bodies River continuity Morphological conditions river depth and width variation structure and substrate of the river bed structure of the riparian zone Chemical and physico-chemical elements supporting the biological elements General Thermal conditions Oxygenation conditions Salinity Acidification status Nutrient conditions Specific pollutants Pollution by all priority substances identified as being discharged into the body of water Pollution by other substances identified as being discharged in significant quantities into the body of water 1.1.2. Lakes Biological elements Composition, abundance and biomass of phytoplankton Composition and abundance of other aquatic flora Composition and abundance of benthic invertebrate fauna Composition, abundance and age structure of fish fauna

Hydromorphological elements supporting the biological elements Hydrological regime quantity and dynamics of water flow residence time connection to the groundwater body Morphological conditions lake depth variation quantity, structure and substrate of the lake bed structure of the lake shore Chemical and physico-chemical elements supporting the biological elements General Transparency Thermal conditions Oxygenation conditions Salinity Acidification status Nutrient conditions Specific pollutants Pollution by all priority substances identified as being discharged into the body of water Pollution by other substances identified as being discharged in significant quantities into the body of water 1.1.3. Transitional waters Biological elements Composition, abundance and biomass of phytoplankton Composition and abundance of other aquatic flora Composition and abundance of benthic invertebrate fauna Composition and abundance of fish fauna Hydro-morphological elements supporting the biological elements Morphological conditions depth variation quantity, structure and substrate of the bed structure of the intertidal zone Tidal regime freshwater flow wave exposure

Chemical and physico-chemical elements supporting the biological elements General Transparency Thermal conditions Oxygenation conditions Salinity Nutrient conditions Specific pollutants Pollution by all priority substances identified as being discharged into the body of water Pollution by other substances identified as being discharged in significant quantities into the body of water 1.1.4. Coastal waters Biological elements Composition, abundance and biomass of phytoplankton Composition and abundance of other aquatic flora Composition and abundance of benthic invertebrate fauna Hydromorphological elements supporting the biological elements Morphological conditions depth variation structure and substrate of the coastal bed structure of the intertidal zone Tidal regime direction of dominant currents wave exposure Chemical and physico-chemical elements supporting the biological elements General Transparency Thermal conditions Oxygenation conditions Salinity Nutrient conditions Specific pollutants Pollution by all priority substances identified as being discharged into the body of water

Pollution by other substances identified as being discharged in significant quantities into the body of water 1.1.5. Artificial and heavily modified surface water bodies The quality elements applicable to artificial and heavily modified surface water bodies shall be those applicable to whichever of the four natural surface water categories above most closely resembles the heavily modified or artificial water body concerned.

1.2. Normative definitions of ecological status classifications Table 1.2. General definition for rivers, lakes, transitional waters and coastal waters Element High status Good status Moderate status General There are no, or only very minor, anthropogenic alterations to the values of the physico-chemical and hydromorphological quality elements for the surface water body type from those normally associated with that type under undisturbed conditions. The values of the biological quality elements for the surface water body reflect those normally associated with that type under undisturbed conditions, and show no, or only very minor, evidence of distortion. These are the type-specific conditions and communities.

The values of the biological quality elements for the surface water body type show low levels of distortion resulting from human activity, but deviate only slightly from those normally associated with the surface water body type under undisturbed conditions. The values of the biological quality elements for the surface water body type deviate moderately from those normally associated with the surface water body type under undisturbed conditions. The values show moderate signs of distortion resulting from human activity and are significantly more disturbed than under conditions of good status. Waters achieving a status below moderate shall be classified as poor or bad. Waters showing evidence of major alterations to the values of the biological quality elements for the surface water body type and in which the relevant biological communities deviate substantially from those normally associated with the surface water body type under undisturbed conditions, shall be classified as poor.

Waters showing evidence of severe alterations to the values of the biological quality elements for the surface water body type and in which large portions of the relevant biological communities normally associated with the surface water body type under undisturbed conditions are absent, shall be classified as bad.

1.2.1. Definitions for high, good and moderate ecological status in rivers Biological quality elements Element High status Good status Moderate status Phytoplankton The taxonomic composition of phytoplankton corresponds totally or nearly totally to undisturbed conditions. The average phytoplankton abundance is wholly consistent with the type-specific physico-chemical conditions and is not such as to significantly alter the type-specific transparency conditions. Planktonic blooms occur at a frequency and intensity which is consistent with the type-specific physico-chemical conditions.

There are slight changes in the composition and abundance of planktonic taxa compared to the type-specific communities. Such changes do not indicate any accelerated growth of algae resulting in undesirable disturbances to the balance of organisms present in the water body or to the physico-chemical quality of the water or sediment. A slight increase in the frequency and intensity of the type-specific planktonic blooms may occur. The composition of planktonic taxa differs moderately from the type-specific communities. Abundance is moderately disturbed and may be such as to produce a significant undesirable disturbance in the values of other biological and physico-chemical quality elements. A moderate increase in the frequency and intensity of planktonic blooms may occur. Persistent blooms may occur during summer months. Macrophytes and phytobenthos The taxonomic composition corresponds totally or nearly totally to undisturbed conditions. There are no detectable changes in the average macrophytic and the average phytobenthic abundance.

There are slight changes in the composition and abundance of macrophytic and phytobenthic taxa compared to the type-specific communities. Such changes do not indicate any accelerated growth of phytobenthos or higher forms of plant life resulting in undesirable disturbances to the balance of organisms present in the water body or to the physico-chemical quality of the water or sediment. The phytobenthic community is not adversely affected by bacterial tufts and coats present due to anthropogenic activity. The composition of macrophytic and phytobenthic taxa differs moderately from the type-specific community and is significantly more distorted than at good status. Moderate changes in the average macrophytic and the average phytobenthic abundance are evident. The phytobenthic community may be interfered with and, in some areas, displaced by bacterial tufts and coats present as a result of anthropogenic activities. Benthic invertebrate fauna The taxonomic composition and abundance correspond totally or nearly totally to undisturbed conditions. The ratio of disturbance sensitive taxa to insensitive taxa shows no signs of alteration from undisturbed levels.