Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Environmental Legislation > Revision Worksheets > Flashcards

Revision Worksheets Flashcards

1
Q

When was the WFD adopted by the EU?

A

2000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What year did the WFD come into effect in Ireland?

A

2003

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Why is the WFD unique?

A

-Allows for comparison of all waterbodies across Europe
-An integrated approach focusing on ecological status, water quality and human activity pressures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What were the 3 waves of European legislation for water resources?

A
  1. 1970s Directives for Abstraction of drinking water, fishing waters, shellfish waters, bathing waters and groundwaters
  2. 1990s, Urban Wastewater treatment directive, new drinking water quality directive, nitrates directive, directive for Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control
  3. 2000s, Water Framework Directive
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

List 3 aims of the WFD.

A
  1. Achieving good status for all waters by a set deadline
  2. Water management based on river basins
  3. Streamlining legislation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Name 3 other directives the WFD is linked to.

A
  1. Bird’s Directive
  2. Marine Strategy Framework
  3. Nitrates Directive
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How many RBD’s on the island of Ireland? How many RBD’s solely in ROI?

A

8 on the island, 4 in the ROI

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How many catchment management units?

A

46

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the three quality elements used to classify ecological status?

A

-Biological elements
-Chemical and physicochemical elements
-Hydromorphological elements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How many classification categories are there for ecological status?

A

5
High, good, moderate, poor, bad

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How many classification categories are there for chemical status?

A

Good or Fail -
2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How many categories are there for physio-chemical status?

A

3, High, good, moderate
Measured by General chemistry, pH, temperature, DO
Specific pollutants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the purpose of the classification step?

A

-To identify waterbodies at risk of not meeting the directives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the purpose of environmental objectives?

A

-To prevent deterioration
-Restore good status
-Reduce chemical pollution
-Achieve water related protected area objectives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the purpose of the programme of measures?

A

To provide the legal basis for the enforcement of the objectives of the water framework directive.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Name and describe three regulations in the programme of measures.

A
  1. Groundwater regulations – to limit/prevent input of pollutants, to prevent deterioration, to determine chemical status
  2. Urban Wastewater treatment regulations- specifies water quality standards before waste-water is released into the environment , discharge license
  3. Nitrates Directive- Reducing water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, sets periods when land application of fertilisers is prohibited
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the purpose of a River Basin Management Plan (RBMP)?

A

Is a document that provides all the details of how you plan to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Name 3 significant pressures in the Western River Basin District.

A

1.Agricultural
2.Forestry
3.Aquaculture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is a water management unit action plan?

A

A water management unit is a smaller, more manageable geographical area within the river basin districts. An WMU Action plan is specific plan with status, objectives, and measures for a water management unit. This contains information on key point sources of pollution, water status and identifying protected areas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Describe and briefly explain the three types of monitoring

A
  1. Surveillance monitoring- representative of general status providing data on long term trends. A full range of parameters are examined at surveillance monitoring sites.
  2. Operational monitoring- Intended to assess the effectiveness of programmes of measures including measures of combating pollution and measures for maintaining high or good status.
  3. Investigative monitoring- applied where the reason for status failures is unknown, to ascertain the magnitude and impacts of pollution and to establish the factors causing waterbodies to fail to achieve environmental objectives.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Briefly summarise the results from Cycle I (2009-2015)

A

Water quality remained static National Target of 13% improvement not met.
-Seriously polluted waterbodies had decreased from 19 to 6 due to the Red Dot programme- urban waste water treatment plants.
-51% decrease of high-status water quality in river catchments.

22
Q

What knowledge gaps were identified?

A

-Lack of actual collected data
-Knowledge gaps regarding groundwater due to it being difficult ot access
-No understanding of linkage between surface water and groundwater
-Restructured how Ireland’s water districts were split, all of Ireland is now one single river basin and is split into subcatchments
-EU critical of governance and structure, wasn’t obvious to who is in charge, no single body was in charge of delivering the project’s goals
-No leader
-Poor oversight

23
Q

What was wrong with the large number of RBD’s in cycle I?

A

RBD plans were not specific to each individual waterbody.
-had employed one size fits all, however this is flawed

24
Q

What issues arose with the governance and delivery of cycle I?

A

-No single body had ultimate responsibility for water management
-Too many river basin districts diluted responsibility

25
Q

Describe the new governance structure for cycle II

A

Monitoring and compliance checking was taken over by the EPA, local authorities, the Marine Institute, and Inland Fisheries Ireland

26
Q

Why and how was cycle II delayed?

A

Due to the recession, lack of funding available

27
Q

What are three objectives for Cycle II?

A
  1. Prevention of further deterioration
  2. Protect and restore high status water bodies
  3. Improve knowledge and understanding of hydromorphology
28
Q

List three new measures to mitigate nutrient losses to water under the nitrates directive:

A
  1. Nitrates Action Programme (NAP), sets the minimum environmental baseline that all Irish farmers must achieve. Fencing off cattle to protect water courses
  2. Distancing of drinking points from watercourses
    3.Prohibiting direct discharges to water courses from farm roadways.
29
Q

What is the purpose of ASSAP?

A

Agricultural Sustainability, Support and Advisory Programme
-To encourage and support behavioural change, facilitate knowledge transfer, achieve better on-farm environmental outcomes.

30
Q

What does the online nutrient management plan promote?

A

-Promotes and encourages efficient fertiliser use at a national level.
-Mandatory for farmers in GLAS and for derogation farmers.

31
Q

Name the two Agri-environment schemes within the RDP (Rural Development Plan)

A
  1. GLAS – Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme
  2. TAMS – Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme
32
Q

What is the objective of GLAS?

A

-To improve the rural environment by improving water quality, mitigating climate change and promoting biodiversity

33
Q

What is the aim of TAMS?

A

-Grants for pig/poultry sectors, dairy equipment, slurry/soiled water/other manure storage.
-Significant investment in nutrient storage, improved nutrient utilisation,
-Increased purchased of low-emission spreading equipment- more slurry less chemical fertiliser.

34
Q

What actions have Irish waters taken to reduce urban wastewater pressures?

A

-Irish water committed for 255 wastewater treatment-plant upgrades
-Review of EPA licenses
-Investment in smaller plants causing significant pressures
-Creation of DAPS (Drainage Area Plans)

35
Q

Name 3 schemes that aim to reduce pressures from forestry

A
  1. Forest Road Scheme
  2. Native Woodland Conservation Scheme
  3. Woodland Improvement Scheme
36
Q

How does the national peatland strategy relate to the WFD?

A

That “policies and decisions relating to the use of peatlands shall take full consideration of potential impacts on water quality”.

37
Q

What is the aim of the Bord Na Mona Sustainability 2030 Strategy Biodiversity Action Plan?

A

-Long term rehabilitation of its cutaway bogs
-Cease harvesting of peat by 2030
-To fulfil obligations under the WFD and the Habitats and Birds Directive

38
Q

What approach is being taken to manage invasive species?

A

-Focus on prevention and monitoring as eradication is difficult. Rapid response, bio-security and early warning protocols.

39
Q

What was the objective for assessing hydromorphological pressures in cycle II?

A

To build evidence base to determine how significant physical conditions are supporting good/and or high ecological status in surface waters.
-To improve assessment of barriers along rivers impacting migratory fish.

40
Q

Briefly summarise the results from cycle II

A

-Identified that agriculture was the number 1 pressure impacting waterbodies at risk of not meeting the objectives and forestry as the main pressure impacting the quality of high-status waterbodies.
-190 areas of action were identified
-Supporting schemes like GLAS, ASSAP and TAMS to help support farmers.
-Repair and upgrading of wastewater treatment plants had a positive effect on water quality
-New legislation regarding invasive alien species
-Improved understanding of hydromorphological pressures – used to create technical guidance and inform planners.
-New legislation on water abstraction

41
Q

What is the purpose of the WFD fitness check?

A

-To assess the effectiveness of whether the current regulatory framework is fit for purpose

42
Q

What where the three main conclusions of the fitness check?

A
  1. It is fit for purpose
  2. Directives have led to a higher level of protection for water bodies and flood risk management than could have been expected without them
  3. Suggests that the main reasons that the WFD’s objectives have not been reached fully yet is largely due to insufficient funding, slow implementation and insufficient integration of environmental objectives in sectoral policies as opposed to deficiencies in the legislation
43
Q

Why is the EU commission referring Ireland to the Court of Justice (as of January 2023)?

A

-For failing to appropriately transpose water Framework directive to protect waters from pollution.
-Commission found that Ireland’s adaptation was insufficient, first formal notice was sent in October 2007.
-Regards water abstraction and impoundment and activities causing hydro-morphological changes such as dams, weirs and other interferences in natural flow.

44
Q

What are the potential impacts of BREXIT on the implementation of RBMP’s?

A

-Since Brexit, The Uk no longer legally has to enforce the WFD. Two river basin districts are shared with Northern Ireland.

45
Q

What is the current overall trend in water quality status?

A

-Very little to no improvement in water quality. Nearly all negative trends are driven by changes in river water quality
-Increase of river water bodies in poor status
-High quality status river water bodies are also declining
-Loss of pristine river sites of 12.6% in 1987-1990 to 0.7% in 2016-2018.
Only 20 Q5 sites remaining.
-400 New water bodies did not reach their targets

46
Q

What was the overall progress for ‘at risk’ waterbodies after Cycle 2?

A

-At the start, 1460 waterbodies were not meeting targets
-242 of these waterbodies are now achieving targets
-Overall, water quality has declined with 400 new waterbodies not meeting targets
-Despite this, 13% improvement of waterbodies prioritised in the Areas of Action

47
Q

List the 10 significant water management issues in Ireland.

A
  1. Eutrophication
  2. Aquaculture
  3. Siltation
  4. Invasive Ailen Species
  5. Drinking water
    8.Climate Change
    4.Hydromorphology 9.Hazardous Chemicals
    5.Urban pressures
    10.Antimicrobial Resistance
48
Q

What are the three proposed themes for the third river basin management cycle?

A

-Increased Level of Ambition
-Integrated Catchment Planning
-Multiple Benefits

49
Q

What role does the Common Agricultural Policy play in the success of the WFD?

A

-To provide a more comprehensive, coherent, and coordinated response to deliver significant improvements and to reward farmers for delivering positive environmental outcomes.

50
Q
A

Environmental Legislation (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions