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Scenarios for integrated river catchment and coastal zone management

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Abstract

The European Water Framework Directive requires EU Member States to introduce water quality objectives for all water bodies, including coastal waters. Measures will have to be introduced if these objectives are not met, given predictions based on current trends. In this context, the estimation of future fluxes of nutrients and contaminants in the catchment, and the evaluation of policies to improve water quality in coastal zones are an essential part of river basin management plans. This paper investigates the use of scenarios for integrated catchment/coastal zone management in the Humber Estuary in the U.K. The context of this ongoing research is a European research project which aims to assist the implementation of integrated catchment and coastal zone management by analysing the response of the coastal sea to changes in fluxes of nutrients and contaminants from the catchments. The example of the Humber illustrates how scenarios focusing on water quality improvement can provide a useful tool to investigate future fluxes and evaluate policy options for a more integrated coastal/catchment management strategy.

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Notes

  1. Coastal waters are defined in the Directive as extending seaward one nautical mile

  2. Available from http://www.defra.gov.uk/esg/work_htm/publications/cs/farmstats_web/default.htm

  3. “Mitigation banks” or “land banks” usually involve the recreation or restoration of extensive areas of habitats, ahead of habitat displacement, to compensate for future losses through development or other causes.

  4. A recent RSPB study (Pilcher et al. 2002) identified 2 858 ha with potential for intertidal habitat creation within the Humber Estuary.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme (project No EVK1-CT-2000–00044). The authors are grateful to Tony Edwards and an anonymous reviewer for useful comments on an earlier draft of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSERGE, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    L. Ledoux, N. Beaumont, R. Cave & R. K. Turner

  2. Socio-Economic Research Programme, The Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK

    L. Ledoux

  3. Plymouth Marine Laboratory, The Hoe, Prospect Place, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 3DH, UK

    N. Beaumont

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  1. L. Ledoux
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  2. N. Beaumont
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  3. R. Cave
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  4. R. K. Turner
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Correspondence to L. Ledoux.

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Ledoux, L., Beaumont, N., Cave, R. et al. Scenarios for integrated river catchment and coastal zone management. Reg Environ Change 5, 82–96 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-004-0079-6

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