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This Document Was Withdrawn on 6 November 2017 2017. November 6 on understanding withdrawn was water for wildlife document This Water resources and conservation: the eco-hydrological requirements of habitats and species Assessing We are the Environment Agency. It’s our job to look after your 2017. environment and make it a better place – for you, and for future generations. Your environment is the air you breathe, the water you drink and the ground you walk on. Working with business, Government and society as a whole, we are makingNovember your environment cleaner and healthier. 6 The Environment Agency. Out there, makingon your environment a better place. withdrawn was Published by: Environment Agency Rio House Waterside Drive, Aztec West Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4UD Tel: 0870document 8506506 Email: [email protected] www.environment-agency.gov.uk This© Environment Agency All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. April 2007 Contents Brief summary 1. Introduction 2017. 2. Species and habitats 2.2.1 Coastal and halophytic habitats 2.2.2 Freshwater habitats 2.2.3 Temperate heath, scrub and grasslands 2.2.4 Raised bogs, fens, mires, alluvial forests and bog woodland November 2.3.1 Invertebrates 6 2.3.2 Fish and amphibians 2.3.3 Mammals on 2.3.4 Plants 2.3.5 Birds 3. Hydro-ecological domains and hydrological regimes 4 Assessment methods withdrawn 5. Case studies was 6. References 7. Glossary of abbreviations document This Environment Agency in partnership with Natural England and Countryside Council for Wales Understanding water for wildlife Contents Brief summary The Restoring Sustainable Abstraction (RSA) Programme was set up by the Environment Agency in 1999 to identify and catalogue2017. those sites which may be at risk from unsustainable abstraction. The RSA Programme covers work required by the Habitats Directive, Public Service Agreement PSA3, Biodiversity Action Plans and undesignated sites of local importance. The Habitats Regulations (the UK law which enforces the HabitNovemberats Directive) require us to undertake an appropriate assessment of new or existing6 consents, permissions and other authorisations and evaluate effects on sites supporting habitats or species listed within the Habitats Directive. These sites are known as ‘European sites’ and their habitats or species are commonly referredon to as ‘interest features’. As part of PSA3 we are also investigating the impacts of abstraction on designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). For this we have a target to bring into ‘favourable condition’ 95 per cent of all SSSIs in England by 2010. The impacts of abstraction on sites supporting Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species or habitats and other sites of local importance will also be investigated across England and Wales. This document is mainly intended to inform staff undertaking or reviewing appropriate assessmentswithdrawn for abstraction licences. The assessment of abstraction licences is the responsibility of our Water Resources function who work very closely with our other functions and Natural England or the Countryside Council for Wales when undertaking appropriate assessments. The document can also be used to inform otherwas RSA investigations which do not have a Habitats Directive driver. The document aims to provide: • Up-to-date information on the hydrological needs and sensitivity of ecological features considered to have fresh water resource requirements. • A framework that can be used to structure and inform associated hydro-ecological assessments of conservation sites using a risk analysis approach based on the source-pathway-receptor concept. document• Advice on decision making within the context of multi-functional (in-combination) assessments, together with outline information on the generic issues which may arise. • Information on common methods (or techniques) frequently used to inform hydro- This ecological assessments. • Case examples of assessments. Environment Agency in partnership with Natural England and Countryside Council for Wales Understanding water for wildlife Brief summary 1 Introduction 2017. November 6 1.1 onBackground 1.2 Purpose and scope 1.3 Document contents 1.4 How to use the document withdrawn was document This < Main contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Background and other authorisations. The focus of the guidance is on Water Resource functional issues and has been The Restoring Sustainable Abstraction (RSA) designed to provide information for both the review of Programme was set up by the Environment Agency in existing abstraction licences and the determination of 1999 to identify and catalogue those sites which may new abstraction licence applications that directly or be at risk from unsustainable abstraction. The RSA indirectly affect European sites. Programme is a way of prioritising and progressively 2017. examining and resolving these concerns. Although the document has principally been developed for application to sites supporting species and habitats There are a number of pieces of legislation and of European importance, the approaches proposed are Government policy that require the environmental applicable to other RSA sites and in the wider context effects of abstraction to be examined. The bulk of work of assessing hydro-ecological impact. Consequently the within RSA is to investigate the impacts of abstraction document could be used when assessing the effects of on sites designated under the Habitats Directive (EC abstraction across a wide range of sites. Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora (Council Directive 92/43/EEC). In 1.2 Purpose and scope England we are also investigating the possible impact of abstraction on nationally designated Sites of Special This document has been Novemberwritten primarily for Agency Scientific Interest (SSSI) as part of a Public Service Water Resources and6 Conservation staff and Natural Agreement (PSA). It may also be necessary to take England/CCW Conservation Officers involved in the action on other sites not designated under the Habitats appropriate assessment process. However it is hoped and Birds directives or as SSSIs. that it may alsoon prove useful to non-technical stakeholders by providing support to the process. The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations, It provides a high level summary of background and 1994, (the Habitats Regulations), make provision for supporting information for those undertaking implementing the Habitats Directive in Great Britain. appropriate assessment or wishing to understand the The Regulations require us as a competent authority to process. carry out an appropriate assessment prior to giving any consent, permission or other authorisation for a plan This is a ‘live’ document which is intended to be or project that is likely to have a significant effect on a expanded and updated as new information becomes European site. This extends to a review of existingwithdrawnavailable. permissions and consents, as required under We recommend that you do not save any part of this Regulations 48 and 50 of the Habitats Regulations. The document but that you revisit the website to view the conclusion of an assessment should enable us to document as required. This ensures that you are using ascertain whether or not there is an adverse effect on the most up to date version. the integrity of the site. was Public Service Agreements (PSA) are a contract 1.3 Document contents between the Treasury and a Government department to Information contained is as follows: deliver a number of performance targets. PSA 3 is a Defra target to bring into ‘favourable condition’ 95 per • Section 1 – Structure and how to use the document. cent of all nationally important wildlife sites (SSSIs) in • Section 2 – Summary information on the Water England by 2010. Whilst this PSA target applies only to Resource requirements of species and habitats England, it will involve those sites which are wholly or designated under the Habitats Directive with partlydocument within the boundary of our Welsh region but reference to other completed and on-going Research which lie geographically within England. & Development. • Section 3 – Provides a framework for linking species This document has been commissioned by the and habitats into a series of hydro-ecological Environment Agency in association with Natural ‘domains’ (i.e. broad habitat classes) influenced by England and the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW). This hydrological ‘regimes’ e.g. surface water, It aims to provide a framework to support, both groundwater. internally and externally, the appropriate assessment • Section 4 – Suggested approaches (also referred to process and the review of existing consents, permits Environment Agency in partnership with Natural England and Countryside Council for Wales Understanding water for wildlife < Section divider Introduction 1.1 – 1.3 as techniques) giving background information on When characterising a site it is essential to understand ecological and hydrological tools and methodologies which hydrological processes are operating as together with some advice on selection. pathways by which impacts may occur. Tables 3.2 and • Section 5 – Case studies showing how some of the 3.3 relate the hydro-ecological domains to the approaches have been applied in practice. hydrological regimes, that may be present. Information from Sections 2 and 3 can be used, as There are a number of influences, or potential sources, required, to help select the methods outlined
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