Bothnian Bay River Basin Management Plan 2016-2021

BOTHNIAN BAY WATER DISTRICT

BOTHNIAN BAY RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2021 English summary River Basin Management Plan 2016-2021 Bothnian Bay Water District – English summary Diary number: 537-9859-201 Issued by: County Administrative Board of Norrbotten Responsible unit: The Bothnian Bay Water District Authority Author: Swedish Water Authority of the Bothnian Bay Water District Cover photo: 2014©Andreas Broman Layout: Carina Nanker Production: Turbin AB Edition: available for download at www.vattenmyndigheterna.se PREFACE

The water in Sweden and especially in its northern parts is often taken for granted, something that is in abundant quantities and maintains high quality. This picture is not correct, nor is it the case in other parts of the world where water, both in terms of quantity and quality, is the most explicit limitation of the conditions of life and thereby pervades all societies.

Water management is an environmental and resource issue with many dimensions. Water is our most important nutriment, one of our most important resources and a habitat for many plants and animals. It is therefore natural that questions about how we handle water are closely associated with society at large. Whether we drink the water, use it as cooling water to produce electricity, fish, swim or enjoy the nature experience, we must all take responsibility.

Water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must be protected, defended and treated as such. Water management according to the EC Water Framework Directive is to achieve good water status in all groundwater, lakes, rivers and coastal waters. On December 16, 2016 an important step was taken towards better water in the Bothnian Bay water district. The water district board then decided on environmental quality standards, program of measures and management plan 2016-2021 for the district´s water bodies that comply with the management plan and program of measures 2009-2015. These documents underlie further work on securing, managing and improving the state of the district’s groundwater, lakes, rivers and coastal waters.

Water management efforts involve municipalities and state authorities, but also require participation from other stakeholders such as individuals, companies and water councils. A challenge in coming years will be to ensure that water issues are more integrated into social planning and exercise of authority, as well as the rise awareness of water issues operators and individuals. Our goal is that environmental quality standards and program of measures will be effective tools for achieving set targets. Working with water issues in a coherent and well-thought-out way results in better water, good water environments and sustainable water resources.

The time for better water is now!

Sven-Erik Österberg County Governor at the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten Chairman of the water district board in the Bothnian Bay water district

– I – ADOPTION OF THE RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN

On 16 December 2016, the water district board of the Swedish Water Authority of the Bothnian Bay Water District decided on the management plan 2016-2021 for the Bothnia Bay water district (537-14223-2016). This according to chapter 5, section 1, of the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660).

At the same time, the water district board decided, in accordance with chapter 3, section 1, of the Regulation (2004: 660), on environmental quality standards for surface and groundwater bodies in the Bothnian Bay water district. Environmental quality standards are prescribed by the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten (Water District Authority for the Bothnia Bay water district) regulations on quality requirements for water bodies in the Bothnian Bay water district (25 FS 2016: 32 A 26). The water district board also decided on the rogramme of measures 2016-2021 for the Bothnia bay water district. This according to Chapter 6, Section 1, of the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660). These decisions have been preceded by public consultation according chapter 2, section 4, the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660).

READING INSTRUCTIONS

This report is a summary of the river basin management plan for the Bothnian Bay water district 2016-2021 which describes the water management work in the district. The plan has five parts that includes a report on state, pressures and impacts on water bodies, surface and groundwater, in the district. It also describes set targets, environmental quality standards, and the environmental monitoring forming the basis for assessments. The management plan also includes the programme of measures for the Bothnian Bay water district for the period 2016-2021, a scenario illustrating what socio-economic consequences of the programme of measures there may be, and a view of what may be ahead and may need to be carried out during the water management cycle from 2016 and on.

The five parts are:

1. Introduction to the river basin management plan 2. The management plan 2009-2015 3. The monitoring program 2009-2015 4. The programme of measures 2016-2021 5. The management plan 2016-2021. The management plan of the Swedish Water Authority of the Bothnian Bay Water District also includes the County Administrative Board’s regulations on environmental quality standards for water and a number of annexes.

For more information, visit our website www.vattenmyndigheterna.se

– II – Register of contents

1 Water – an indispensable resource...... 1 1.1 There is constantly more to be learned...... 1 1.2 The measures must be taken now...... 2 1.3 Social development is dependent on clean water...... 3 1.4 The time for better water is now!...... 4 2 Water management framework in Sweden ...... 5 2.1 The water district board decides...... 6 2.2 The water district authorities coordinate work...... 7 2.3 Parliament and the government legislate, control and allocate funds...... 7 2.4 State authorities have responsibility for different parts...... 8 2.5 The municipalities have several different roles...... 8 2.6 Cooperation...... 8 2.6.1 Water councils are the local connection...... 9 2.6.2 Other stakeholders...... 9 2.7 The instruments of water management...... 10 2.7.1 River Basin Management plan...... 10 2.7.2 Environmental quality standards...... 11 2.7.3 Programme of Measures...... 11 3 Bothnian Bay water district...... 13 3.1 The status of the water...... 15 3.1.1 Monitoring of water in the district ...... 16 3.2 Environmental challenges in the Bothnian Bay water district...... 18 4 Measures for better water ...... 20 4.1 Programme of measures...... 20 4.2 Issues to be addressed in the water district...... 36 4.2.1 Physical changes...... 36 4.2.2 Environmental contaminants...... 36 4.2.3 Eutrophication...... 37 4.2.4 Acidification...... 37 4.2.5 Invasive species...... 38 4.2.6 Changed groundwater levels...... 38 4.2.7 Chloride in groundwater...... 38 4.2.8 Inadequate protection of drinking water...... 39 4.2.9 Protected areas...... 39 4.2.10 Other problems and accidents...... 39 5 Consequences of the programme of measures...... 40

– III – 6 The steps towards decisions ...... 44 6.1 Public consultations during the management cycle 2009-2015...... 44 6.2 Government examination of proposals for progamme of measures...... 44 6.3 Important waypoints during the management cycle 2016-2021...... 45 6.3.1 Initial public consultations during the management cycle...... 45 6.3.2 Consultation along the way to a new management plan 2021...... 46 6.3.3 Reporting to the Commission...... 46 6.4 Important development needs for water management work...... 46 7 More information ...... 48 8 References...... 49

– IV – Water – an indispensable resource

1 Water – an indispensable resource Water is the world’s most important nutriment, and a precondition for many ecosystem services that are vital to society. Good water in sufficient quantities is a resource crucial to industry, farming, healthcare, and much of our energy production. Water is also a self-evident requirement for food production, fishing, transport, tourism and in particular our wellbeing. A sea view, or the sound of running stream has a health-bringing effect, and housing near water is much sought after.

It is easy to take clean water for granted when it is easily available. Picture from Stor-Rebben in Piteå Archipelago. Photography: Kerstin Lundin-Segerlund

Without water of good quality and in good quantities, it is impossible for society to build social and economic prosperity. The global shortage of water is threatening millions of already vulnerable people, while others are hit by downpours and flooding. There is a relatively good supply of water in Sweden, although in many places the quality is poorer than one might imagine. In addition, climate change may bring further problems, with flooding and water shortage in many areas.

1.1 There is constantly more to be learned Working with water management means constant learning to absorb new knowledge to enable forming an overall picture of how ecosystems and society interact (Blenck- ner et al., 2015). This is one of the reasons for the revision of the water district authorities’ management plans, programme of measures and environmental quality

– 1 – Water – an indispensable resource

standards every six years. It is also important to work with an ecosystem-oriented approach, and that work involves spotlighting the different ecosystem services, and to receive help from local sources in building knowledge. Effective water management can help the community to identify overall pressures and impacts so that it is possible to pool resources in problem areas, preventing and preparing for harmful effects and preventing competition for water resources.

1.2 Measures must be taken now Even though there will always be a shortage of knowledge, it must not prevent implementing measures. The knowledge already assembled is largely sufficient and society cannot afford to wait. It is often much more difficult and expensive to remedy problems once they have arisen, than to work preventively at an early stage. To cor- rectly value ecosystems and to create systems for ecological compensation measures when exploiting creates conditions to get it right from the start. Encouraging examples of large-scale environmental improvements are still fairly few and there is a need for resolve in implementation work before results become visible. Also the inherent inertia of ground and water systems means that it takes time for implemented measures to have the desired effect on the state of water. However, there are encouraging examples, such as the introduction of municipal wastewater treatment plants, liming programmes to counteract acidification and measures to clean pollution damage in contaminated areas.

In Sweden, there is a major need for water improvement measures. New problems are also arising, which need to be dealt with. One example is that in recent years, several problems have been discovered in the drinking water supply, in both surface water and groundwater supplies. New environmental contaminants appear, for example the chemical PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), a persistent environmental contaminant used among other things in firefighting, accumulates in nature, which has made it necessary to close certain water supplies and water utilities. Both present-day and historical use of pesticides affects many drinking water supplies. Additionally, a million people in Sweden get their drinking water from water supplies that are completely without protection.

Another problem, which even though it is not new has been increasingly noted and discussed in recent years, is physical impact on and in watercourses and lakes. Today there are more than 9000 migration obstacles in Sweden which need to be rectified for fish and other fauna to be able to move up and downstream. It is not only dams and power plants that have created migration obstacles: even high and narrow water culverts in Sweden’s extensive road network cut off migratory routes in water. Major projects to rectify this have been carried out, but a lot remains to be done. Richer biodiversity also improves conditions for angling and nature tourism for example, and thereby opportunities to make a livelihood, above all in sparsely populated areas.

Opportunities for society to grow in the future become limited if many water bodies are allowed to deteriorate. Costs are deferred, without knowledge of future genera- tions’ ability to bear them. Good status can be seen as a guarantee that all the future

– 2 – Water – an indispensable resource

water needs of society can be met. In fact, it can be extremely expensive to wait until the problems are too big. One example is the outbreak of Cryptosporidium in the drinking water in Östersund Municipality, when nearly 27,000 people were taken ill, and the costs to the community were estimated at 220 MSEK. The probable cause was that sewage had run into the drinking water supply, Lake Storsjön, through wrongly connected sewage pipes and/or from extensive overflow of sewage due to a heavy downpour (SMI, 2011).

Also, excessive extraction of water can have consequences, and therefore the principle of caution is central in town and country planning. Water shortages will become increasingly frequent, above all in southern Sweden. The budget for the desalination plants planned for Gotland in order that drinking water will suffice in summer tou- rist season too, is 598 MSEK for the total municipal water and sanitation buildout up to 2022 (P4 Gotland, 2014).

1.3 Social development is dependent on clean water Clean water is an increasingly attractive natural resource in an international perspective and can draw companies, tourists and new residents to Sweden. Of the visitors to Sweden, 25-30 percent stated that during their stay they had used some form of nature tourism (visited a national park, hiked, bathed). Domestic tourism has an annual turnover of 150,000 MSEK, and consumption by overseas visitors amounts to 100,000 MSEK. Tourism is thus of major value to Swedish business, and a significant proportion of this value can be ascribed to nature-related tourism (Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, 2015). Angling attracts many, and of Sweden’s international visitors, 800,000 stated that they had been fishing when they were in Sweden in 2013 (Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, 2014.) Angling is also one of the foremost reasons to visit Sweden. Calculations show that angling contributes to export revenues of up to 4,500 MSEK annually (Swedish Eco- tourism Society, 2015).

Implementing measures can lead to increased demand for technological development and innovations. Within the EU, work to improve water has contributed to a growing, and today even world-leading water sector, with 9,000 small and medium- sized enterprises. Together they create the equivalent of 500,000 jobs in Europe. Water management is therefore so much more than environmental care – it is an important basis for green and blue growth and for sustainable societal development. New technology in this area will be able to give better preparedness to tackle new societal challenges such as the effects of climate change and pharmaceutical residue in the environment, and complex ecosystem effects. In Sweden there are good business opportunities in the water sector. According to a study commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund, the Baltic region has good prospects of finding solutions to remedy the problems in the Baltic Sea (Boston Consulting Group, 2013). The region posses- ses financial strength, a high level of education, strong local companies, high-quality research and a relatively low population density. In addition, the region is stable, with few conflicts.

– 3 – Water – an indispensable resource

The European Commission (2014) finds that coastal tourism is the sector with the best growth potential in the Baltic region over the coming decades. The outcome however is completely dependent on development in the eco-system services demanded in the form of bathing, fishing and recreation.

1.4 The time for better water is now!

Time for better water! Photography: Jörgen Naalisvaara

The management of Sweden’s common waters is now entering a new phase. From focusing on circling in and describing the problems, all of us – both water authorities and other stakeholders – need to focus on increasing the tempo of work with measures. It is time for better water!

– 4 – Water management framework in Sweden

2 Water management framework in Sweden Water management is carried out in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EG) which has been implemented in Swedish law through the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660) on the management of the quality of the water environment. The directive means that the same regulations apply to everyone, and that assessment is made in the same way in all European waters. The framework directive is based on two pillars: to safeguard natural plant and animal life in water and to secure the supply of clean water for the production of drinking water.

The European model means that water resources are to be managed in the river basins and water districts, since water moves according to natural boundaries and not within national, county or municipal borders. This makes both influencing and improvement measures a matter for everyone jointly. That in turn requires cooperation across borders and an overall approach to all water, groundwater, surface water and coastal water. To achieve optimum benefit, environmental and socio-economic aspects are to be weighed into management.

A further cornerstone in the Water Framework Directive is cooperation – to secure a local consensus and understanding and for decisions to be made close to those affected. Both knowledge of local conditions and people’s commitment and collective driving force are to be utilised. When decision-makers and local opinion have the same goals and pull in the same direction, the greatest effect is achieved.

Sweden is divided into five different water districts, based on the borders of the -ma jor sea basins and catchment areas, which means that the 21 counties and 290 municipalities can be a part of more than one district. The County Administrative Board of Norrbotten is commissioned to be the water district authority for the Bothnian Bay water district. Three of the districts additionally share water with Norway, and the Bothnian Bay water district shares the River Torne with Finland.

Water management is run cyclically, where new knowledge and the effects of measures contribute to continuous improvement. The work method also gives preparedness for taking on new challenges, for example climate change or changed social structure. Therefore, all included components are updated and revised every six years (Figure 1.1).

– 5 – Water management framework in Sweden

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ö y l v e a 1 2021 r n 02 MKN v a 2 2021 a k k n is i n m g o n o k e 09 2009 MKN 20 2009 åtgärdsanalys

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_ _ _ 2004 2009 2010 2016 2017 2021

Figure 1.1. Water management is an iterative process – every six-year period sees a repeat of the phases monitoring, status assessment, analysis of impact and risk of deteriorating status, as well as an appraisal of economic prospects and consequences. At the end of each six-year cycle, the water district board decides on the management plan, programme of measures and environmental quality standards for the coming period. Through cooperation with other stakeholders, the water management work leads to measures to improve water to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards.

2.1 The water district board decides For every water district authority there is a special water district board tasked with deciding on environmental quality standards, programme of measures and management plans. The delegation comprises expert members appointed by the government for a fixed term. The members each have a personal mandate based on their experti- se in different areas, hence they are not representatives of the organisations by which they are employed. The delegation is chaired by the County Governor at the county administrative board that constitutes the water district authority.

– 6 – Water management framework in Sweden

2.2 The water district authorities coordinate work Each water district authority has an office which prepares cases for the water delegation, coordinates the county administrative boards producing documentation, and collaborates with affected parties at all levels from the local to the international level. All the county administrative boards within a water district are commissioned to as- sist the water district authority with status class of the water and different types of documentation. In practice, there is close cooperation between counties and water authorities both within and between districts.

There are significant links between water management and the fifteen national environmental objectives, the Environmental Code, the Planning and Building Act, the Food Act, the Heritage Act and other regulations, which requires work to be done on a broad front. A successful outcome of water management is therefore dependent on many stakeholders. The large number of stakeholders that are affected at central, regional and local level is one of the reasons why cooperation is central to water management.

2.3 Parliament and the government legislate, control and allocate funds Water management, like all public administration, is carried out within the framework of the Swedish legislation. The water framework directive and the associated EU acts have been fully implemented in Sweden, thus acting as foundation for the water district authority and further consideration to EU legislative aspects. As regards conditions for implementing different measures, the water district authority’s analyses of status, pressures and impacts, prospects of temporal exceptions or less stringent demands can lead to the judgement that there is a need for new or changed instruments to achieve necessary improvement measures within the given time framework. Most of these instruments can be implemented by state authorities or municipalities and the objectives can often be addressed within the framework of the programme of measures. In other cases, it can be a question of the need for changed or new instruments that need to be decided by parliament or the government. The water district authority then has no formal possibility to address the issues within the framework of its decision-making document, but these must then be dealt with in other contexts.

The same applies to issues that primarily lie within the government’s jurisdiction, such as control and allocation of funding to state authorities. The water authorities can identify issues with, for example, the need for changed instructions or juris- dictions for different authorities, or the need for changed or increased funding in different areas. There is however no possibility for the water district authority to decide on such matters, which must instead be dealt with through dialogue with the affected authorities and the government. It must however be noted that the government of course can control and influence the work of the water authorities through instructions, appropriation directions and allocation of funding to the county administrative boards which are water authorities.

– 7 – Water management framework in Sweden

It is apparent from the recently completed government examination (see section 6.2) of the water district authority’s programme of measures that the government can influence the implementation of water management in a more direct way. By giving guidelines for the continued work of the water district authority with programme of measures 2016-2021, the government has given the water district authority clear guidance regarding the contents of the programme of measures.

2.4 State authorities have responsibility for different parts The county administrative boards are particularly important in water management, since they have broad regional responsibilities involving several roles, preparing, advising and implementing. Through among other things monitoring, examining, planning, advising informing, supervising, intelligence gathering, dialogue and economic contributions, the county administrative boards contribute to attainment in water management.

Since 2011, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management has special responsibility to be driving, supportive and coordinating in Sweden’s marine, water and fishery management. The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management produces regulations controlling how water management is to be implemented as regards surface water, while The Geological Survey of Sweden has corresponding responsibility for groundwater.

Many other authorities have significant areas of responsibility affecting water -ma nagement. Several authorities have sectoral responsibility for measures in the programme of measures or for drafting intelligence documentation which is important for implementing the programme of measures. Some examples of such authorities: Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrologi- cal Institute, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, Swedish Forest Agency, Swe- dish Board of Agriculture, the National Food Agency, National Board of Housing Building and Planning and Energy Agency.

2.5 The municipalities have several different roles Sweden’s municipalities have several important roles in the work as implementers of water management and the programme of measures, as well as running operations. There are water-related issues in many aspects of municipal activities, most ob- viously in for example planning and building processes, exploitation, environmental supervision, nature conservation, drinking water supplies and sewage management. The emergency services also deal with water issues, for example the management of flooding and acute environmental hazards.

2.6 Cooperation – a success factor for the work In managing water, and in work to turn instruments into concrete measures in the environment, municipalities play a key role through their broad range of responsibi-

– 8 – Water management framework in Sweden

lities. The river basin perspective is a precondition for successful water management and the water authorities therefore strive to develop cooperation between authorities and municipalities – and cooperation between municipalities. Continued work is about further developing and strengthening this cooperation. The specially appointed municipal water politicians are an important link in the chain in this context, which hopefully will contribute to putting water issues on the political agenda and enable cooperation on water issues.

2.6.1 Water councils are the local connection Water councils are a forum for cooperation between all who are interested in water issues. The local knowledge added by the water councils in the Bothnian Bay water district has been a key factor in producing good results. Water council areas can cover one or more river basins, either inland or on the coast. Water council members can represent the general public, special interest organisations, municipalities and companies. They have no formal decision-making role, but support and provide information for the work and priorities of water management. Since water management should be based on local conditions in different catchment basins and coastal areas, water councils and other special interest organisations are important for local knowledge, sharing information and achieving consensus. In the Bothnian Bay water district there are 12 water councils, 2 of them are coastal water councils.

There are contacts at the county administrative boards for each individual water council, to give support and to be able to channel back information and views to the authorities. The county administrative boards’ and municipalities’ continued participation in the councils will remain among the most important cooperation forms on the part of the local and regional authorities in water management work during the cycle 2016-2021.

More information about water councils can be found on the water district authorities’ website, or www.vattenorganisationer.se.

2.6.2 Other stakeholders There are many other stakeholders who have important missions in water management. There are volunteer organisations which in one way or another work with water issues. There are companies whose work focuses mainly on water issues, and there are consultants who are specialised in water issues. Most industries have some sort of impact on water quality and/or use water as a resource in their processes. In agriculture for example, the project Focus on Nutrients (Greppa näringen) (2011) with 10,000 members in southern and central Sweden has offered farmers advice and instruments to enable cost-effective environmental and climate measures. It is the county administrative boards that administrate and lead operations in their respective counties in cooperation with among others the Federation of Swedish Farmers and The Swedish Board of Agriculture.

– 9 – Water management framework in Sweden

The Bothnian Bay Water District shares waters with Finland and Norway. In addition to this the northern water districts in the three countries have recurring cooperation meetings around North Calotte. The purpose has been to share information and improve coordination of water management in the cross-border district.

2.7 The instruments of water management In every management cycle, the state of water deposits is analysed and described. The descriptions are based among other things on data from monitoring and different types of analysis. Based on the state of the water environments and the impact to which the water has been exposed, a programme of measures is drafted in dialogue with other stakeholders. For each water body, a proposal is made on which quality requirements should apply, that is to say, which environmental quality standard the water should meet. At the end of each cycle, the water district board adopts a programme of measures, management plan and environmental quality standards, which become the starting point for work in the subsequent cycle.

The plans and programmes are complemented by two further instruments: information and dialogue. In Sweden, VISS (http://viss.lansstyrelsen.se/) is used – Water Informa- tion System Sweden – a national collection point for data and comprehensive mapping documentation, as support in decision-making, and as documentation for cooperation.

VISS is a database with information about all Sweden’s major lakes, watercourses, groundwater and coastal waters, and is run by the water authorities on behalf of the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. In VISS, information is stored about assessed status and impact, risk assessments, environmental problems, environmental monitoring, adopted environmental quality standards, and planned and completed measures for all water bodies. There is also information about the documentation used in the work and justification for the assessment made. Through VISS, information is made available to all, from interested members of the public to experts such as administrators in municipalities and authorities. VISS also functions as a source and technical platform for Sweden’s reporting of water management to the EU in accordance with the Water Framework Directive.

2.7.1 River Basin Management plan When a management cycle ends, a management plan is drafted for the next cycle. The plan summarises the situation after the management cycle and describes the background and approach to the revision made to the environmental quality standards and programme of measures. The management plan also indicates the direction for future work. The descriptions are intended to provide a comprehensive picture: status and usage; impact, goals and quality requirements; measures and monitoring of our waters. In that way, the plan contributes overviews and understanding, and can be used as a reference and planning documentation in water management work by authorities, municipalities, and non-profit organisations. The management plan is also submitted to the European commission as part of the water management work in Europe.

– 10 – Water management framework in Sweden

2.7.2 Environmental quality standards Environmental quality standards are legally binding and are requirements that describe the desired state of the environment. The standards are thus used to regulate what environmental quality is to be achieved by a certain point in time after implementation of the measures which are technically implementable and ecologically and economically reasonable. All water bodies in lakes, rivers and coastal areas are the object of environmental quality standards, which lay out which ecological and chemical status is to be achieved. In the case of ground water, the standards state the quantitative and chemical status which is to be achieved. If an environmental quality standard is not being reached, measures need to be implemented based on an overall picture of impact sources and how their effects can be reduced. In planning, monitoring and processing of applications, municipalities and authorities have the principal responsibility for compliance with the standards.

2.7.3 Programme of Measures The programme of measures is part of the management plan and instructs what needs to be done to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards. The programme is intended for state authorities and municipalities, who in turn are to implement the measures in their decision-making or in their operations. The aim of the programme of measures is to show the most cost-effective instruments and measures, and contains a description of:

• which measures need to be taken • who is to take the measures (municipalities or one/several state authorities) • by when the measures need to be implemented • what sources are causing the problems, and • the assessed effects and consequences of the measures. Individual operators and the public are indirectly affected by the decisions made under the programme of measures. It is therefore important that the programme includes an analysis of its consequences. In carrying out the programme of measures, dialogue is important. In addition to the authorities and municipalities to whom the programme of measures is addressed, water councils play a significant role in the continued discussion on priorities and implementation of local measures in different parts of the district.

2.7.3.1 Reporting on implementation of the programme of measures Municipalities and state authorities are asked to give a yearly report to the water authorities on their progress of the implementation of the measures. There are many good examples which can give inspiration and further development of models for continued work. The municipalities that have chosen to raise the issue to a political level have a clearer consensus in work to improve our waters. In the Bothnian Bay water district, most municipalities have specially appointed water politicians who have special responsibility to monitor water-related issues. There are even examples

– 11 – Water management framework in Sweden

of municipalities that set the programme of measures as a target for the entire municipality. What they have in common is that they have realised that the water issue is so fundamental in the different operations of the municipality that it cannot be treated as a separate matter. The issue must truly merge with all municipal operations so that targets, activities and budgets can be decided – and measures implemented. The work of water councils is particularly significant to the municipalities’ work with measures, since they have local knowledge and local commitment, at the same time as they function as coordinators across municipal boundaries.

The way towards better water. Photography: Linda Johansson

– 12 – Bothnian Bay water district

3 Bothnian Bay water district Bothnian Bay water district is in the northernmost part of Sweden and is also a central part of Sápmi, the Sami country. The district covers 30 river basins in Norrbot- ten County and most of Västerbotten County where Öre and Ume river basins form the southern border. In the south it borders the Gulf of Bothnia’s Water District, whose border runs along the southern boundary of Umeälven and Öre river basins. The Swedish part of the Torne River basin forms the northern boundary of the district. Torne River’s entire drainage basin is shared along with Finland and Norway, and is a so-called international river basin. To the district also includes the coastal areas of the islands out to 1 nautical mil (1,852 m) outside the baseline (see Map 1). The total area of vthe district amounts to almost one-third of Sweden’s land area.

The population density in the Bothnian Bay water district is low and close to 500,000 inhabitants are mainly residents of the coastal area. The landscape is characterized by mountain ranges close to the Norwegian border and large coniferous forests in the interior that stretches all the way out to the coast. Much of the landscape is affected by forestry producing base resources for the industrial production of pulp, paper and wood products. Heavy industry in the form of mines and processing of extracted ore is extensive. Agriculture is mainly concentrated in the areas below the highest coastline where the presence of fertile soils is common. Reindeer herding is common the entire district, its own environmental footprint is negligible but it suf- fers from large scale industrial use of the landscape limiting the access of reindeer grazing areas and migration routes.

– 13 – 1

4 9

7 2 5 3 6 13 8

10 12 11 Huvudavrinningsområden 18 14 15 1 Torneälven 16 Jävreån 2 Keräsjoki 17 Åbyälven 20 17 16 3 Sangisälven 18 Byskeälven 4 Kalixälven 19 Kågeälven 28 19 5 Töreälven 20 Skellefteälven 6 Vitån 21 Bureälven 7 Råneälven 22 Mångbyn Ån 8 Altersundet 23 Kålabodaån 9 Luleälven 24 Rickleån 21 10 Alån 25 Dalkarslån 24 22 11 Rosån 26 Sävarån 23 12 Alterälven 27 Tavleån 13 Piteälven 28 Umeälven 30 14 Lillpiteälven 29 Hörnån 26 25 15 Rokån 30 Öreälven 29 27

Vattendistriktets avgränsning Gräns för vattenmyndighetens ansvarsområde 0 20 40 80 km Gräns för avrinningsområde Internationellt avrinningsområde utanför Sverige © Vattenmyndigheterna,Länsstyrelsen, Internationellt avrinningsområde i Sverige SMHI, Lantmäteriet Dnr: 106-2004/188

Map 1. Bothian Bay water district boundaries and its main river basins. Information to the map are taken from VISS 2015-08-15 (www. viss.lansstyrelsen.se), where detailed maps of Sweden all water bodies can be found.

– 14 – Bothnian Bay water district

Bothnian Bay water district is characterized by large valleys, numerous lakes, land uplift coast - with over 7,000 islands in the archipelago - and brackish seawater. In the coastal country, wedged between the big alpine rivers are also several smaller watersheds, forest rivers, which like many tributaries to the big mountain rivers have their entire catchment area below the tree line. In most of the water district, east of the mountain chain is yearly runoff between 300-400 mm but locally in the mountain area it can be significantly higher (> 1,200 mm). A large part of the water is stored as snow and thus arises high flows in the spring. In the mountain rivers, such as Rivers Kalix and Torne, two flood peaks occur, first in April-May when snow melt begins in coastal and inland, and then in June, when the snow begins to melt in the mountains. As in other parts of Sweden it also occurs frequently high flows in late summer and autumn in conjunction with heavy rainfall and low evaporation. The number of lakes larger than 1 hectare (0.01 km2) amounts to more than 42,000, and among these are Sweden’s four deepest lakes, where Lake Hornavan is the deepest with a depth of 221 meters. The district also embraces Sweden’s clearest lake, Lake Rissajaure with visibility all the way down to the bottom at a depth of 36 meters. Due to water drainage of sulphide rich clay soils, commonly occurring below the highest coastline, the district holds Sweden’s most acidic lake, Lake Blåmissu- sjön, where acidity occasionally can fall as low as pH 3.

3.1 The status of the water Groundwater, lakes, rivers and coastal waters have been divided into water bodies. All of them are then assessed according to current ecological, chemical or quantitative status. For the waters that do not reach good status, there is an assessment also of pressures and impacts, and what environmental problem applies in that particular water body.

In the Bothnian Bay water district, all groundwater bodies are assessed to have good chemical status, but some of them risk deteriorating by the year 2021. One groundwater body is at risk of not having good quantitative status by the year 2021. But there is also a considerable need of more data and monitoring as regards groundwater. There are therefore some uncertainty in the assessments.

Of the district’s water bodies in lakes and rivers, about 40 percent are assessed to have less than good ecological status. Physical alterations, including clearing of log-driving routes, dams, straightening of rivers and lake draining are the foremost reasons why good ecological status is not achieved in the district. When building out large-scale hydro power in three of the main rivers in the district, major physical changes occurred in the form of surface flooding, retention basins, outlet channels and dry riverbeds. This has caused many water bodies to be declared heavily modified water bodies in these rivers.

The problem of eutrophication in the district’s lakes and rivers is not as evident as in southern Sweden, but locally there may be water bodies with eutrophication problems. It is foremost coastal areas that are affected, where there is a concentration of agriculture and urban areas. The problem of acidification is limited to the parts of

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the district that are farthest south-east. Locally there may also be problems with specific pollutants in the district’s lakes and rivers, above all in connection with mining operations and in coastal areas with leaching from acid sulphate soil. Acid sulphate soil can also give rise to a distinct acidification impact and leaching of metals into water environments.

In the Bothnian Bay water district there are more than 7,500 water bodies. More than 4,700 of them are rivers. Photography: County Administrative Board of Norrbotten

Over one-third of the coastal water bodies in the district are assessed to have less than good ecological status. A relatively large proportion of coastal water bodies are affected by eutrophication, but it is above all shallow and less exposed sea inlets with poor water exchange that are at risk. Also the impact of river basin specific pollutants means that good status cannot be achieved in certain coastal waters that are adjacent to urban areas or industrial areas with ongoing or discontinued operations.

None of the district’s waters achieve good chemical status, due to the large-scale and long-range spread of mercury and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). In addition to them, about 50 water bodies in rivers, lakes and coastal waters do not achieve good chemical status due to the impact of different heavy metals and tribu- tyltin (TBT).

3.1.1 Monitoring of water in the district Through monitoring, for example in the form of chemical sampling and biological mapping of our waters, the basic data to be used to assess the environmental status

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of the water bodies are collected. The monitoring programme is partly intended to enable geographical coverage of the district, but is also focused where the impact is at its greatest. Currently, the monitoring programme is a compilation of the monitoring done by several stakeholders within the county.

In the Bothnian Bay Water District, 15 percent of the surface water bodies are sub- jected to some kind of monitoring for assessment of the ecological status, and 3 percent of the surface and groundwater bodies are monitored for the assessment of chemical status. The quantitative status is monitored in 1 percent of the groundwater bodies. Physical-chemical quality elements are generally monitored to a greater extent than biological, while monitoring of hydromorphological quality elements has been seriously infrequent.

The monitoring of our waters must increase in extent to be able to make reliable assessments of status and environmental problems. Photography: County Administrative Board of Norrbotten

Of the more than 3,000 water bodies that are assessed to be at risk of not achieving good ecological status, only 10 percent are under operative monitoring. The relatively low figure is mainly due to the fact that hydromorphological changes are among the predominant environmental problems in lakes and watercourses in the district, however there is limited monitoring that can give answers to the effects of this type of impact.

In the district’s coastal waters, about 60 percent of the water bodies that risk not achieving good status are being monitored. As regards operative monitoring of che-

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mical status, 41 percent of the water bodies at risk of not achieving good chemical status are being monitored (exclusive of mercury and PBDEs).

In the future, coordination needs to be improved so that the total monitoring input increases, both to ensure that a correct environmental assessment is made, and to follow up the effect of implemented measures. A more detailed description of the monitoring programme for 2009-2015 is presented in Section 3 of the management plan.

3.2 Environmental challenges in the Bothnian Bay water district In a national and European perspective, the Bothnian Bay water district has abundant water resources and the water quality is generally good. However, this does not mean that the water is unaffected by human activities which have influenced the water supply and aquatic animals and plants. Special challenges to be resolved so that we improve conditions for clean water and functioning ecosystems in the district’s waters are:

• Hydro morphological impact - to extract energy, achieve better transport routes, increase production in agriculture and forestry and enable building, water has been changed so that the spawning and growth areas of fish and other aquatic organisms have been damaged and are no longer accessible due to migratory obstacles. Many watercourses in the district are heavily affected by clearing operations after log driving and in the three major developed rivers, the natural flow variations do not occur. Physical impact in its different forms is the most common cause in the district for failing to achieve good ecological status. • Leaching of metals and acidic substances from sulphide soils in coastal areas – Sulphurous land is generally widespread in the district below the so-called highest coastline. As a consequence of it being worked or drained, water is affected by considerable falls in pH which means that large quantities of heavy metals and aluminium are dissolved and come into circulation in the environment. In particular, small watercourses and shallow sea inlets with poor water exchange, which are also highly important as the spawning and growth areas on the coast, are in the risk zone. • Large-scale impact from land-based industries – by area, forestry is the predominant industry pursued in the district. Since it covers such extensive areas, it gives rise to such a large total impact on lakes and watercourses, partly through fertilisation, draining, increased irradiance due to felling and the effects of driving damage in the ground. • Leaching of metals from abandoned and ongoing mining operations – mining operations for the extraction of metal are carried on and have been carried on a large scale in several parts of the district and there is growing interest in pursuing extraction operations. The impact from old and existing mines can be found in many places in the district. Many different measures

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have been implemented to reduce the impact of metals on the water environment, but locally there are still areas under an excessive load, particularly around old abandoned mines. • The supply of drinking water needs to be secured – In the district there are water supplies that lack a water protection area or need their regulations and the limitations of the protection area revised. In the Bothnian Bay Water District only slightly more than 10 per cent of the public water supplies have adequate protection. In addition, monitoring of the water in the Bothnian Bay needs to be developed and increased. Monitoring of water is generally in need of a nationwide review and increased coordination. Indeed, there are issues with the monitoring in the Bothnian Bay water district, simply because it is conducted on a considerably lower scale, when compared to the rest of the country.

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4 Measures for better water In the programme of measures, the Bothnian Bay water district authority has set 57 measures forming the basis for implementing the physical measures demanded to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards. The measures are targeted at authorities and municipalities in their role as authorities, and they are adapted to each authority’s area of operations and where the authority can make resolutions.

The Bothnian Bay water district authority finds that there is a demand for comprehensive and broad work with measures to comply with the environmental quality standards. To clarify the link between measures targeted at authorities and municipalities and the actual physical measures and their effects in the water environment, documentation is presented in 13 areas of measures. These are geographical areas delimited according to water basins. The goal is to show a clear link between status classing, impact, need for improvement and measures that need to be carried out to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards.

4.1 Programme of measures Table 1.1 shows a summary of individual measures targeted at authorities and municipalities, their objectives, including a short summary describing what is needed in order to reach the environmental quality standards, as well as their connection to the national environmental objectives.

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Table 1.1. Summary of measures targeted at authorities and municipalities, and how they are linked to the national environmental objectives.

Measure National environ- according to mental objec- Description of measure action pro- tives gramme All authorities All the authorities and municipalities affected in this pro- and munici- gramme of measures shall no later than February each year, palities af- beginning in 2018, report to the water district authority which fected in the measures have been implemented during the preceding calen- programme of dar year aimed to ensure compliance with the environmental measures quality standards for water within the fields of operation of the authority or municipality. Development of the reporting is made in cooperation with the water authority. The National National Board of Housing Building and Planning is to guide Flourishing lakes Board of Hou- county administrative boards and municipalities on physical and streams sing Building planning in accordance with the Planning and Building Act A Good built and Planning, (PBL). environment measure 1 The National Board of Housing Building and Planning needs Good-quality specially to develop guidance: groundwater to county administrative boards on scrutinising and review of local development plans and area regulations for application of the environmental quality standards for water, and guidance for the municipal cooperation regarding planning, organising and other matters according to the Planning and Building Act where river basins are shared among several municipalities, to municipalities regarding the application of the environmental quality standards for water in local development planning and structure planning, on how regional water supply plans and other regional planning documentation can be used in structure planning and local development planning and in other matters according to the Planning and Building Act. The measure shall be taken in such a way as to contribute to measures being implemented that are needed to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards. The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the county administrative boards and central authorities with responsibility in relevant spheres and/or management areas. The measures shall be taken no later than June 2018. Swedish The Surgeon General shall in the supervision of A non-toxic envi- Armed For- environmentally hazardous operations and other operations in- ronment ces, Surgeon crease and prioritise supervision so that with regard to the river Good-quality General, mea- basins perspective it is directed at operations that contribute groundwater sure 1 to non-compliance with the environmental quality standards for water or the risk of non-compliance. contaminated areas, give special priority and make demands on investigations and measures in areas where necessary in order to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measures shall be started immediately and continuously implemented.

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Swedish The Surgeon General shall within his/her area of responsibility Good-quality Armed For- ensure long-term protection for current and future drinking groundwater ces, Surgeon water supplies and pursue systematic and regular supervision Flourishing lakes General, mea- of water supplies providing for more than 50 people, or where and streams sure 2 the water supply extraction is more than 10 m³ per day. A non-toxic envi- The measure shall be taken in cooperation with affected county ronment administrative boards. As regards ensuring protection for the drinking water supply, within the area of responsibility of the Surgeon General the measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. Supervision shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. Swedish The Surgeon General in his/her supervision of migratory Flourishing lakes Armed For- obstacles for fish and other aquatic animals at road passages and streams ces, Surgeon over water ensure compliance with the environmental quality General, mea- standards for water. sure 3 The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the Swedish Transport Administration and the affected county administrative board and municipality. The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. Swedish The Surgeon General shall within the framework of his/her A non-toxic envi- Armed For- supervision and/or processing of applications ronment ces, Surgeon regarding Private sewers make demands for limited emissions Good-quality General, mea- of phosphorus and nitrogen where needed to enable compliance groundwater sure 4 with the environmental quality standards for water, A balanced regarding wastewater treatment plants and sewerage systems marine environ- ensure that demands are made on increased cleansing or in ment, flourishing some other way reduced emissions where necessary to enable coastal areas compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. and archipelagos The measure shall be started immediately and continuously Zero eutrophica- implemented. tion Flourishing lakes and streams The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management shall Good-quality dish Agency continue to work with the development of instruments so that groundwater for Marine emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus from private sewers are Zero eutrophica- and Water reduced, and tion Management, in questions regarding examination and supervision of private Flourishing lakes measure 1 sewers, continue to develop its guidance to county administra- and streams tive boards and municipalities. A balanced The measure shall lead to the drafting of instruments and the marine environ- development of guidance on which measures need to be implement, flourishing mented to enable compliance with the environmental quality coastal areas standards for water. and archipelagos The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented.

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The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management shall A non-toxic envi- dish Agency produce guidance for operators, county administrative boards ronment for Marine and municipalities on how the spread of Environmental conta- Good-quality and Water minants can be prevented in dredging, dumping of dredged mud groundwater Management, and other water operations that concern sediment, in a way that measure 2 enables compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The work shall take place in cooperation with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Geological Survey of Sweden. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after the adoption of the programme of measures. The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management shall Flourishing lakes dish Agency produce a new national plan for liming operations which are and streams for Marine to contribute to enabling compliance with the environmental Natural acidifica- and Water quality standards for water. The national plan shall give support tion only Management, for the county administrative boards’ liming operations and measure 3 priorities, and shall contain an analysis of the extent to which current liming operations contribute to compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measure shall be taken no later than June 2018. The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management shall Flourishing lakes dish Agency guide the county administrative boards in prioritising environ- and streams for Marine mental improvement measures that reduce the impact of hydro- A rich diversity and Water power, in a way that enables compliance with the environmental of plant and ani- Management, quality standards for water. mal life measure 4 The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the Energy Agency and the Swedish National Heritage Board. The measure shall be taken no later than 2 years after the adoption of the programme of measures. The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management shall Flourishing lakes dish Agency produce a national strategy for financing measures with respect and streams for Marine to water operations/water installations that lack responsible A rich diversity and Water operators. of plant and ani- Management, The measure shall be taken in such a way that it contributes to mal life measure 5 the measures being taken that are necessary to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water.

The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the Swedish National Heritage Board. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management shall Flourishing lakes dish Agency develop guidance for the work of the county administrative and streams for Marine boards and municipalities with long-term protection of drin- A Good built and Water king water supplies. The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water environment Management, Management specially needs to develop Good-quality measure 6 guidance in setting up, supervising and managing water protec- groundwater tion areas, and guidance in producing and updating regional water supply plans. The measure shall take place in cooperation with municipalities, county administrative boards, the National Board of Housing Building and Planning and the Geological Survey of Sweden. The measure shall be taken no later than June 2018.

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The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management shall Zero eutrophica- dish Agency develop guidance, consultation and information on how mea- tion for Marine sures can be implemented in order to reduce internal loading Flourishing lakes and Water and the content of nutrients in water bodies with internal and streams Management, loading where needed to contribute to compliance with the en- A balanced measure 7 vironmental quality standards for water. The authority shall also marine environ- work towards the long term establishment of nutrient reducing ment, flourishing measures direct in lakes and coastal waters, and follow-up of coastal areas the effectiveness of measures. and archipelagos The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The Swe- The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management in Flourishing lakes dish Agency its work to produce management programmes for dealing with and streams for Marine invasive invasive species in aquatic environments include the A rich diversity and Water Invasive species which have such an impact that they contrib- of plant and ani- Management, ute to non-compliance with the environmental quality standards mal life measure 8 for water or the risk of non-compliance. A balanced The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the county marine environ- administrative boards. ment, flourishing The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption coastal areas of the programme of measures. and archipelagos The Swedish The Swedish Board of Agriculture shall produce skills deve- Good-quality Board of lopment and consultation activities within the framework of groundwater Agriculture, the Swedish Rural Development Programme 2014-20201, focus Zero eutrophica- measure 1 area 4B to reduce fertiliser loss to areas where there is a risk tion of non-compliance with the environmental quality standards for A balanced water due to such impact. marine environ- The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the county ment, flourishing administrative boards coastal areas The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption and archipelagos of the programme of measures. This means that the Swedish Thriving wet- Board of Agriculture together with county administrative boards lands no later than that point in time shall have identified which areas A Varied Agricul- are affected by the measures and that consultation is provided tural Landscape with the purpose of contributing to compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The Swedish The Swedish Board of Agriculture shall produce skills deve- A non-toxic envi- Board of lopment and consultation activities within the framework of the ronment Agriculture, Swedish Rural Development Programme 2014-20202, focus area Good-quality measure 2 4B, to reduce the impact from use of plant protection products groundwater in areas where there is a risk of non-compliance with the envi- Flourishing lakes ronmental quality standards for water due to such impact. and streams The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the county administrative boards. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. This means that the Swedish Board of Agriculture together with county administrative boards no later than that point in time shall have identified which areas are affected by the measures and that consultation is provided with the purpose of contributing to compliance with the environmental quality standards for water.

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The Swedish The Swedish Board of Agriculture shall produce skills deve- Flourishing lakes Board of lopment and consultation activities within the framework of the and streams Agriculture, Swedish Rural Development Programme 2014-20202, focus area Thriving wet- measure 3 4B, to reduce the negative impact of drainage and water extrac- lands tion for irrigation. A non-toxic envi- The measure shall be taken in such a way that it contributes to ronment compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. Natural acidifica- The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the county tion only administrative boards A Varied Agricul- The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption tural Landscape of the programme of measures. Good-quality groundwater The Swedish The Swedish Board of Agriculture shall within the framework Zero eutrophica- Board of of the Rural Development Programme give special attention to tion Agriculture, the measures A balanced measure 4 structure liming marine environ- lime filter ditches ment, flourishing adapted protective zones coastal areas protective zones and archipelagos wetlands Thriving wet- phosphorus dams, and lands two-stage ditches A Varied Agricul- so that they shall contribute to compliance with the environme- tural Landscape ntal quality standards for water. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The Swedish The Swedish Board of Agriculture shall further develop its Zero eutrophica- Board of guidance for the self-monitoring that agricultural holdings are tion Agriculture, to carry out based on Ch. 26 Sect. 19 of the Environmental Code A non-toxic envi- measure 5 and Sect. 6 of the Self-Monitoring Ordinance (1998:901). The ronment measure shall be carried out in such a way that it contributes to A balanced compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. marine environ- The work shall be carried out together with the Swedish Agency ment, flourishing for Marine and Water Management, The Geological Survey of coastal areas Sweden and The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. and archipelagos The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption Good-quality of the programme of measures. groundwater Flourishing lakes and streams The Swedish The Swedish Board of Agriculture shall further develop its Zero eutrophica- Board of supervision guidance for county administrative boards, munici- tion Agriculture, palities and companies to reduce fertiliser loss to, and impact Good-quality measure 6 from the use of plant protection products on, water bodies in groundwater such a way that it contributes to compliance with the environ- A non-toxic envi- mental quality standards for water. ronment The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption Flourishing lakes of the programme of measures. and streams A balanced marine environment, flourishing coastal areas and archipelagos

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The Legal, The Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency shall Flourishing lakes Financial and produce a plan to take initiatives for re-examination and revo- and streams Administra- king of permits for water hydropower plants and dams where A rich diversity tive Services necessary to enable compliance with the environmental quality of plant and ani- Agency, standards for water. The plan shall be based on the supervision mal life measure 1 measures regarding hydropower plants and dams that are to be carried out by county administrative boards according to the county administrative boards’ measure 2 and the county administrative boards’ action plans according to the county administrative boards’ measure 5 d. The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swed- ish Agency for Marine and Water Management. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The Swedish The Swedish Chemicals Agency shall give supervision gui- A non-toxic envi- Chemicals dance to the county administrative boards and municipalities ronment Agency, mea- and inform the public on how chemical products are used so Good-quality sure 1 that negative impact on the aquatic environment of priority groundwater substances and specific pollutants according to the statutes of Flourishing lakes the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management HVMFS and streams 2013:19 are minimised. The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water The measure shall be taken no later than June 2018. The measure shall be taken no later than June 2018. The Medical The Medical Products Agency shall work to reduce the impact A non-toxic envi- Products from medical products on the aquatic environment, in particular ronment Agency, mea- with regard to priority substances and specific pollutants that Flourishing lakes sure 1 affect conditions for compliance with the environmental quality and streams standards for water. The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with affected authorities. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The Swedish The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shall identify Zero eutrophica- Environme- the need of increased application and amendment of existing tion ntal Protec- instruments and the need for new instruments and guidance, A non-toxic envi- tion Agency, with the purpose of improving conditions for reducing the ronment measure 1 emission of phosphorus and nitrogen and priority substances A balanced and specific pollutants via wastewater treatment plants and marine environ- sewerage systems. ment, flourishing The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- coastal areas dish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Swedish and archipelagos Chemicals Agency and other affected central authorities, and Flourishing lakes with county administrative boards and municipalities. and streams The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they Good-quality contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable groundwater compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measure shall be started no later than June 2018 and shall then be continuously implemented.

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The Swedish The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shall guide the A non-toxic envi- Environme- county administrative boards and municipalities in their super- ronment ntal Protec- vision and examination of environmentally hazardous operations Good-quality tion Agency, with a view to reducing emissions into water, from both point groundwater measure 2 sources and diffuse sources, of priority substances and specific pollutants to such an extent that they contribute to compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- dish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Swedish Chemicals Agency, the Swedish Forest Agency and other central authorities with responsibilities within relevant issues and/o management areas, and with county administrative boards and municipalities. The measure shall be taken no later than June 2018. The Swedish The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shall in its work A non-toxic envi- Environme- to allocate contributions to measures in contaminated areas ronment ntal Protec- continue to prioritise areas with impact on water in a way that Good-quality tion Agency, enables compliance with the environmental quality standards groundwater measure 3 for water. The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the county administrative boards and municipalities. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The Swedish The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shall within Eu- Natural acidifica- Environme- ropean air pollution control continue to work to reduce the de- tion only ntal Protec- position of acidifying substances such as nitrogen compounds A non-toxic envi- tion Agency, and sulphur dioxide and specific pollutants from international ronment measure 4 sources. Clean air The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- Flourishing lakes dish Chemicals Agency, the Swedish Maritime Administration, and streams the Swedish Transport Agency, the Swedish Agency for Econo- mic and Regional Growth and the county administrative boards. The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. The Swedish The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is to guide Natural acidifica- Environme- the county administrative boards and municipalities in their tion only ntal Protec- supervision and examination of environmentally hazardous A non-toxic envi- tion Agency, operations, with the purpose of reducing emissions to the air of ronment measure 5 acidifying substances such as nitrogen compounds and sulphur Clean air dioxide, and priority substances and specific pollutants to such an extent that it contributes to compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measure shall be taken no later than June 2018.

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The Swedish The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shall produce Flourishing lakes Environme- guidance for ground drainage operations with regard to mea- and streams ntal Protec- sures, with the purpose of complying with the environmental Thriving wet- tion Agency, quality standards for water. lands measure 6 The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- Natural acidifica- dish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Swedish tion only Board of Agriculture, the Swedish Forest Agency, the Geological A non-toxic envi- Survey of Sweden and the Swedish Transport Administration. ronment The measure shall be taken no later than June 2018. A rich diversity of plant and animal life A Varied Agricul- tural Landscape The Swedish The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency shall identify A non-toxic envi- Environme- the need for and propose or develop changed new instruments ronment ntal Protec- handling surface run-off water, and produce for county adminis- A balanced tion Agency, trative boards and municipalities supervision guidance regar- marine environ- measure 7 ding handling surface run-off water. ment, flourishing The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they coastal areas contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable and archipelagos compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. Zero eutrophica- The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the tion National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, the Swedish Good-quality Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Geological Sur- groundwater vey of Sweden and the Swedish Transport Administration, and A Good built with county administrative boards and municipalities. environment The measure shall be started no later than June 2018 and then continuously implemented. The Swe- The Swedish Forest Agency shall develop and prioritises super- A non-toxic envi- dish Forest vision of forestry operations in order that adequate measures ronment Agency, are taken to reduce the impact from these operations in the Flourishing lakes measure 1 vicinity of water bodies where there is a risk of non-compliance and streams with the environmental quality standards for water. Sustainable The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with affected forests county administrative boards and municipalities. The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. The Swe- The Swedish Forest Agency shall develop and prioritise work Zero eutrophica- dish Forest with information, knowledge dissemination and feedback to tion Agency, forestry, and where necessary develop new or changed instru- A non-toxic envi- measure 2 ments or work methods in the field. The measure needs in par- ronment ticular to focus on reducing the flow of nutrients, mercury and A balanced particles into lakes and watercourses, maintain the capacity marine environ- of forested land to buffer against acidification, and reduce the ment, flourishing physical impact on the aquatic environment. coastal areas The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they and archipelagos contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable Flourishing lakes compliance with the environmental quality standards for water and streams The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the county Sustainable administrative boards, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Wa- forests ter Management, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Geological Survey of Sweden. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures.

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The Swe- The Swedish Forest Agency shall develop and implement A non-toxic envi- dish Forest methods for following up the environmental considerations ronment Agency, observed by forestry, with regard to the impact on the aquatic Flourishing lakes measure 3 environment. The work needs above all to focus on ditching and streams measures, follow-up of consideration given and quantifiable Sustainable follow-up methods. forests The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they A rich diversity contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable of plant and ani- compliance with the environmental quality standards for water mal life The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the county Natural acidifica- administrative boards, The Swedish Environmental Protection tion only Agency and The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Manage- A balanced ment. marine environ- The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption ment, flourishing of the programme of measures. coastal areas and archipelagos Zero eutrophication The Swe- The Swedish Forest Agency shall improve the application of Zero eutrophica- dish Forest existing instruments and/or propose new instruments for eco- tion Agency, logically functional edge zones around lakes and watercourses Flourishing lakes measure 4 to comply with the environmental quality standards for water. and streams The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swed- A rich diversity ish Agency for Marine and Water Management and the Swedish of plant and ani- Board of Agriculture. mal life The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption Natural acidifica- of the programme of measures. tion only A balanced marine environment, flourishing coastal areas and archipelagos The Geolo- The Geological Survey of Sweden shall develop its guidance to A non-toxic envi- gical Survey applicants about the environmental requirements that may be ronment of Sweden, set when examining permits for exploration and test extraction Good-quality measure 1 or mining operations to enable compliance with the environme- groundwater ntal quality standards for water. The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- dish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management and the county administrative boards. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The Geolo- The Geological Survey of Sweden shall develop consultation Natural acidifica- gical Survey and supervision guidance for affected authorities to minimise tion only of Sweden, the environmental load when oxygenating sulphide soils or Good-quality measure 2 sulphide bearing sediment to enable compliance with the envi- groundwater ronmental quality standards for water. A non-toxic envi- The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the ronment Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Forest Agency, the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the county administrative boards. The measure shall be taken no later than 2 years after the adoption of the programme of measures

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The Swedish The Swedish Transport Administration shall continue to deve- Flourishing lakes Transport Ad- lop and provide a knowledge base and information regarding and streams ministration, the possibilities to reduce the impact of roads and railways on A rich diversity measure 1 the aquatic environment to enable compliance with the environ- of plant and ani- mental quality standards for water. This is to take place within mal life the Swedish Transport Administration’s own organisation, to A Good built other road and infrastructure managers and to contractors who environment perform control, maintenance, rebuilding of roads, and build Good-quality new roads. The measure shall encompass at minimum the fol- groundwater lowing areas: A non-toxic envi- road and railway passages across water that constitute a ronment. migratory obstacle for fish and other aquatic organisms or which lead to other hydromorphological impact on the aquatic environment, preventive measures to reduce the risk of accidents and to miti- gate the effects on the aquatic environment in the event of such accidents, and measures to reduce the impact on the aquatic environment of road and railway drainage, sorting and use of pesticides. The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- dish National Heritage Board, the county administrative boards and municipalities. The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. The county The county administrative boards shall expand and prioritise A non-toxic envi- administra- their supervision of environmentally hazardous operations ronment tive boards, and water operations in accordance with the Environmental Zero eutrophica- measure 1 Code Chapters 9 and 11, so that supervision with regard to a tion river basin perspective targets operations that contribute to Flourishing lakes non-compliance with the environmental quality standards for and streams water, or risk such non-compliance. The measure shall lead to A balanced demands on such operations for the implementation of measu- marine environ- res that contribute to compliance with the environmental quality ment, flourishing standards for water. coastal areas The measure shall be taken with the support of the action plans and archipelagos that are to be drafted according to the county administrative Good-quality boards’ measure 5. groundwater The measure shall when warranted be carried out in cooperation with the Swedish Transport Administration, the Swedish En- vironmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency and affected municipalities. The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. The county The county administrative boards shall carry out supervision Flourishing lakes administra- with the purpose of identifying existing needs and possibilities and streams tive boards, to set demands for environmental considerations at all hydropo- A rich diversity measure 2 wer plants and dams in a way that enables compliance with the of plant and ani- environmental quality standards for water. mal life The measure shall be carried out so that annually, as of the year 2017, supervision is exercised at no fewer than one-fifth of the affected hydropower plants and dams in each county.

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The county The county administrative boards shall through their supervi- A non-toxic envi- administra- sion or through guidance to municipalities ensure that opera- ronment tive boards, tors who run operations or implement measures that affect the Zero eutrophica- measure 3 aquatic environment shall carry out self-monitoring and have tion the control programmes needed to enable an assessment of the Flourishing lakes operations’ or measures’ impact on the ecological, chemical and streams and quantitative status and the ecological potential in water bodies. The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. The county The county administrative boards shall prioritise work with Flourishing lakes administra- long-term protection of drinking water supplies. The county and streams tive boards, administrative boards need in particular to: Good-quality measure 4 reinforce work with setting up water protection areas and groundwater shortening administration times for setting up water protection areas, carry out systematic and regular supervision of water protection areas with associated regulations, in their supervision guidance to municipalities, give advice and carry out supervision in water protection areas, draft regional hydrological plans in cooperation with municipalities, through supervision, check that water extraction subject to authorisation in ground and surface water has been given authorisation, especially in areas with drinking water bodies. The measures according to items c), d) and e) shall be implemented no later than 2 years after adoption of the programme of measures. The county The county administrative boards shall have action plans A Good built administra- for river basins within their respective counties, and annually environment tive boards, update them to ensure that the measures in the plans are im- Good-quality measure 5 plemented and followed up. The action plans shall focus on the groundwater water bodies where measures are needed to enable compliance A balanced with the environmental quality standards. The action plans shall marine environ- in particular contain strategies for: ment, flourishing the county administrative boards’ guidance on municipalities’ coastal areas structure plans, and archipelagos cooperation with the Swedish Transport Administration, the Zero eutrophica- Surgeon General and municipalities on the measures that they tion need to take to increase passability for fish and other aquatic Flourishing lakes organisms at road passages across water, and streams how the need of measures to comply with the environmental quality standards for water can be weighed in and coordinated with work on prioritisation of support, compensation and consultation within the Rural Development Programme, and the river basins that are affected by hydropower operations. The measure shall be taken no later than 2 years after the adoption of the programme of measures and shall then be continuously implemented.

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The county The county administrative boards shall prioritise and develop Zero eutrophica- administra- their consulting activities to reduce fertiliser loss and loss of tion tive boards, plant protection products to water bodies where there is a risk Good-quality measure 6 of non-compliance with the environmental quality standards for groundwater water due to such impact. A balanced The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- marine environ- dish Board of Agriculture. ment, flourishing The measure shall be started immediately and continuously coastal areas implemented. and archipelagos Thriving wetlands Flourishing lakes and streams A non-toxic environment A Varied Agricul- tural Landscape The county The county administrative boards shall develop their su- Zero eutrophica- administra- pervision guidance to municipalities so that they can set the tion tive boards, demands needed to reduce fertiliser loss and loss of plant A non-toxic envi- measure 7 protection products to water bodies where there is a risk of ronment non-compliance with the environmental quality standards for Good-quality water due to such impact. groundwater The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- Flourishing lakes dish Board of Agriculture. and streams. A The measure shall be taken no later than 2 years after the balanced marine adoption of the programme of measures and shall then be con- environment, tinuously implemented. flourishing coastal areas and archipelagos The county The county administrative boards shall develop their guidance Zero eutrophica- administra- to municipalities with regard to examination and supervision of tion tive boards, private sewers. The measures shall be implemented in such a Flourishing lakes measure 8 way that they contribute to measures being taken as necessary and streams to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards A balanced for water marine environ- The measure shall be started immediately and continuously ment, flourishing implemented. coastal areas and archipelagos Good-quality groundwater

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The county The county administrative boards shall guide municipalities A Good built administra- on structure planning and local development planning to enable environment tive boards, compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. Good-quality measure 9 The county administrative boards need particularly to ensure groundwater that: Flourishing lakes it is apparent from the structure plan how the environmental and streams quality standards for water will be followed. prioritisation of measures at municipal level is made based on the current regional or inter-municipal planning documentation for natural resources. municipalities in their development planning have used current and relevant documentation from Water Information System Sweden (WISS). The measures shall be implemented in such a way that they contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Natio- nal Board of Housing, Building and Planning. The measure shall be taken no later than 2 years after adoption of the programme of measures and shall then be continuously implemented. The county The county administrative boards shall in their work with A non-toxic envi- administra- applications for contributions and supervision of contaminated ronment tive boards, areas continue to prioritise areas with impact on water bodies Good-quality measure 10 where there is a need for preventive or improvement measures groundwater to ensure compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measure shall be carried out in cooperation with the Swe- dish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Geotechni- cal Institute, the Geological Survey of Sweden and municipalities. The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. The county The county administrative boards shall ensure that liming of Natural acidifica- administra- acidified lakes and watercourses according to national guide- tion only tive boards, lines can continue according to the National liming plan and Flourishing lakes measure 11 if necessary increase or relocate action areas for liming. The and streams measures shall be implemented in such a way that they contribute to measures being taken as necessary to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. The county The county administrative boards shall within the framework Flourishing lakes administra- of their supervisory mission check and follow up that the Swe- and streams tive boards, dish Transport Administration takes the measures for the public A rich diversity measure 12 road and railway network that are needed to enable compliance of plant and ani- with the environmental quality standards for water. mal life The measure shall be started no later than June 2018 and then A non-toxic envi- implemented recurrently at least once per year. ronment Good-quality groundwater

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Municipali- Municipalities shall carry out supervision according to the A non-toxic envi- ties, measure Environmental Code within their areas of operation, regarding ronment 1 operations affecting water bodies, to an extent that enables Zero eutrophica- compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. tion The measure shall lead to requirements being set for measures Good-quality that contribute to compliance with the environmental quality groundwater standards for water. Flourishing lakes The measure shall be started immediately and continuously and streams implemented. A balanced marine environment, flourishing coastal areas and archipelagos Municipali- Municipalities shall carry out supervision so that Zero eutrophica- ties, measure emissions of nitrogen and phosphor from agriculture and horse tion 2 management are reduced, and that A non-toxic envi- the use of plant protection products is reduced to water bodies ronment where there is a risk of non-compliance with the environmental A Varied Agricul- quality standards for water due to such impact. tural Landscape The measure shall lead to demands being set for affected operations for measures that contribute to compliance with the environmental quality standards for water. The measure shall be started immediately and continuously implemented. Municipali- Municipalities shall prioritise and implement their supervision Zero eutrophica- ties, measure so that they set the demands needed for emissions of nutrients tion 3 and priority substances and specific pollutants from A non-toxic envi- sewerage systems and ronment wastewater treatment plants Flourishing lakes and into water bodies where there is a risk of non-compliance and streams with the environmental quality standards for water due to such A balanced impact. marine environ- The measure shall be started immediately and continuously ment, flourishing implemented. coastal areas and archipelagos Municipali- Municipalities shall ensure reduced emissions from private Zero eutrophica- ties, measure sewers by: tion 4 making demands for limited emissions of phosphorus and nitro- A non-toxic envi- gen when needed to enable compliance with the environmental ronment quality standards for water, Flourishing lakes prioritising supervision of private sewers to enable compliance and streams with the environmental quality standards for water. A balanced The measure shall be started immediately and continuously marine environ- implemented. ment, flourishing coastal areas and archipelagos Good-quality groundwater

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Municipali- Municipalities shall ensure long-term protection for current Flourishing lakes ties, measure and future drinking water supplies. The municipalities need in and streams 5 particular to Good-quality arrange necessary protection for public and private drinking groundwater water supplies that provide for more than 50 people, or where extraction from the water supply exceeds 10 m³ per day carry out a review of water protection areas set up before the introduction of the Environmental Code and where necessary revise the delimitations of the protection area and associated regulations so that adequate support is achieved, carry out systematic and regular supervision of the water protection area, update structure plans with regional hydrological plans, ensure that public surface water and groundwater supplies subject to authorisation have authorisation for water extraction. The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. Municipali- Municipalities shall carry out their structure planning and local A Good built ties, measure development planning and examination in accordance with the environment 6 Planning and Building Act so that they contribute to compliance Good-quality with the environmental quality standards for water. groundwater The measures need to be carried out in cooperation with the Flourishing lakes county administrative boards. and streams The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. Municipali- Municipalities shall set up and develop water and wastewa- Flourishing lakes ties, measure ter plans to enable compliance with the environmental quality and streams 7 standards for water. The measure needs to be carried out in Good-quality cooperation with the county administrative boards. groundwater The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption of the programme of measures. Municipali- Municipalities shall develop plans for how surface run-off is A non-toxic envi- ties, measure to be handled within the municipality with regard to quantity ronment 8 and quality. Plans for surface run-off shall contribute to the Zero eutrophica- necessary measures being taken to enable compliance with the tion environmental quality standards for water. A Good built The measure shall be taken no later than 3 years after adoption environment of the programme of measures.

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4.2 Issues to be addressed in the water district 4.2.1 Physical changes In the water bodies that suffer from changed living environments due to physical impact, what is proposed are above all measures against dams, power plants, drainage, incorrectly placed road culverts and clearing and straightening of watercourses. The measures targeted at authorities and municipalities are mainly about taking administrative measures that describe how different instruments need to be used or developed, for example new or revised ordinances, see Table 1.1. The physical measures considered most cost-effective and therefore prioritised are the creation of fish passages or the removal of migratory obstacles, ecologically functional edge zones and restoring cleared or straightened watercourses.

Incorrectly constructed road culverts can cut off the migratory routes of fish and other aquatic animals. Photography: Magnus Johansson

4.2.2 Environmental contaminants The problem of environmental contaminants in the district is due to emissions from ongoing operations such as industries and wastewater treatment plants, old pollutants in the form of contaminated soil and various emissions. The measures targeted at authorities and municipalities are mainly about taking administrative measures that describe how different instruments need to be used or developed, for example new or revised ordinances, see Table 1.1. The physical measures that are considered

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most cost-effective and therefore prioritised are reduction of emissions of environmental contaminants, remediation of contaminated areas and pesticide free agriculture.

4.2.3 Eutrophication

White water lily (Nymphaea alba) in River Aleån. Photography: Lisa Lundstedt

The Bothnian Bay water district authority proposes measures to reduce the impact of eutrophication from private sewers, agriculture, forestry, industries, sewage via wastewater treatment plants and surface run-off. Examples of proposed physical measures are adapting private sewers to an adequate level of protection, adapted protection zones, phosphorus dams, structure liming and increased purifying at wastewater treatment plants. The measures targeted at authorities and municipalities concern how different administrative instruments should be used or developed, for example new or revised ordinances, see Table 1.1.

4.2.4 Acidification The problem of acidification is greatest in the parts of the district where soils are poor in buffering agents, and where the fallout of acidifying substances is considerable and forestry intensive. The measures targeted at authorities and municipalities are mainly about taking administrative measures that describe how different instruments need to be used or developed, for example new or revised ordinances, see Table 1.1. The physical measures considered most cost-effective and therefore prioritised are international work to reduce emissions of acidifying substances, ash recycling in mapped areas vulnerable to acidification, and ecologically functional

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edge zones that prevent soil acidification spreading to lakes and watercourses. At the same time, liming of lakes and watercourses must continue until soil and water have recovered after the reduction in fallout of acidifying substances.

4.2.5 Invasive species Invasive species are not judged to be a widespread problem in the district. There are a small number of waters with invasive species such as Canadian Waterweed (Elodea sp.) and New Zealand Mud Snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum). In the water bodies where they are deemed as a significant impact, the most cost-effective physical measures proposed are reduction of aquatic plants by covering or harvesting. There are also a number of invasive fish species in the district. Brook Trout, Lake Trout, Sock- eye Salmon, Cutthroat Trout and Rainbow are examples of such species, but according to current criteria the stock does not does not have a negative effect on status. The measure targeted at the Marine and Water Authority concerns primarily that in their work they are to draft programme of measures for invasive Invasive species in aquatic environments that are contributing to or risk contributing to lowering the ecological status in the water bodies to a less than good status, see Table 1.1.

Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Photography: Patrik Olofsson

4.2.6 Changed groundwater levels Problems with the water supply due to changed groundwater levels are primarily due to excessive groundwater extraction or water table drawdown in relation to new for- mation. The measures targeted at authorities and municipalities are supervision and processing of applications for water extraction, setting up water protection areas and drafting regional water supply plans, see Table 1.1.

4.2.7 Chloride in groundwater Chloride in groundwater can be caused by for example road de-icing salt, leaking sewage pipes or leach water from landfill, and penetration of salt water upon water table drawdown in water bodies in contact with relict salt water or seawater. The measures targeted at authorities and municipalities concern developing and providing a knowledge base and information regarding the possibilities to reduce the impact of roads on the water environment, for example where road salting leads to higher le-

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vels of chloride, see Table 1.1, about supervision and processing of applications for water extraction, on the establishment of water protection areas and the drafting of regional water supply plans.

4.2.8 Inadequate protection of drinking water Many supplies of drinking water in the Bothnian Bay Water District have inadequate protection. Water supplies that lack water protection areas or have one where ordinances or the delimitations of the protection area need to be revised are considered to have inadequate protection. The measures targeted at authorities and municipalities are above all setting up and revising water protection areas, drafting of water supply plans, improved supervision of water protection areas, guidance regarding setting up and supervising water protection areas and guidance regarding regional water supply plans, see Table 1.1.

4.2.9 Protected areas Under the Water Management Ordinance 2004:660 (5§ Ch. 6), measures specifically aimed at setting up water protection areas or in some other way protecting drinking water, are to be presented in the programme of measures. Thus, water protection areas and the protection of drinking water, the measures are presented under the section describing inadequate drinking water protection. Since there are no special demands for how other measures for protected areas are to be presented in the programme of measures, this has not been done. However most of the measures targeted at authorities and municipalities have an effect on protected areas. For example, measures to reduce nutrient loss contribute to measures being carried out in areas sensitive to nitrates. Measures for private sewage and to wastewater treatment plants can contribute to improved bathing water quality and improve water quality in sensitive areas.

4.2.10 Other problems and accidents The risk of accidents with unintentional pollution incidents, such as the emission of fuel or chemical products transported by road, rail or waterway presents a serious threat to drinking water bodies. Therefore, a specific measure is targeted at the Swe- dish Transport Administration, where they are to continue to develop and provide a knowledge base and information regarding preventive measures to reduce the risk of accidents and lessen the effects to the water environment in the case of such accidents, see Table 1.1.

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5 Consequences of the programme of measures

Lake Stor-Lappträsket on the River Råne. Photography: Dan Blomkvist

The cost-benefit assessment of the water district authority’s programme of measures contains an overall description of benefits and costs consequent to compliance with the environmental quality standards. The costs of remedying environmental problems in our waters are divided between costs for administrative and physical measures respectively. The impact assessment also includes a distribution analysis, which describes how the costs are distributed among stakeholders, that is to say between authorities, municipalities, operators and individuals. The impact assessment also contains an account of possible sources of funding and current funding.

In the cost-benefit assessment, no assessment is made whether the programme of measures is reasonable or not from an economic point of view: assessment of whether a measure is reasonable is done in connection with setting the environmental quality standards. It is also important to remember that the socio-economic impact assessment is based on an example scenario. The final actual socio-economic consequences of carrying out the programme of measures are completely dependent on which instruments the authorities in fact choose to apply, and which demands for physical measures are finally made. Which physical measures that are to be taken is decided by the authorities and municipalities, who also bearing responsibility to ensure compliance with the environmental quality standards, and to implement the programme of measures. The demands for measures will additionally in many cases be examined by authorities or courts before it is finally established which measures are to be taken. This is the reason why at this stage the impact assessment can only present the expected impact of a scenario for implementing the proposed measures.

The programme of measures is aimed to secure existing values, give potential for

– 40 – Consequences of the programme of measures

development of values and reduce the risk of costs further ahead. The primary goal of the programme of measures is to achieve good status in our waters, which also might bring positive externalities to nature tourism, outdoor life, job opportunities and rural development.

To describe the benefits brought by implementing the action plan, the water district authority has not had the possibility to carry out its own studies to assess the economic value of good water status. It has therefore not been possible to calculate in detail the value of the improvements in water status that arise when the programme of measures is implemented. There is however a plethora of studies which through different methods have tried to estimate the value of measures to raise environmental quality in lakes and watercourses. The value of achieving good status in the Baltic Sea has for the part of Sweden been valued by HELCOMS Baltic Sea Action Plan at 8,000 MSEK per year, a sum that far exceeds the cost of measures for eutrophication. Even though the study is not directly connected to the programme of measures, it still gives an indication that its benefits exceed the costs for implementing the measures. The loss to society when drinking water is contaminated in a small town in Sweden can amount to around 240 MSEK, as shown by the Cryptosporidium outbreak in Östersund Municipality in 2010-2011 (Lindberg et al., 2011). Thus there is much to be won by improving the status of our waters, and major values are at stake if deterioration is not prevented or obviated. Work to describe the benefits needs to be developed in a future management cycle.

Today, approximately 25,000 MSEK is spent on water management measures every year. The programme of measures means an increment in these costs by approximately 2,500 MSEK per year up until 2021 for physical measures. To this are added administrative costs for authorities and municipalities. The total added administrative costs to carry out the programme of measures, that is to say what constitutes costs additional to today’s measures, amount to approximately 5,200 MSEK for the period 2016-2021. This corresponds to just under 1,000 MSEK divided over 5 years. Just under three-quarters of the total administrative costs are expected to be carried by the state in addition to the county administrative boards, and by operators and individuals. About one-eighth is payable by the county administrative boards and a corresponding proportion by municipalities. For municipalities this means approximately 630 MSEK for the entire management period 2016-2021, where 90 percent represents measures linked to water protection areas. The cost distribution by sta- keholder and by environmental problem is summarised in Table 1.2, Table 1.3 and Table 1.4 below.

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Table 1.2. Summary of the costs described for the individual stakeholders. The costs of administrative measures apply to the entire management cycle (5 years) and for the entire country. Costs for physical measures are given per year. Administrative costs (MSEK) Costs for physical measures (MSEK per year) The National Board of Housing, 0.5 0 Building and Planning The Swedish Agency for Marine 16 16 and Water Management The Swedish Chemicals Agency 1 0 Municipalities 628 27 The county administrative 503 0 boards The Swedish Environmental 2 0 Protection Agency Geological Survey of Sweden 2 0 The Swedish Board of Agricul- 424 44 ture The Swedish Forest Agency 1 0 The Swedish Transport Admi- 9 276 nistration Operators 202 491 Private 1 579 1 340 State, overall 1 869 291 Sum Approx. 5,200 MSEK (for entire Approx. 2,500 MSEK (per year) management cycle)

Table 1.3. Summary of the total administrative costs for potential instruments, by environmental problem. The costs denote costs for measures carried out without the programme of measures (reference alternative) and costs for further action needs for compliance with the environmental quality standards. The costs apply to the entire management cycle (2016-2021). Environmental problem Reference alternative Administrative costs for mea- administrative costs for sures that show the need for measures carried out up until further measures 2021 without an programme of Total cost up until 2021 measures 1 Total cost up until (million SEK) 2021 (million SEK) Eutrophication 125 1 823 Acidification - 5 Environmental contaminants 504 256 Invasive species - 1 Physical impact 25 2 298 Drinking water protection 90 830 Groundwater levels - 12

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Environmental problem Reference alternative Administrative costs for mea- administrative costs for sures that show the need for measures carried out up until further measures 2021 without an programme of Total cost up until 2021 measures 1 Total cost up until (million SEK) 2021 (million SEK) Overall measures - 13 Total cost for 2016-2021 Approx. 700 MSEK Approx. 5,200 MSEK 1 Reference Alternative

Table 1.4. National cost per year for possible physical measures for the most significant environmental problems related to water. Environmental problem Costs of physical measures Cost of physical measures that carried out up to 2021 without show the need for further measu- programme of measures 1 res based on scenario (MSEK per (MSEK per year) year) Eutrophication 275 1 335 Physical impact 33 915 Acidification 171 0 Environmental contami- 470 231 nants Invasive species 0 5 Total cost per year Approx. 700 MSEK per year Approx. 2,500 MSEK per year 1 Reference alternative

It is important to point out that several of the stakeholders who is bearing the costs also enjoy the benefits, for example improved drinking water protection, which gives reduced risk and damage costs. Our water is our most important nutriment and it is a crucial production factor and input, for example in processes in industries and land-based industries, which is why it is probable that a considerable majority of societal stakeholders will in one way or another benefit from good and sustainable water management.

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6 The steps towards the final decisions Before the decisions made at the end of each water management cycle, the water authorities shall hold public consultations on the important sub-processes in the work. During the consultation period, all those who want must be able to give their views on the material the water district authority has produced. The purpose is to make decisions with as much support as possible, and that all those affected can be parti- cipatory in the decision-making process. The formal requirements on consultation opportunities are that the documents should be made available for comments for at least a six-month period and reach out to the general public. Therefore, consultations shall be announced in all major daily newspapers within the water district.

6.1 Public consultations during the management cycle 2009-2015 The following public consultations were held during the management cycle 2009- 2015:

• Timetable and work programme for the Bothnian Bay Water District. Con- sultation period: 1 December 2012 to 1 June 2013. • Overview of the significant water management issues in the Bothnian Bay water district. Consultation period: 1 December 2012 to 1 June 2013. • Assessment, scope and level of detail of assessment of Programme of measures 2015-2021. Consultation period: 1 December 2012 to 1 June 2013. • River basin management plan, programme of measures and environmental quality standards 2015-2021 for the Bothnian Bay water district. Consulta- tion period: 1 November 2014 to 30 April 2015. These public consultations are described in special consultation reports that are pu- blished on the water authority’s website www.vattenmyndigheterna.se.

6.2 Government examination of proposals for programme of measures During the consultation period, a request came from the Swedish Board of Agricul- ture that the government be given the possibility to examine the proposal. If such a request is made, then according to Ch. 6 Sect 4 of the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660), the water district authority shall give the government the possibility to examine the proposal for the programme of measures.

The Bothnian Bay water district authority sent the government a request for examination in accordance with the ordinance on 6th May 2015. They also gave the government the possibility to examine the proposal for the programme of measures since it is assessed to affect other public interests of particular importance than those referred to in Ch. 1 Sect 1 of the Environmental Code. The government’s decision to examine the programme of measures came on 19th November 2015. On 6th Oc- tober 2016 the government decided (The Swedish Government, 2016c) on a number – 44 – The steps towards the final decisions

of changes to the proposals and that the water authorities after having made these changes set the programme of measures to be valid for 2016-2021. The programme of measures was then revised on the basis of this. It means that the programme of measures for the water management cycle 2016-2021 has a clearer political consensus compared to the preceding programme of measures. This guarantees broader accep- tance, and facilitates the implementation of measures to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards for water.

6.3 Important waypoints during the management cycle 2016-2021 In this management cycle the water delegations will make decisions in both 2018 and 2021. Before every decision, public consultations are held. The consultations are to enable and encourage everyone affected to participate in and influence the work. Wa- ter management work shall also be regularly reported to the EU. What the consultations are to deal with and what reports are to be made is described below.

Plans, missions and other major events and news can be found on the water authorities’ website, www.vattenmyndigheterna.se.

6.3.1 Initial public consultations during the management cycle The water authorities plan public consultations on several different issues during the period November 2017 to April 2018 before decision-making in the water delegations in December 2018.

1. Timetable and work programme for drafting the management plan 2021. 2. Environmental quality standards (ecological potential) for heavily modified water bodies and artificial water bodies linked to large-scale hydro power. 3. Environmental quality standards and programme of measures that shall remain valid until 2021 for new priority substances and for PFAS in groundwater. Classification of specific pollutants is also included in the case of copper and zinc, which can mean that the environmental quality standards and/or demands for measures need to be complemented or amended also for them. The water district board in the five water districts shall make decisions no later than December 2018 on specifications of the environmental quality standards for water bodies deemed artificial or heavily modified due to the impact of hydro power operations, status, environmental quality standards, monitoring programmes and programme of measures regarding new priority substances and where necessary, revisions regarding specific pollutants.

In 2019 further consultation will be held. The topic is an overview of significant water management issues in preparation for the management plan 2021-2027, and is the water authorities’ preliminary overview of significant issues to do with management of the quality of the water environment, to receive views on priorities and whether any important issue is missing.

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6.3.2 Consultation along the way to a new management plan 2021 Consultation on the revised management plans, including the programme of measures and environmental quality standards, which are to be set in December 2021, is due to take place during the period November 2020 to April 2021. This then takes place coordinated with consultation on the revised programme of measures within the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.

6.3.3 Reporting to the Commission The Member States report at half-time in each management cycle to the European Commission on how work with water management is progressing. For the cycle 2016- 2021 an interim report is submitted in March 2019, where implementation of the programme of measures is presented. The Agency for Marine and Water Manage- ment, and Geological Survey of Sweden report to the European Commission how far Sweden’s total water management work has progressed. The objectives are included in the report in the form of environmental quality standards, measures in the programme of measures and a description of work methods in the management plan. The measures shall be reported based on a system of key measures built on pressures and impacts.

6.4 Important development needs for water management work Continued water management work includes everything from having adequate environmental monitoring, the best possible grounds for status classing, and better methods for assessing the need for measures to making clear the societal benefits of better water quality and integrating the effects of climate change to a greater extent. Water management work needs to be adaptive and prepared for new situations and new research, while at the same time working in line with the principle of caution and the consideration rules of the Environmental Code. Therefore, the intentions of the directive about preserving and preventing, not only repairing and improving, need to be given more attention in future work. Climate change is a particularly big challenge. But above all, measures need to be implemented at a higher rate, authorities and municipalities who are addressed in the programme of measures need to carry them out so that physical measures can be implemented to a sufficient extent to enable compliance with environmental quality standards. Areas where there is a risk of non-compliance with the environmental quality standards must be given priority. To facilitate the implementation of measures in and around our waters in coming years, much needs to be done, by many different stakeholders. An important role for the water district authorities will be to support authorities and municipalities in implementing the programme of measures for water.

– 46 – The steps towards the final decisions

The need to develop water management work at national and regional level can be summarised in a number of points:

• increase the rate of work with measures • develop cooperation and dialogue • constantly improved knowledge base • take into account a changed climate

Water management is part of sustainability work and prerequisite for reaching national and global environmental objectives. The work carried out on the basis of demands in the Ordinance on Water Quality Management is to be coordinated with other environmental and water-related work. There are among other things several water-related EU directives which in different ways are linked to the Water Fram- ework Directive, for example the Nitrates Directive, the Waste Water Directive, the Floods Directive and Maritime Spatial Planning Directive.

Goals and sub-goals in the UN Agenda 2030 and Sweden’s environmental objectives and the generational goal complement each other well and are important to political governance for a sustainable future. It is important to continue to develop the link between environmental objectives, marine environmental management and water management to avoid duplication of work and to make more effective the use of resources at state and municipal level.

– 47 – More information

7 More information For you who want to learn more, there is a great deal of information to be found on the water authorities´ website www.vattenmyndigheterna.se. The purpose of the information is to create conditions for authorities and municipalities, the public and others affected parties to stay informed on water management, and thereby be able to participate in cooperation and consultation.

Below is a description of a number of important information channels that are used to spread awareness about water management work, and to encourage participation.

– 48 – References

8 References Blenckner, T., Österblom, H., Larsson, P., Andersson, A. och Elmgren R., (2015). Baltic Sea ecosystem-based management under climate change: Synthesis and future challenges. Volume 44, Supplement 3, pp. 507-515.

Europeiska kommissionen (2014). A Sustainable Blue Growth Agenda for the Baltic Sea Region. Brussels, 16.5.2014, SWD(2014) 167 final.

Focus on Nutrients (Greppa näringen) (2011). Ett decennium av råd - som både lant- bruket och miljön tjänar på. Greppa Näringens 10 års-jubileum.

P4 Gotland (2014). Visby får dricksvatten från havet. URL: http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=94&artikel=5795428

SMI (The Public Health Agency of Sweden former Smittskyddsinstitutet) (2011) Cryptosporidium i Östersund – Smittskyssinstitutets arbete med det dricksvatten- burna utbrottet i Östersund 2010-2011

Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (2014). Utländska besökares aktiviteter. URL (2016-10-28): http://tillvaxtverket.se/statistik/vara-undersokning- ar/resultat-fran-turismundersokningar/2015-03-10-utlandska-besokares-aktiviteter. html

Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (2015). Resultat från den na- tionella gränsundersökningen IBIS 2014, inkommande besökare i Sverige. Rapport 0188.

Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (2015). URL (2015-05-27): http://www.tillvaxtverket.se/huvudmeny/faktaochstatistik/turism/inkommandebe sokareibis.4.3453fc5214836a9a472a81ed.html

Swedish Ecotourism Society, (2015). Fler fiskevatten och jobb. URL (2015-06-15): http://www.ekoturism.org/nyheter/detalj.asp?ID=934

Swedish Ecotourism Society, (2015). Sportfisket skapar miljardexport. URL (2016- 10-28): http://www.ekoturism.org/nyheter/detalj.asp?ID=931

The Boston Consulting group/WWF (2013). Holfve, M., Mathiasson, N., Stömberg, M., Lind, F., Källström, N., Öberg, J., Tidebrant, P., Seppä, T. Turning adversity into opportunity. A business plan for the Baltic sea.

The Swedish Governmet (2016c) Prövning av vattenmyndigheternas förslag till åt- gärdsprogram för 2015-2021 enligt förordningen (2004:660) om förvaltning av kvali- teten på vattenmiljön. M2015/01776/Nm m.fl.

Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut och Livsmedelsverket (2011). Lindberg, A., Lusua, J. & Nevhage, B. Cryptosporidium i Östersund vintern 2010/2011. Användarrap- port.

– 49 –

Vattenmyndigheten Bottenvikens vattendistrikt Växel 010-225 50 00 www.vattenmyndigheterna.se

Länsstyrelsen Norrbotten 971 86 Luleå Växel 010-225 50 00 www.lansstyrelsen.se/norrbotten