This presentation was given as part of the EPA-funded Catchment Science and Management Course focusing on Integrated Catchment Management, held in June 2015. This course was delivered by RPS Consultants. If you have any queries or comments, or wish to use the material in this presentation, please contact catchments@epa.ie It is increasingly being recognised internationally that integrated catchment management (ICM) is a useful organising framework for tackling the ongoing challenge of balancing sustainable use and development of our natural resource, against achieving environmental goals. The basic principles of ICM (Williams, 2012) are to: • Take a holistic and integrated approach to the management of land, biodiversity, water and community resources at the water catchment scale; • Involve communities in planning and managing their landscapes; and • Find a balance between resource use and resource conservation ICM is now well established in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. In Europe the ICM approach has been proposed as being required to achieve effective water and catchment management, and is the approach being promoted by DEFRA for the UK, where it is called the “Catchment Based Approach” (CaBA). The principles and methodologies behind ICM sit well within the context of the Water Framework Directive with its aims and objectives for good water quality, sustainable development and public participation in water resource management. In Ireland it is proposed that the ICM approach will underlie the work and philosophy in developing and implementing future River Basin Management Plans.

1. Water Governance and Building
Partnerships
Marie Archbold
EPA WFD Integration & Coordination Unit
(Catchment Science & Management Unit???)

2. Overview
Context
Regulation
Timetable for 2nd Cycle RBMP
Revised Governance structure
DECLG
EPA
Local Authorities
Conclusion

3. Some Context
Significant change in approach taken in 1st
Cycle
2 new WFD Documents from DECLG –July
2014
S.I. No. 350 of 2014
Timetable & Work Programme for the
Development of RBMP – Consultation Paper
These have been anticipated for about 2
years

4. S.I. 350 of 2014
 Amends S.I. No. 722 of 2003
 Adds to role of EPA:
 Review of impact of human activities (Reg. 4
(1)(b) & 5(2)(b)
 Advise/assist Minister on establishment of Env.
Objectives, PoMs and RBMPs (Reg. 4(2))
 Single RBMP mentioned
 DECLG to deal with economic analysis

5. S.I. 350 of 2014
 Role of LAs changed somewhat
 LAs to:
 Provide support & assistance to the Minister and
EPA (Reg. 4(3)):
 Characterisation
 Establishment of Env. Objectives
 Making RBMPs
 Development of PoMs
 Specified LAs to act as coordinating authorities
(Reg. 4(6))

6. Timetable & Work Programme for
2nd Cycle RBMPs (DECLG, July 2014)
 Delay from end 2015 to second half 2017 for
production of RBMP.
 New governance & administrative arrangements
 Single national approach for development of
RBMPs – “technical analysis & planning tasks will
be advanced on the basis of appropriate water or
catchment management units to be decided by
EPA”.
 Single administrative arrangement for coordination
with NI

7. Revised Governance Structures
• Led by DoECLG
• Policy, regulations and resources
• Sign-off of river basin management plans
Tier 1: National
Management &
Oversight
• Led by EPA
• Monitoring, assessment and reporting
• Evaluation and implementation of measures
• Template for river basin management plans
• Monitoring of enforcement tasks and environmental
outcomes
Tier 2: National
Technical
Implementation
and Reporting
• Led by the lead Coordinating Authority
• Local authority monitoring, licensing and enforcement
actions
• Implementation of Programmes of Measures by relevant
public bodies, tracking and reporting, in consultation
with EPA
Tier 3: Regional
Implementation
via Water
Networks

8.  Proposed new responsibilities for EPA:
 Drafting env objectives
 Undertaking catchment characterisation
 Preparing template RBMPs
 Compiling common PoMs for further development and
input from LAs
 Proposed that LAs will:
 Lead implementation and enforcement of measures on
the ground
 Have key responsibilities ensuring compliance and public
participation
Timetable & Work Programme for
2nd Cycle RBMPs (DECLG, July 2014)

9. Tier 2
WFD Element Purpose
Draft Dates and
Periods
Publish draft timetable & work
programme for 2015-2021 River Basin
Management Plans (RBMPs), including
statement of the consultation measures to
be taken (this consultation).
Sets out the draft timetable & work programme
to produce the 2nd cycle RBMPS. Highlights
the mile stones in the RBMP cycle where
consultation is required and the measures we
will undertake to ensure involvement in the
consultation process.
July 2014
(consultation to
close 31 January
2015)
Publish interim overview of the
Significant Water Management Issues
(SWMI) in Ireland
Identifies significant water management issues
to be addressed in the 2nd draft RBMPs and to
facilitate public consultation
July 2015
Consultation Period following publication
of SWMI for receipt of comments
Opportunity to comment on the significant
water management issues.
July 2015 to
December 2015
Publish revised Significant Water
Management Issues overview and
characterisation report required under(
Article 5 of the Water Framework Directive
Provides technical details of the
characterisation of the river basin district,
review of the environmental impact of human
activity and economic analysis of water use
previously identified
December 2015
Publish Draft River Basin Management
Plan for 2015-2021 & provide explanation
for any extended deadlines and less
stringent environmental objectives
proposed
Sets out the objectives for the water
environment and presents the strategy for
meeting those objectives
December 2016
Consultation Period following publication
of Draft RBMP for receipt of comments
Opportunity to comment on the draft plans
Consultation will be facilitated both through
written consultation and online
December 2016
to June 2017
Publish updated RBMP for 2015-2021
Sets out objectives for the water environment
& the strategies for meeting those objectives
between 2012 - 2021
by December
2017

10. Chaired by DECLG
 All governmental and state agency stakeholders
including:
EPA, DAFM, DCENR, HSE, D/ Health, CER,
DAHG, CCMA, OPW
 Role?
 Provide policy advice and assistance to Minister on
implementation of WFD and broader water resource
issues (including economic)
 Provide advice on and support for the making of
RBMPs including Programmes of Measures and
undertaking economic analysis
 Sign-off of river basin management plans
Tier 1: Water Policy Advisory
Committee (WPAC)

11. Tier 2: Role of EPA
 Link the work of business units and disciplines relevant to water
management across all Offices in the EPA.
 Lead and manage a network for cooperation, communication and
consultation with stakeholders inside and outside the EPA.
 Undertake catchment characterisation, using the S-P-R model for
environmental management, with the assistance of other EPA
staff, LA staff and PAs.
 Coordinate the evaluation of mitigation measures with relevant
EPA staff and external stakeholders.
 Produce the template river basin management plan (RBMP).
 Meet the deadlines for EPA responsibilities in the recent DECLG
Consultation Document on RBMPs.

12. Tier 2: EPA
 EPA recognised that while specific
sections/disciplines/organisations all have crucial
roles, successful implementation of the WFD and
catchment management will not be successful
unless there is a cross-cutting/cross-linking process.
 WFD I&C Unit is intended to provide this input in
undertaking the EPA responsibilities.

13. EPA WFD Integration &
Coordination Unit
 The WFD I&C Unit will undertake both original work and, as
the name says, integrate and coordinate the work of others.
 Success will be achieved with:
 The input of staff and sections in EPA
 The input of LAs and WFD Office staff
 The input of other agencies, such as IFI and MI
 An effective networking, consultation and “working
together” process
 Using catchments as our “organising framework”

14. How will we build
the partnerships?
 Working together within the DECLG, EPA, Local
Authorities and other stakeholders on:
 Template River Basin Management Plan
 Characterisation –
 Get buy-in for methodology
 Output of Tier 2
 Tier 3 – provide scientific guidance on the approach to
determining the most appropriate PoMs
 Supporting the WFD Offices by providing the science
 Activate Engagement is essential
Twitter: @EPACatchments Email: catchments@epa.ie

15. NIECE Network
Launched November 2014

16. Building Partnerships:
Network Members
 31 Local Authorities, RBDs, CCMA
 DECLG, DAFM, DAHG, DCENR,
CER
 IFI, MI, GSI, NPWS, EPA, Teagasc,
HSE, ESB, OPW, HSA, LGMA, Met
Éireann, Regional Authorities
 NIEA
 Waterways Ireland, The Heritage
Council, Tourism Ireland
 Irish Water, Coillte, Bord Na Mona
 SWAN, NFGWS, An Taisce
………………
Twitter: @EPACatchments Email: catchments@epa.ie

17. What will the Network do?
 Joint working arrangements
 Main learnings from the 1st Cycle
 Mechanism for a consistent technical approach
nationally.
 Support National Implementation Group and working
groups
 Transfer of knowledge, guidance, ideas and learning
 Capacity building
 Support the WFD offices on engagement with local
communities
Twitter: @EPACatchments Email: catchments@epa.ie

18. Network Activity to Date
Network has set up/continued:
 National Implementation Group
March, 2015
 Working Groups
Characterisation
Planning
Agricultural Measures
Monitoring
Hydromorphology
Public Participation
Information Exchange
 Engagement with SERBD/ WRBD on Characterisation and Planning
 Catchment Science and Management Training Course
Twitter: @EPACatchments Email: catchments@epa.ie

19. Tier 3: Local Authorities
 Two components:
Implementation - LA Env Sections and Public
Authorities
Public Participation – New WFD Offices
 3 Principle Roles for New LA WFD Office
Coordination of LA activities (and PA’s)
Mobilising Community Participation
Support to Minister & EPA

20. Model
LANWFD Office
+
LA Community
Officers
+
LA Environmental
Awareness &
Heritage Officers
“Mobilising
communities
towards
environmental
sustainability”
Local
Community
Water
Management
Plans
LA WFD Officer
+
LA Environmental
Enforcement
Staff
+
Inland Fisheries
Ireland
+
Measures
+
Critical Source
Areas
County
Water
Management
Plans
E nforcement
Agencies
LA National
WFD Office
Lead Local Authority
Local Authorities National WFD Committee
Tier 3: Public Participation & Regional Implementation
Oversight & advice on implementation. Coordination of
community actions.
Stakeholder in development of County Water Management
Plan
(Reps from Public Participation Network)
Oversight, coordination, implementation
(CCMA Environment Committee, Lead LA, EPA, DECLG, RSG,
LANWFD Office)
Collaborative
Networks
Public Participation Network
E nvironmental Pillar
Local Authority
Environment
Departments
Regional coordination & implementation, collaboration
with public bodies.
(DOSs Environment, reps of public bodies, LANWFD Office)
River Basin Management Plan
&
Catchment Management Plans
Regional Steering Groups
Working Groups (as required)
Agriculture
Industry
Planning

21. Proposed Structure of new
WFD Offices
 3 Coordinators
 3 Support Officers
Funding
Marketing, Education & Communications
IT, GIS, Websites, Social Media
 12 Community Water Officers
 LA Environmental Awareness Officers
 LA Community Officers
 LA Environmental Staff
 Virtual Office, geographically dispersed

22. Three Tier Interlocking Framework
Tier 1: National
Management &
Oversight
Tier 3: Regional
Implementation
via Water
Networks
Tier 2: National
Technical
Implementation
and Reporting
 Implementation of the WFD will be successful with all
three tiers of the WFD Framework Governance
working together.

23. Conclusion
 The science will be the building block for engagement at
Tier 2 and 3
 It will focus where measures and management strategies
are needed
 Highlight where public participation may be most effective
– important to pick areas where groups can see they can
make a difference
 But also essential to get public involvement in protection
as well as improvement
 Public Participation and Awareness is key to
implementation and future restoration/protection
 Limited previous experience of Public Participation in
Ireland so a lot of learning ahead

24. “It’s people who save
rivers, not plans ……”
(quote from: “Saving Eden: A Manifesto”)