Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessments in Romania
Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessments in Romania
Our Geomorphology team have been working in partnership with JBA Consult Europe to undertake collaborative Water Framework Directive (WFD) compliance assessments within a number of Romanian river basin districts.
- Client River Basin Authority
- Location Romania
- Project
partner JBA Consult Europe
Infrastructure operational program of Flood Risk Management
The river basins are subject to future investment planning under a Large Infrastructure Operational Program of Flood Risk Management – the proposed flood alleviation schemes require assessment against WFD guidelines to ensure there will be no deterioration of the waterbody status. Several site visits have been undertaken by our Geomorphologists alongside our Romanian JBA Consulting General Manager, Daniela Radulescu. Local river basin staff members covering the Crisu Negru, Somes-Tisa, Olt and Jiu river basin districts were also involved.
Geomorphological walkover assessments
Geomorphological walkover assessments have been undertaken at the locations of the proposed infrastructure developments. A targeted baseline survey and local fluvial audit determined the historic, current and likely future dynamics of the river systems. Particular attention has been given to the sediment transport regime (coarse and fine) and associated patterns of erosion and deposition. Both of which could be influenced by the proposed works including embankment and reservoir construction. Assessments have also considered the wider system response to disrupted/altered flow and transport processes, individually assessing the full range of WFD hydromorphology indicators.
Hydromorphological impacts
Hydraulic modelling of the existing and proposed scenarios has enabled an analysis to be undertaken to identify any changes of in-channel energy. This provides a quantitative prediction of where excess or depleted flow velocities may initiate bed or bank scour, or sediment deposition, as a result of the proposed works. Potential options for mitigation are proposed where appropriate, aiming to minimise the hydromorphological impact of the proposed works. These specific hydromorphology assessments feed into the overall WFD compliance assessments, collated by JBA Consult Europe colleagues.
Visit our environmental services webpage for more information or contact Matt Hemsworth for more information on our geomorphological impact assessments.
