INHABIT project

The actions described in the section ‘Action groups’ will lead to the following results (full list of results found in single actions description):

• Review of approaches and methods used in Italy for the preparation of RBMPs.
• Analysis of measures proposed in WFD catchment management plans in two or more relevant Italian areas.
• Guidelines and field protocols updated to the best available techniques for WFD implementation.
• Collection of data (hydro-morphological, physico-chemical and biological) to assess variability at natural and impacted sites.
• Evaluation of the relationships between variability in hydro-morphological and physico-chemical conditions and aquatic community response.
• Characterisation of physico-chemical, hydrological, habitat features and uptake length measurement of the study river reaches.
• Evaluation of nutrients retention in relation to habitat quality, hydro-morphological features and biological communities in rivers.
• Collation of long temporal series of nitrogen concentration in atmospheric deposition and lake and river water.
• Evaluation of the effects of nitrogen pollution on lakes and rivers and suggestions for improvement of RBMPs.
• Classification of study sites and catchements according to the most up to date WFD classification tools.
• Evaluation of uncertainty in BQE metrics and EQRs calculation, including temporal and spatial variability.
• Suggestions for improvement of RBMPs and Programmes of Measures as far as uncertainty in classification issues is concerned.
• Organization of workshops to demonstrate results gained on classification items and update of RBMPs.
• Evaluation of potential effects of uncertainty of classification due to local hydro-morphological and habitat variability on the proposed WFD RBMPs, for the study areas.
• Dissemination of results via the web-site, deliverables, scientific and technical reports and organization of  a final conference.