Article 5: Characterisation, typology and pressures and impacts analysis

1. First broad characterisation of UK waters under the WFD (including the identification of water bodies and typology of surface waters).

2. The initial results of the pressures and impacts analysis that identifying whether water bodies may considered as 'At Risk', 'Potentially at Significant Risk' and 'Not at Risk'.

3. The definition of reference conditions for good ecological status for each type of surface water body. This present the values of hyrdomorphological and physicochemical elements linked to biological reference conditions. (Note: this body of work is anticipated to be available in June 2004)

4. The preparation of Article 5 report template to the European commission covering both the initial reporting of characterisation and pressures and impacts analysis as required under Article 5.

The UK TAG and its task teams view this as the initial characterisation process that will be improved, as scientific methods are advanced and more data becomes available.

Future work will also include economic analysis but this is still in early days of development.