The Water Environment (River Basin Management Planning: Further Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2013

Content of river basin management plans S

14.—(1) In addition to the matters specified in Part 1 of schedule 1 to the Act, the river basin management plan (or the next update of it) must include—

(a) in the summary of the characterisation required by paragraph 1 of the schedule—

(i) mapping of the location and boundaries of each body of surface water;

(ii) mapping of the ecoregions and surface water body types within the river basin district;

(iii) identification of reference conditions for the surface water body types;

(iv) the reasons for the exclusion of any quality element in a surface water type from the assessment of the ecological status for that surface water type;

(v) mapping of the location and boundaries of each body of groundwater; and

(vi) a summary of the economic analysis of water use carried out in accordance with section 5(2)(c) (characterisation of river basin districts) of the Act;

(b) in the summary of significant pressures and impact of human activity on the status of the water environment required by paragraph 2 of the schedule—

(i) an estimation of point source pollution;

(ii) an estimation of diffuse source pollution (including a summary of land use);

(iii) an estimation of pressures on the quantitative status of the water environment including abstractions; and

(iv) an analysis of other impacts of human activity on the status of the water environment;

(c) along with the summary for protected areas required by paragraph 3 of the schedule, a map or maps that indicate the location of each protected area within the district and a description of the legislation under which each protected area has been designated;

(d) along with the information about monitoring required by paragraph 4 of the schedule, information in map form as to the arrangements for monitoring water status under section 8 (monitoring) of the Act and as to the results of such monitoring, including—

(i) a map of the monitoring networks established;

(ii) a map of the results regarding the status of surface water (ecological status or ecological potential, as applicable, and chemical status), groundwater (chemical status and quantitative status, in accordance with, in particular, sections 2.4.5 and 2.5 of Annex V to the Water Framework Directive) and protected areas; and

(iii) an estimate of the level of confidence and precision of the results provided by the monitoring programme;

(e) along with the list of environmental objectives required by paragraph 5 of the schedule (for each body of surface water and each body of groundwater in the district)—

(i) a list of the environmental objectives set pursuant to regulation 3(1) for each protected area in the district which is registered under section 7 (register of protected areas) of the Act; and

(ii) in addition to the information which is required to be included by regulations 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, identification of instances where use has been made of those regulations;

(f) along with the summary of the programme required by paragraph 6 of the schedule—

(i) the ways in which the environmental objectives set pursuant to regulation 3(1) are to be achieved;

(ii) a summary of the measures required [F1 under [F2 assimilated] law] for the protection of water;

(iii) a report on the practical steps and measures taken to apply the principle of recovery of the costs of water services in accordance with regulation 15;

(iv) a summary of the measures taken to protect each body of water (used for the abstraction of drinking water) identified in accordance with section 6 (water used for abstraction) of the Act;

(v) a summary of the controls on the abstraction and impoundment of water (including registration and the circumstances in which exemptions from the controls apply);

(vi) a summary of the controls adopted for point source discharges and other activities with an impact on the status of water;

(vii) an identification of the cases where direct discharges to groundwater have been authorised;

(viii) a summary of the measures taken in relation to priority substances;

(ix) a summary of the measures taken to prevent or reduce the impact of accidental pollution incidents;

(x) a summary of the measures taken in relation to any body of water which is unlikely to achieve the environmental objectives set pursuant to regulation 3(1);

(xi) details of any supplementary measures identified as necessary in order to meet the environmental objectives set pursuant to regulation 3(1); and

(xii) details of the measures taken to avoid an increase in the pollution of marine waters in accordance with Article 11(6) of the Water Framework Directive;

(g) along with the information for sub-basin plans required by paragraph 7 of the schedule, a list of any other more detailed programmes and management plans for the district dealing with particular sub-basins, sectors, issues or water types, together with a summary of their contents; and

(h) along with the information required by paragraphs 9 to 11 of the schedule, a summary of the public information and consultation measures taken in connection with the river basin management plan.

(2) SEPA and the Scottish Ministers must ensure, when reviewing and updating the river basin management plan in accordance with section 14 (review) of the Act, that the plan is reviewed and updated by 22nd December 2015 and at least every 6 years after that.

(3) In addition to the matters in Part 2 of schedule 1 to the Act, updates of the river basin management plan must include, along with the summary required by paragraph 12 of that schedule, a summary of any reviews carried out under regulations 5(e), 6(e), 7(d), 8(d) and 9(d).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 14(1)(f)(ii) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Environment (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/26), regs. 1, 4(6); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F2 Word in reg. 14(1)(f)(ii) substituted (1.1.2024) by The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 (S.S.I. 2023/374), reg. 1(1), sch. 2 para. 24(7)