The Water Framework Directive (Priority Substances and Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011

PART 4 Determining High Status for Morphological Elements

1.  The Department shall undertake detailed screening of morphological conditions to confirm that high status conditions are present within relevant water bodies.

(a) Once the Department has, in accordance with paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 1, assigned a type to a river or part thereof, the Department shall consider both direct and indirect pressures on the physical character of rivers at local scale, water body scale and catchment scale. The physical character of a river includes the condition of the channel bed, banks and riparian zone, channel pattern and river continuity.

(b) To assess the morphological condition of lake water bodies, the Department shall assign a type in accordance with paragraph 8(c) of Part 1 of Schedule 1. The morphological condition of High Status lakes must not be altered by more than 5%.

(c) To assess the morphological condition of transitional and coastal water bodies, the Department shall consider both direct and indirect pressures on the physical character of transitional and coastal waters at local scale, water body scale and catchment scale.

2.  High Status morphological condition must not be assigned to

(a) Any water body that has been identified as being at risk of failing to achieve good ecological status due to the extent of morphological pressures; or

(b) Any artificial or heavily modified water body.