BOTHNIAN BAY RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2021 - English summary - BOTHNIAN BAY WATER DISTRICT
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BOTHNIAN BAY
WATER DISTRICT
BOTHNIAN BAY RIVER BASIN
MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2021
English summary
River Basin Management Plan 2016-2021 Bothnian Bay Water District – English summary Diary number: 537-9859-201 Issued by: County Administrative Board of Norrbotten Responsible unit: The Bothnian Bay Water District Authority Author: Swedish Water Authority of the Bothnian Bay Water District Cover photo: 2014©Andreas Broman Layout: Carina Nanker Production: Turbin AB Edition: available for download at www.vattenmyndigheterna.se
PREFACE
The water in Sweden and especially in its northern parts is often taken for granted,
something that is in abundant quantities and maintains high quality. This picture is
not correct, nor is it the case in other parts of the world where water, both in terms
of quantity and quality, is the most explicit limitation of the conditions of life and
thereby pervades all societies.
Water management is an environmental and resource issue with many dimensions.
Water is our most important nutriment, one of our most important resources and a
habitat for many plants and animals. It is therefore natural that questions about how
we handle water are closely associated with society at large. Whether we drink the
water, use it as cooling water to produce electricity, fish, swim or enjoy the nature
experience, we must all take responsibility.
Water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must
be protected, defended and treated as such. Water management according to the
EC Water Framework Directive is to achieve good water status in all groundwater,
lakes, rivers and coastal waters. On December 16, 2016 an important step was taken
towards better water in the Bothnian Bay water district. The water district board
then decided on environmental quality standards, program of measures and mana-
gement plan 2016-2021 for the district´s water bodies that comply with the manage-
ment plan and program of measures 2009-2015. These documents underlie further
work on securing, managing and improving the state of the district’s groundwater,
lakes, rivers and coastal waters.
Water management efforts involve municipalities and state authorities, but also
require participation from other stakeholders such as individuals, companies and
water councils. A challenge in coming years will be to ensure that water issues are
more integrated into social planning and exercise of authority, as well as the rise
awareness of water issues operators and individuals. Our goal is that environmental
quality standards and program of measures will be effective tools for achieving set
targets. Working with water issues in a coherent and well-thought-out way results in
better water, good water environments and sustainable water resources.
The time for better water is now!
Sven-Erik Österberg
County Governor at the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten
Chairman of the water district board in the Bothnian Bay water district
–I–
ADOPTION OF THE RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN
On 16 December 2016, the water district board of the Swedish Water Authority of
the Bothnian Bay Water District decided on the management plan 2016-2021 for the
Bothnia Bay water district (537-14223-2016). This according to chapter 5, section 1,
of the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660).
At the same time, the water district board decided, in accordance with chapter 3,
section 1, of the Regulation (2004: 660), on environmental quality standards for
surface and groundwater bodies in the Bothnian Bay water district. Environmental
quality standards are prescribed by the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten
(Water District Authority for the Bothnia Bay water district) regulations on quality
requirements for water bodies in the Bothnian Bay water district (25 FS 2016: 32 A
26). The water district board also decided on the rogramme of measures 2016-2021
for the Bothnia bay water district. This according to Chapter 6, Section 1, of the
Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660). These decisions have been
preceded by public consultation according chapter 2, section 4, the Ordinance on
Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660).
READING INSTRUCTIONS
This report is a summary of the river basin management plan for the Bothnian Bay
water district 2016-2021 which describes the water management work in the district.
The plan has five parts that includes a report on state, pressures and impacts on wa-
ter bodies, surface and groundwater, in the district. It also describes set targets, en-
vironmental quality standards, and the environmental monitoring forming the basis
for assessments. The management plan also includes the programme of measures for
the Bothnian Bay water district for the period 2016-2021, a scenario illustrating what
socio-economic consequences of the programme of measures there may be, and a
view of what may be ahead and may need to be carried out during the water manage-
ment cycle from 2016 and on.
The five parts are:
1. Introduction to the river basin management plan
2. The management plan 2009-2015
3. The monitoring program 2009-2015
4. The programme of measures 2016-2021
5. The management plan 2016-2021.
The management plan of the Swedish Water Authority of the Bothnian Bay Water
District also includes the County Administrative Board’s regulations on environme-
ntal quality standards for water and a number of annexes.
For more information, visit our website www.vattenmyndigheterna.se
– II –
Register of contents
1 Water – an indispensable resource.................................................. 1
1.1 There is constantly more to be learned...................................................................... 1
1.2 The measures must be taken now............................................................................. 2
1.3 Social development is dependent on clean water...................................................... 3
1.4 The time for better water is now!............................................................................... 4
2 Water management framework in Sweden ..................................... 5
2.1 The water district board decides................................................................................ 6
2.2 The water district authorities coordinate work........................................................... 7
2.3 Parliament and the government legislate, control and allocate funds........................ 7
2.4 State authorities have responsibility for different parts............................................. 8
2.5 The municipalities have several different roles.......................................................... 8
2.6 Cooperation................................................................................................................ 8
2.6.1 Water councils are the local connection............................................................................ 9
2.6.2 Other stakeholders............................................................................................................. 9
2.7 The instruments of water management................................................................... 10
2.7.1 River Basin Management plan..........................................................................................10
2.7.2 Environmental quality standards.......................................................................................11
2.7.3 Programme of Measures...................................................................................................11
3 Bothnian Bay water district............................................................ 13
3.1 The status of the water............................................................................................ 15
3.1.1 Monitoring of water in the district ....................................................................................16
3.2 Environmental challenges in the Bothnian Bay water district.................................. 18
4 Measures for better water ............................................................ 20
4.1 Programme of measures.......................................................................................... 20
4.2 Issues to be addressed in the water district............................................................. 36
4.2.1 Physical changes..............................................................................................................36
4.2.2 Environmental contaminants............................................................................................36
4.2.3 Eutrophication...................................................................................................................37
4.2.4 Acidification......................................................................................................................37
4.2.5 Invasive species................................................................................................................38
4.2.6 Changed groundwater levels............................................................................................38
4.2.7 Chloride in groundwater....................................................................................................38
4.2.8 Inadequate protection of drinking water...........................................................................39
4.2.9 Protected areas.................................................................................................................39
4.2.10 Other problems and accidents..........................................................................................39
5 Consequences of the programme of measures............................. 40
– III –
6 The steps towards decisions ........................................................ 44
6.1 Public consultations during the management cycle 2009-2015............................... 44
6.2 Government examination of proposals for progamme of measures......................... 44
6.3 Important waypoints during the management cycle 2016-2021.............................. 45
6.3.1 Initial public consultations during the management cycle................................................45
6.3.2 Consultation along the way to a new management plan 2021..........................................46
6.3.3 Reporting to the Commission............................................................................................46
6.4 Important development needs for water management work.................................... 46
7 More information .......................................................................... 48
8 References..................................................................................... 49
– IV –
W ater – an indispensable resource
1 Water – an indispensable resource
Water is the world’s most important nutriment, and a precondition for many ecosys-
tem services that are vital to society. Good water in sufficient quantities is a resource
crucial to industry, farming, healthcare, and much of our energy production. Water
is also a self-evident requirement for food production, fishing, transport, tourism
and in particular our wellbeing. A sea view, or the sound of running stream has a
health-bringing effect, and housing near water is much sought after.
It is easy to take clean water for granted when it is easily available. Picture from Stor-Rebben in
Piteå Archipelago. Photography: Kerstin Lundin-Segerlund
Without water of good quality and in good quantities, it is impossible for society to
build social and economic prosperity. The global shortage of water is threatening
millions of already vulnerable people, while others are hit by downpours and floo-
ding. There is a relatively good supply of water in Sweden, although in many places
the quality is poorer than one might imagine. In addition, climate change may bring
further problems, with flooding and water shortage in many areas.
1.1 There is constantly more to be learned
Working with water management means constant learning to absorb new knowledge
to enable forming an overall picture of how ecosystems and society interact (Blenck-
ner et al., 2015). This is one of the reasons for the revision of the water district
authorities’ management plans, programme of measures and environmental quality
–1–
W ater – an indispensable resource
standards every six years. It is also important to work with an ecosystem-oriented
approach, and that work involves spotlighting the different ecosystem services, and
to receive help from local sources in building knowledge. Effective water manage-
ment can help the community to identify overall pressures and impacts so that it is
possible to pool resources in problem areas, preventing and preparing for harmful
effects and preventing competition for water resources.
1.2 Measures must be taken now
Even though there will always be a shortage of knowledge, it must not prevent im-
plementing measures. The knowledge already assembled is largely sufficient and so-
ciety cannot afford to wait. It is often much more difficult and expensive to remedy
problems once they have arisen, than to work preventively at an early stage. To cor-
rectly value ecosystems and to create systems for ecological compensation measures
when exploiting creates conditions to get it right from the start. Encouraging examp-
les of large-scale environmental improvements are still fairly few and there is a need
for resolve in implementation work before results become visible. Also the inherent
inertia of ground and water systems means that it takes time for implemented mea-
sures to have the desired effect on the state of water. However, there are encouraging
examples, such as the introduction of municipal wastewater treatment plants, liming
programmes to counteract acidification and measures to clean pollution damage in
contaminated areas.
In Sweden, there is a major need for water improvement measures. New problems
are also arising, which need to be dealt with. One example is that in recent years,
several problems have been discovered in the drinking water supply, in both surface
water and groundwater supplies. New environmental contaminants appear, for ex-
ample the chemical PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), a persistent environme-
ntal contaminant used among other things in firefighting, accumulates in nature,
which has made it necessary to close certain water supplies and water utilities. Both
present-day and historical use of pesticides affects many drinking water supplies.
Additionally, a million people in Sweden get their drinking water from water supp-
lies that are completely without protection.
Another problem, which even though it is not new has been increasingly noted and
discussed in recent years, is physical impact on and in watercourses and lakes. Today
there are more than 9000 migration obstacles in Sweden which need to be rectified
for fish and other fauna to be able to move up and downstream. It is not only dams
and power plants that have created migration obstacles: even high and narrow water
culverts in Sweden’s extensive road network cut off migratory routes in water. Major
projects to rectify this have been carried out, but a lot remains to be done. Richer
biodiversity also improves conditions for angling and nature tourism for example,
and thereby opportunities to make a livelihood, above all in sparsely populated areas.
Opportunities for society to grow in the future become limited if many water bodies
are allowed to deteriorate. Costs are deferred, without knowledge of future genera-
tions’ ability to bear them. Good status can be seen as a guarantee that all the future
–2–
W ater – an indispensable resource
water needs of society can be met. In fact, it can be extremely expensive to wait until
the problems are too big. One example is the outbreak of Cryptosporidium in the
drinking water in Östersund Municipality, when nearly 27,000 people were taken ill,
and the costs to the community were estimated at 220 MSEK. The probable cause
was that sewage had run into the drinking water supply, Lake Storsjön, through
wrongly connected sewage pipes and/or from extensive overflow of sewage due to a
heavy downpour (SMI, 2011).
Also, excessive extraction of water can have consequences, and therefore the princi-
ple of caution is central in town and country planning. Water shortages will become
increasingly frequent, above all in southern Sweden. The budget for the desalination
plants planned for Gotland in order that drinking water will suffice in summer tou-
rist season too, is 598 MSEK for the total municipal water and sanitation buildout up
to 2022 (P4 Gotland, 2014).
1.3 Social development is dependent on clean water
Clean water is an increasingly attractive natural resource in an international perspec-
tive and can draw companies, tourists and new residents to Sweden. Of the visitors
to Sweden, 25-30 percent stated that during their stay they had used some form of
nature tourism (visited a national park, hiked, bathed). Domestic tourism has an
annual turnover of 150,000 MSEK, and consumption by overseas visitors amounts
to 100,000 MSEK. Tourism is thus of major value to Swedish business, and a signi-
ficant proportion of this value can be ascribed to nature-related tourism (Swedish
Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, 2015). Angling attracts many, and of
Sweden’s international visitors, 800,000 stated that they had been fishing when they
were in Sweden in 2013 (Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, 2014.)
Angling is also one of the foremost reasons to visit Sweden. Calculations show that
angling contributes to export revenues of up to 4,500 MSEK annually (Swedish Eco-
tourism Society, 2015).
Implementing measures can lead to increased demand for technological develop-
ment and innovations. Within the EU, work to improve water has contributed to a
growing, and today even world-leading water sector, with 9,000 small and medium-
sized enterprises. Together they create the equivalent of 500,000 jobs in Europe.
Water management is therefore so much more than environmental care – it is an
important basis for green and blue growth and for sustainable societal development.
New technology in this area will be able to give better preparedness to tackle new so-
cietal challenges such as the effects of climate change and pharmaceutical residue in
the environment, and complex ecosystem effects. In Sweden there are good business
opportunities in the water sector. According to a study commissioned by the World
Wildlife Fund, the Baltic region has good prospects of finding solutions to remedy
the problems in the Baltic Sea (Boston Consulting Group, 2013). The region posses-
ses financial strength, a high level of education, strong local companies, high-quality
research and a relatively low population density. In addition, the region is stable,
with few conflicts.
–3–W ater – an indispensable resource
The European Commission (2014) finds that coastal tourism is the sector with the
best growth potential in the Baltic region over the coming decades. The outcome ho-
wever is completely dependent on development in the eco-system services demanded
in the form of bathing, fishing and recreation.
1.4 The time for better water is now!
Time for better water! Photography: Jörgen Naalisvaara
The management of Sweden’s common waters is now entering a new phase. From
focusing on circling in and describing the problems, all of us – both water autho-
rities and other stakeholders – need to focus on increasing the tempo of work with
measures. It is time for better water!
–4–W ater management framework in S weden
2 Water management framework in Sweden
Water management is carried out in accordance with the EU Water Framework
Directive (Directive 2000/60/EG) which has been implemented in Swedish law
through the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (SFS 2004:660) on the ma-
nagement of the quality of the water environment. The directive means that the
same regulations apply to everyone, and that assessment is made in the same way in
all European waters. The framework directive is based on two pillars: to safeguard
natural plant and animal life in water and to secure the supply of clean water for the
production of drinking water.
The European model means that water resources are to be managed in the river
basins and water districts, since water moves according to natural boundaries and
not within national, county or municipal borders. This makes both influencing and
improvement measures a matter for everyone jointly. That in turn requires coopera-
tion across borders and an overall approach to all water, groundwater, surface water
and coastal water. To achieve optimum benefit, environmental and socio-economic
aspects are to be weighed into management.
A further cornerstone in the Water Framework Directive is cooperation – to secure
a local consensus and understanding and for decisions to be made close to those af-
fected. Both knowledge of local conditions and people’s commitment and collective
driving force are to be utilised. When decision-makers and local opinion have the
same goals and pull in the same direction, the greatest effect is achieved.
Sweden is divided into five different water districts, based on the borders of the ma-
jor sea basins and catchment areas, which means that the 21 counties and 290 muni-
cipalities can be a part of more than one district. The County Administrative Board
of Norrbotten is commissioned to be the water district authority for the Bothnian
Bay water district. Three of the districts additionally share water with Norway, and
the Bothnian Bay water district shares the River Torne with Finland.
Water management is run cyclically, where new knowledge and the effects of mea-
sures contribute to continuous improvement. The work method also gives prepa-
redness for taking on new challenges, for example climate change or changed social
structure. Therefore, all included components are updated and revised every six
years (Figure 1.1).
–5–W ater management framework in S weden
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_ _ _
2004 2009 2010 2016 2017 2021
Figure 1.1. Water management is an iterative process – every six-year period sees a repeat of the
phases monitoring, status assessment, analysis of impact and risk of deteriorating status, as well as
an appraisal of economic prospects and consequences. At the end of each six-year cycle, the water
district board decides on the management plan, programme of measures and environmental quality
standards for the coming period. Through cooperation with other stakeholders, the water manage-
ment work leads to measures to improve water to enable compliance with the environmental quality
standards.
2.1 The water district board decides
For every water district authority there is a special water district board tasked with
deciding on environmental quality standards, programme of measures and manage-
ment plans. The delegation comprises expert members appointed by the government
for a fixed term. The members each have a personal mandate based on their experti-
se in different areas, hence they are not representatives of the organisations by which
they are employed. The delegation is chaired by the County Governor at the county
administrative board that constitutes the water district authority.
–6–W ater management framework in S weden
2.2 The water district authorities coordinate work
Each water district authority has an office which prepares cases for the water delega-
tion, coordinates the county administrative boards producing documentation, and
collaborates with affected parties at all levels from the local to the international level.
All the county administrative boards within a water district are commissioned to as-
sist the water district authority with status class of the water and different types of
documentation. In practice, there is close cooperation between counties and water
authorities both within and between districts.
There are significant links between water management and the fifteen national envi-
ronmental objectives, the Environmental Code, the Planning and Building Act, the
Food Act, the Heritage Act and other regulations, which requires work to be done
on a broad front. A successful outcome of water management is therefore dependent
on many stakeholders. The large number of stakeholders that are affected at central,
regional and local level is one of the reasons why cooperation is central to water ma-
nagement.
2.3 Parliament and the government legislate, control and
allocate funds
Water management, like all public administration, is carried out within the fram-
ework of the Swedish legislation. The water framework directive and the associated
EU acts have been fully implemented in Sweden, thus acting as foundation for the
water district authority and further consideration to EU legislative aspects. As re-
gards conditions for implementing different measures, the water district authority’s
analyses of status, pressures and impacts, prospects of temporal exceptions or less
stringent demands can lead to the judgement that there is a need for new or changed
instruments to achieve necessary improvement measures within the given time fram-
ework. Most of these instruments can be implemented by state authorities or mu-
nicipalities and the objectives can often be addressed within the framework of the
programme of measures. In other cases, it can be a question of the need for changed
or new instruments that need to be decided by parliament or the government. The
water district authority then has no formal possibility to address the issues within
the framework of its decision-making document, but these must then be dealt with
in other contexts.
The same applies to issues that primarily lie within the government’s jurisdiction,
such as control and allocation of funding to state authorities. The water authorities
can identify issues with, for example, the need for changed instructions or juris-
dictions for different authorities, or the need for changed or increased funding in
different areas. There is however no possibility for the water district authority to
decide on such matters, which must instead be dealt with through dialogue with the
affected authorities and the government. It must however be noted that the govern-
ment of course can control and influence the work of the water authorities through
instructions, appropriation directions and allocation of funding to the county admi-
nistrative boards which are water authorities.
–7–W ater management framework in S weden
It is apparent from the recently completed government examination (see section 6.2)
of the water district authority’s programme of measures that the government can
influence the implementation of water management in a more direct way. By giving
guidelines for the continued work of the water district authority with programme of
measures 2016-2021, the government has given the water district authority clear gui-
dance regarding the contents of the programme of measures.
2.4 State authorities have responsibility for different
parts
The county administrative boards are particularly important in water management,
since they have broad regional responsibilities involving several roles, preparing, ad-
vising and implementing. Through among other things monitoring, examining, plan-
ning, advising informing, supervising, intelligence gathering, dialogue and economic
contributions, the county administrative boards contribute to attainment in water
management.
Since 2011, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management has special re-
sponsibility to be driving, supportive and coordinating in Sweden’s marine, water
and fishery management. The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management
produces regulations controlling how water management is to be implemented as
regards surface water, while The Geological Survey of Sweden has corresponding
responsibility for groundwater.
Many other authorities have significant areas of responsibility affecting water ma-
nagement. Several authorities have sectoral responsibility for measures in the pro-
gramme of measures or for drafting intelligence documentation which is important
for implementing the programme of measures. Some examples of such authorities:
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrologi-
cal Institute, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, Swedish Forest Agency, Swe-
dish Board of Agriculture, the National Food Agency, National Board of Housing
Building and Planning and Energy Agency.
2.5 The municipalities have several different roles
Sweden’s municipalities have several important roles in the work as implementers of
water management and the programme of measures, as well as running operations.
There are water-related issues in many aspects of municipal activities, most ob-
viously in for example planning and building processes, exploitation, environmental
supervision, nature conservation, drinking water supplies and sewage management.
The emergency services also deal with water issues, for example the management of
flooding and acute environmental hazards.
2.6 Cooperation – a success factor for the work
In managing water, and in work to turn instruments into concrete measures in the
environment, municipalities play a key role through their broad range of responsibi-
–8–W ater management framework in S weden
lities. The river basin perspective is a precondition for successful water management
and the water authorities therefore strive to develop cooperation between authorities
and municipalities – and cooperation between municipalities. Continued work is
about further developing and strengthening this cooperation. The specially appoin-
ted municipal water politicians are an important link in the chain in this context,
which hopefully will contribute to putting water issues on the political agenda and
enable cooperation on water issues.
2.6.1 Water councils are the local connection
Water councils are a forum for cooperation between all who are interested in water
issues. The local knowledge added by the water councils in the Bothnian Bay water
district has been a key factor in producing good results. Water council areas can co-
ver one or more river basins, either inland or on the coast. Water council members
can represent the general public, special interest organisations, municipalities and
companies. They have no formal decision-making role, but support and provide
information for the work and priorities of water management. Since water manage-
ment should be based on local conditions in different catchment basins and coastal
areas, water councils and other special interest organisations are important for local
knowledge, sharing information and achieving consensus. In the Bothnian Bay water
district there are 12 water councils, 2 of them are coastal water councils.
There are contacts at the county administrative boards for each individual water
council, to give support and to be able to channel back information and views to the
authorities. The county administrative boards’ and municipalities’ continued parti-
cipation in the councils will remain among the most important cooperation forms on
the part of the local and regional authorities in water management work during the
cycle 2016-2021.
More information about water councils can be found on the water district authori-
ties’ website, or www.vattenorganisationer.se.
2.6.2 Other stakeholders
There are many other stakeholders who have important missions in water mana-
gement. There are volunteer organisations which in one way or another work with
water issues. There are companies whose work focuses mainly on water issues, and
there are consultants who are specialised in water issues. Most industries have some
sort of impact on water quality and/or use water as a resource in their processes. In
agriculture for example, the project Focus on Nutrients (Greppa näringen) (2011)
with 10,000 members in southern and central Sweden has offered farmers advice and
instruments to enable cost-effective environmental and climate measures. It is the
county administrative boards that administrate and lead operations in their respec-
tive counties in cooperation with among others the Federation of Swedish Farmers
and The Swedish Board of Agriculture.
–9–W ater management framework in S weden
The Bothnian Bay Water District shares waters with Finland and Norway. In addi-
tion to this the northern water districts in the three countries have recurring coope-
ration meetings around North Calotte. The purpose has been to share information
and improve coordination of water management in the cross-border district.
2.7 The instruments of water management
In every management cycle, the state of water deposits is analysed and described.
The descriptions are based among other things on data from monitoring and dif-
ferent types of analysis. Based on the state of the water environments and the im-
pact to which the water has been exposed, a programme of measures is drafted in
dialogue with other stakeholders. For each water body, a proposal is made on which
quality requirements should apply, that is to say, which environmental quality stan-
dard the water should meet. At the end of each cycle, the water district board adopts
a programme of measures, management plan and environmental quality standards,
which become the starting point for work in the subsequent cycle.
The plans and programmes are complemented by two further instruments: information
and dialogue. In Sweden, VISS (http://viss.lansstyrelsen.se/) is used – Water Informa-
tion System Sweden – a national collection point for data and comprehensive mapping
documentation, as support in decision-making, and as documentation for cooperation.
VISS is a database with information about all Sweden’s major lakes, watercourses,
groundwater and coastal waters, and is run by the water authorities on behalf of
the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. In VISS, information is
stored about assessed status and impact, risk assessments, environmental problems,
environmental monitoring, adopted environmental quality standards, and planned
and completed measures for all water bodies. There is also information about the
documentation used in the work and justification for the assessment made. Through
VISS, information is made available to all, from interested members of the public to
experts such as administrators in municipalities and authorities. VISS also functions
as a source and technical platform for Sweden’s reporting of water management to
the EU in accordance with the Water Framework Directive.
2.7.1 River Basin Management plan
When a management cycle ends, a management plan is drafted for the next cy-
cle. The plan summarises the situation after the management cycle and describes
the background and approach to the revision made to the environmental quality
standards and programme of measures. The management plan also indicates the
direction for future work. The descriptions are intended to provide a comprehen-
sive picture: status and usage; impact, goals and quality requirements; measures
and monitoring of our waters. In that way, the plan contributes overviews and un-
derstanding, and can be used as a reference and planning documentation in water
management work by authorities, municipalities, and non-profit organisations. The
management plan is also submitted to the European commission as part of the water
management work in Europe.
– 10 –W ater management framework in S weden
2.7.2 Environmental quality standards
Environmental quality standards are legally binding and are requirements that des-
cribe the desired state of the environment. The standards are thus used to regulate
what environmental quality is to be achieved by a certain point in time after imple-
mentation of the measures which are technically implementable and ecologically
and economically reasonable. All water bodies in lakes, rivers and coastal areas are
the object of environmental quality standards, which lay out which ecological and
chemical status is to be achieved. In the case of ground water, the standards state the
quantitative and chemical status which is to be achieved. If an environmental quality
standard is not being reached, measures need to be implemented based on an overall
picture of impact sources and how their effects can be reduced. In planning, monito-
ring and processing of applications, municipalities and authorities have the principal
responsibility for compliance with the standards.
2.7.3 Programme of Measures
The programme of measures is part of the management plan and instructs what
needs to be done to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards.
The programme is intended for state authorities and municipalities, who in turn are
to implement the measures in their decision-making or in their operations. The aim
of the programme of measures is to show the most cost-effective instruments and
measures, and contains a description of:
• which measures need to be taken
• who is to take the measures (municipalities or one/several state authorities)
• by when the measures need to be implemented
• what sources are causing the problems, and
• the assessed effects and consequences of the measures.
Individual operators and the public are indirectly affected by the decisions made
under the programme of measures. It is therefore important that the programme
includes an analysis of its consequences. In carrying out the programme of measu-
res, dialogue is important. In addition to the authorities and municipalities to whom
the programme of measures is addressed, water councils play a significant role in the
continued discussion on priorities and implementation of local measures in different
parts of the district.
2.7.3.1 Reporting on implementation of the programme of measures
Municipalities and state authorities are asked to give a yearly report to the water aut-
horities on their progress of the implementation of the measures. There are many
good examples which can give inspiration and further development of models for
continued work. The municipalities that have chosen to raise the issue to a political
level have a clearer consensus in work to improve our waters. In the Bothnian Bay
water district, most municipalities have specially appointed water politicians who
have special responsibility to monitor water-related issues. There are even examples
– 11 –W ater management framework in S weden
of municipalities that set the programme of measures as a target for the entire mu-
nicipality. What they have in common is that they have realised that the water issue
is so fundamental in the different operations of the municipality that it cannot be
treated as a separate matter. The issue must truly merge with all municipal opera-
tions so that targets, activities and budgets can be decided – and measures imple-
mented. The work of water councils is particularly significant to the municipalities’
work with measures, since they have local knowledge and local commitment, at the
same time as they function as coordinators across municipal boundaries.
The way towards better water. Photography: Linda Johansson
– 12 –B othnian B ay water district
3 Bothnian Bay water district
Bothnian Bay water district is in the northernmost part of Sweden and is also a cen-
tral part of Sápmi, the Sami country. The district covers 30 river basins in Norrbot-
ten County and most of Västerbotten County where Öre and Ume river basins form
the southern border. In the south it borders the Gulf of Bothnia’s Water District,
whose border runs along the southern boundary of Umeälven and Öre river basins.
The Swedish part of the Torne River basin forms the northern boundary of the di-
strict. Torne River’s entire drainage basin is shared along with Finland and Norway,
and is a so-called international river basin. To the district also includes the coastal
areas of the islands out to 1 nautical mil (1,852 m) outside the baseline (see Map 1).
The total area of vthe district amounts to almost one-third of Sweden’s land area.
The population density in the Bothnian Bay water district is low and close to 500,000
inhabitants are mainly residents of the coastal area. The landscape is characterized
by mountain ranges close to the Norwegian border and large coniferous forests in
the interior that stretches all the way out to the coast. Much of the landscape is af-
fected by forestry producing base resources for the industrial production of pulp,
paper and wood products. Heavy industry in the form of mines and processing of
extracted ore is extensive. Agriculture is mainly concentrated in the areas below the
highest coastline where the presence of fertile soils is common. Reindeer herding is
common the entire district, its own environmental footprint is negligible but it suf-
fers from large scale industrial use of the landscape limiting the access of reindeer
grazing areas and migration routes.
– 13 –1
4
9
7 2
5 3
6
13 8
10
12
11 Huvudavrinningsområden
18 14
15 1 Torneälven 16 Jävreån
2 Keräsjoki 17 Åbyälven
20 17 16 3 Sangisälven 18 Byskeälven
4 Kalixälven 19 Kågeälven
28 19 5 Töreälven 20 Skellefteälven
6 Vitån 21 Bureälven
7 Råneälven 22 Mångbyn Ån
8 Altersundet 23 Kålabodaån
9 Luleälven 24 Rickleån
21 10 Alån 25 Dalkarslån
24 22 11 Rosån 26 Sävarån
23 12 Alterälven 27 Tavleån
13 Piteälven 28 Umeälven
30 26 25 14 Lillpiteälven 29 Hörnån
15 Rokån 30 Öreälven
29 27
Vattendistriktets avgränsning
Gräns för vattenmyndighetens ansvarsområde
0 20 40 80 km
Gräns för avrinningsområde
Internationellt avrinningsområde utanför Sverige
© Vattenmyndigheterna,Länsstyrelsen, Internationellt avrinningsområde i Sverige
SMHI, Lantmäteriet Dnr: 106-2004/188
Map 1. Bothian Bay water district boundaries and its main river basins. Information to the map are taken from VISS 2015-08-15 (www.
viss.lansstyrelsen.se), where detailed maps of Sweden all water bodies can be found.
– 14 –B othnian B ay water district
Bothnian Bay water district is characterized by large valleys, numerous lakes, land
uplift coast - with over 7,000 islands in the archipelago - and brackish seawater. In
the coastal country, wedged between the big alpine rivers are also several smaller
watersheds, forest rivers, which like many tributaries to the big mountain rivers have
their entire catchment area below the tree line. In most of the water district, east of
the mountain chain is yearly runoff between 300-400 mm but locally in the moun-
tain area it can be significantly higher (> 1,200 mm). A large part of the water is
stored as snow and thus arises high flows in the spring. In the mountain rivers, such
as Rivers Kalix and Torne, two flood peaks occur, first in April-May when snow melt
begins in coastal and inland, and then in June, when the snow begins to melt in the
mountains. As in other parts of Sweden it also occurs frequently high flows in late
summer and autumn in conjunction with heavy rainfall and low evaporation.
The number of lakes larger than 1 hectare (0.01 km2) amounts to more than 42,000,
and among these are Sweden’s four deepest lakes, where Lake Hornavan is the
deepest with a depth of 221 meters. The district also embraces Sweden’s clearest
lake, Lake Rissajaure with visibility all the way down to the bottom at a depth of 36
meters. Due to water drainage of sulphide rich clay soils, commonly occurring below
the highest coastline, the district holds Sweden’s most acidic lake, Lake Blåmissu-
sjön, where acidity occasionally can fall as low as pH 3.
3.1 The status of the water
Groundwater, lakes, rivers and coastal waters have been divided into water bodies.
All of them are then assessed according to current ecological, chemical or quantita-
tive status. For the waters that do not reach good status, there is an assessment also
of pressures and impacts, and what environmental problem applies in that particular
water body.
In the Bothnian Bay water district, all groundwater bodies are assessed to have good
chemical status, but some of them risk deteriorating by the year 2021. One ground-
water body is at risk of not having good quantitative status by the year 2021. But
there is also a considerable need of more data and monitoring as regards groundwa-
ter. There are therefore some uncertainty in the assessments.
Of the district’s water bodies in lakes and rivers, about 40 percent are assessed to
have less than good ecological status. Physical alterations, including clearing of
log-driving routes, dams, straightening of rivers and lake draining are the foremost
reasons why good ecological status is not achieved in the district. When building out
large-scale hydro power in three of the main rivers in the district, major physical
changes occurred in the form of surface flooding, retention basins, outlet channels
and dry riverbeds. This has caused many water bodies to be declared heavily modi-
fied water bodies in these rivers.
The problem of eutrophication in the district’s lakes and rivers is not as evident as
in southern Sweden, but locally there may be water bodies with eutrophication pro-
blems. It is foremost coastal areas that are affected, where there is a concentration of
agriculture and urban areas. The problem of acidification is limited to the parts of
– 15 –B othnian B ay water district
the district that are farthest south-east. Locally there may also be problems with spe-
cific pollutants in the district’s lakes and rivers, above all in connection with mining
operations and in coastal areas with leaching from acid sulphate soil. Acid sulphate
soil can also give rise to a distinct acidification impact and leaching of metals into
water environments.
In the Bothnian Bay water district there are more than 7,500 water bodies. More than 4,700 of them
are rivers. Photography: County Administrative Board of Norrbotten
Over one-third of the coastal water bodies in the district are assessed to have less
than good ecological status. A relatively large proportion of coastal water bodies
are affected by eutrophication, but it is above all shallow and less exposed sea inlets
with poor water exchange that are at risk. Also the impact of river basin specific pol-
lutants means that good status cannot be achieved in certain coastal waters that are
adjacent to urban areas or industrial areas with ongoing or discontinued operations.
None of the district’s waters achieve good chemical status, due to the large-scale
and long-range spread of mercury and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
In addition to them, about 50 water bodies in rivers, lakes and coastal waters do not
achieve good chemical status due to the impact of different heavy metals and tribu-
tyltin (TBT).
3.1.1 Monitoring of water in the district
Through monitoring, for example in the form of chemical sampling and biological
mapping of our waters, the basic data to be used to assess the environmental status
– 16 –B othnian B ay water district
of the water bodies are collected. The monitoring programme is partly intended to
enable geographical coverage of the district, but is also focused where the impact is
at its greatest. Currently, the monitoring programme is a compilation of the monito-
ring done by several stakeholders within the county.
In the Bothnian Bay Water District, 15 percent of the surface water bodies are sub-
jected to some kind of monitoring for assessment of the ecological status, and 3
percent of the surface and groundwater bodies are monitored for the assessment of
chemical status. The quantitative status is monitored in 1 percent of the groundwa-
ter bodies. Physical-chemical quality elements are generally monitored to a greater
extent than biological, while monitoring of hydromorphological quality elements
has been seriously infrequent.
The monitoring of our waters must increase in extent to be able to make reliable assessments of sta-
tus and environmental problems. Photography: County Administrative Board of Norrbotten
Of the more than 3,000 water bodies that are assessed to be at risk of not achieving
good ecological status, only 10 percent are under operative monitoring. The relati-
vely low figure is mainly due to the fact that hydromorphological changes are among
the predominant environmental problems in lakes and watercourses in the district,
however there is limited monitoring that can give answers to the effects of this type
of impact.
In the district’s coastal waters, about 60 percent of the water bodies that risk not
achieving good status are being monitored. As regards operative monitoring of che-
– 17 –B othnian B ay water district
mical status, 41 percent of the water bodies at risk of not achieving good chemical
status are being monitored (exclusive of mercury and PBDEs).
In the future, coordination needs to be improved so that the total monitoring input
increases, both to ensure that a correct environmental assessment is made, and to
follow up the effect of implemented measures. A more detailed description of the
monitoring programme for 2009-2015 is presented in Section 3 of the management
plan.
3.2 Environmental challenges in the Bothnian Bay water
district
In a national and European perspective, the Bothnian Bay water district has abun-
dant water resources and the water quality is generally good. However, this does not
mean that the water is unaffected by human activities which have influenced the wa-
ter supply and aquatic animals and plants. Special challenges to be resolved so that
we improve conditions for clean water and functioning ecosystems in the district’s
waters are:
• Hydro morphological impact - to extract energy, achieve better transport
routes, increase production in agriculture and forestry and enable building,
water has been changed so that the spawning and growth areas of fish and
other aquatic organisms have been damaged and are no longer accessible due
to migratory obstacles. Many watercourses in the district are heavily affected
by clearing operations after log driving and in the three major developed ri-
vers, the natural flow variations do not occur. Physical impact in its different
forms is the most common cause in the district for failing to achieve good
ecological status.
• Leaching of metals and acidic substances from sulphide soils in coastal
areas – Sulphurous land is generally widespread in the district below the
so-called highest coastline. As a consequence of it being worked or drained,
water is affected by considerable falls in pH which means that large quanti-
ties of heavy metals and aluminium are dissolved and come into circulation
in the environment. In particular, small watercourses and shallow sea inlets
with poor water exchange, which are also highly important as the spawning
and growth areas on the coast, are in the risk zone.
• Large-scale impact from land-based industries – by area, forestry is the
predominant industry pursued in the district. Since it covers such extensive
areas, it gives rise to such a large total impact on lakes and watercourses,
partly through fertilisation, draining, increased irradiance due to felling and
the effects of driving damage in the ground.
• Leaching of metals from abandoned and ongoing mining operations – mi-
ning operations for the extraction of metal are carried on and have been
carried on a large scale in several parts of the district and there is growing
interest in pursuing extraction operations. The impact from old and existing
mines can be found in many places in the district. Many different measures
– 18 –B othnian B ay water district
have been implemented to reduce the impact of metals on the water environ-
ment, but locally there are still areas under an excessive load, particularly
around old abandoned mines.
• The supply of drinking water needs to be secured – In the district there are
water supplies that lack a water protection area or need their regulations and
the limitations of the protection area revised. In the Bothnian Bay Water
District only slightly more than 10 per cent of the public water supplies have
adequate protection.
In addition, monitoring of the water in the Bothnian Bay needs to be developed and
increased. Monitoring of water is generally in need of a nationwide review and in-
creased coordination. Indeed, there are issues with the monitoring in the Bothnian
Bay water district, simply because it is conducted on a considerably lower scale,
when compared to the rest of the country.
– 19 –M easures for better water
4 Measures for better water
In the programme of measures, the Bothnian Bay water district authority has set
57 measures forming the basis for implementing the physical measures demanded
to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards. The measures are
targeted at authorities and municipalities in their role as authorities, and they are
adapted to each authority’s area of operations and where the authority can make
resolutions.
The Bothnian Bay water district authority finds that there is a demand for compre-
hensive and broad work with measures to comply with the environmental quality
standards. To clarify the link between measures targeted at authorities and munici-
palities and the actual physical measures and their effects in the water environment,
documentation is presented in 13 areas of measures. These are geographical areas
delimited according to water basins. The goal is to show a clear link between status
classing, impact, need for improvement and measures that need to be carried out to
enable compliance with the environmental quality standards.
4.1 Programme of measures
Table 1.1 shows a summary of individual measures targeted at authorities and muni-
cipalities, their objectives, including a short summary describing what is needed in
order to reach the environmental quality standards, as well as their connection to the
national environmental objectives.
– 20 –M easures for better water
Table 1.1. Summary of measures targeted at authorities and municipalities,
and how they are linked to the national environmental objectives.
Measure National environ-
according to mental objec-
Description of measure
action pro- tives
gramme
All authorities All the authorities and municipalities affected in this pro-
and munici- gramme of measures shall no later than February each year,
palities af- beginning in 2018, report to the water district authority which
fected in the measures have been implemented during the preceding calen-
programme of dar year aimed to ensure compliance with the environmental
measures quality standards for water within the fields of operation of the
authority or municipality. Development of the reporting is made
in cooperation with the water authority.
The National National Board of Housing Building and Planning is to guide Flourishing lakes
Board of Hou- county administrative boards and municipalities on physical and streams
sing Building planning in accordance with the Planning and Building Act A Good built
and Planning, (PBL). environment
measure 1 The National Board of Housing Building and Planning needs Good-quality
specially to develop guidance: groundwater
to county administrative boards on scrutinising and review of
local development plans and area regulations for application of
the environmental quality standards for water, and guidance for
the municipal cooperation regarding planning, organising and
other matters according to the Planning and Building Act where
river basins are shared among several municipalities,
to municipalities regarding the application of the environmental
quality standards for water in local development planning and
structure planning,
on how regional water supply plans and other regional plan-
ning documentation can be used in structure planning and local
development planning and in other matters according to the
Planning and Building Act.
The measure shall be taken in such a way as to contribute to
measures being implemented that are needed to enable compli-
ance with the environmental quality standards.
The measure shall be taken in cooperation with the county
administrative boards and central authorities with responsibility
in relevant spheres and/or management areas.
The measures shall be taken no later than June 2018.
Swedish The Surgeon General shall in the supervision of A non-toxic envi-
Armed For- environmentally hazardous operations and other operations in- ronment
ces, Surgeon crease and prioritise supervision so that with regard to the river Good-quality
General, mea- basins perspective it is directed at operations that contribute groundwater
sure 1 to non-compliance with the environmental quality standards for
water or the risk of non-compliance.
contaminated areas, give special priority and make demands on
investigations and measures in areas where necessary in order
to enable compliance with the environmental quality standards
for water.
The measures shall be started immediately and continuously
implemented.
– 21 –You can also read
