Working GroupF / Memo
Relationships between Floods Directive and INSPIRE activities and implementation
Document History
06/10/09 V. 1.0 Drafted by MStj
21/10/09 V. 1.1 Comments by MB
22/10/09 V. 1.2 Final draft by MStj
Introduction
The INSPIRE Directive focuses on providing Europe with better and more harmonized spatial data services, including a harmonization of data specifications, metadata and network services. The INSPIRE directive cameinto force on May 15th 2007 and is currently in the phase of developing implementation rules.
The Floods Directive came into force on Nov. 26th 2007 and is currently in the implementation phase. The Floods directive specify own reporting requirements while also benefitting from the requirements and procedure set out for the Water Framework Directive.
The Water Framework Directive cameinto force in 2000 and in 2010 the first cycle of reporting on River Basin Management plans will be finalized[1]. The WFD and the Floods directive requires the MemberState to report spatial data to the EC as a part of the implementation in accordance with art. 3, art. 4-5, art.6, art. 7, art. Art.13 and art. 14. An overview of the spatial data sets for WFD can be found in Guidance document No 22[2]:"Updated WISE GIS Guidance" on Implementing the Geographical Information System (GIS) Elements of the EU Water Policy. The Guidance needs still to be update in the form of an Annex 13.4. on GIS Guidance for reporting of the Floods Directive?
The WFD, Floods Directive and INSPIRE directives are related in that the spatial data requested by the WFD and Floods directive is also a part of the data themes for which data specifications are to be developed by INSPIRE. Furthermore, the reporting WFD guidelines specify that metadata according to the WISE profile should be includedas part of the reporting. This note intends to provide an overview of the activities and processes, where the working groups of the WFD and Floods directive can provide important inputs to the INPIRE process andshow the deadlines when INPIRE could impacts the reporting specifications of Floods directive.
It should be noted that this note does not intend focus on themes outside the reporting requirements of the Floods Directive, but as they are highly relevant for the Floods Directive, these will be included in the overview. The INSPIRE specification process for Annex II / III themes cover spatial datasets regarding e.g. land cover, soil, elevation etc. which is highly relevant for the assessment of e.g. flood risks and floods management plans. An overview of the themes covered by INSPIRE Annex II/III themes can be found in annexes of this document.
It should be noted that the “Updated WISE GIS Guidance Document” was developed in parallel and close collaboration with the INSPIRE Thematic Working Group on Hydrography. The INSPIRE consultation has, however, extended beyond the final endorsement of the GIS guidance document by the Water Directors in November 2008. Minor misalignments with WFD requirements may thus have developed with the most current INSPIRE data specification for Hydrography version 3[3]. Data specification for Protected Sites[4] is also relevant and available.
A brief overview of the INSPIRE Implementing Rules (IR) specification process
The INSPIRE Directive[5] is implemented in various stages, with a full implementation by 2019. To ensure that the spatial data infrastructures of the Member States are compatible and usable in a Community andtrans-boundary context, the Directive requires that common Implementing Rules (IR) are adopted in a number of specific areas (Metadata, Data Specifications, Network Services, Data and Service Sharing and Monitoring and Reporting). These IRs are adopted as Commission Regulations/Decisions. The Commission is assisted in the process of adopting such rules by a regulatory committee composed by representatives of the Member States and chaired by a representative of the Commission (this is known as the Comitology procedure).
The Directive addresses 34 spatial data themes needed for environmental applications. The 34 spatial data themes are described in three annexes, which content is available as an annex to this document. A more exhaustive description of the 34 spatial themes can be found in INSPIRE document “D2.3 Definition of Annex Themes and scope v3.0”[6]
The specifications of INSPIRE IR include the following main topics of interest for FD:
Specification of metadata creation and updating (IR adopted Dec 3rd 2008)
Specification of web services for discovery, view, transformation and download services (IR expected to be adopted partly in Dec 2009 and partly in 2010)
Specification of Annex I spatial data, including Hydrography(IR expected to be adopted in 2010)
Specification of Annex II and Annex III themes (to be submitted to the INSPIRE committee on May 15 2012.)
The Metadata IR covers metadata for the purpose of discovery and evaluation of data and can be considered the “standard INSPIRE metadata profile”. Data specifications and the IR hereof can extend the Metadata IR with theme specific metadata elements. The Data specification for Hydrography v. 3.0 extends the “standard INSPIRE metadata profile”. The WISE metadata profile include the standard INSPIRE metadata profile and cover the majority of the metadata elements from DS Hydrographyv. 3.0. The WISE metadata profile will not be updated for the upcoming art. 13 reporting.
Selected elements of INSPIRE Roadmap
Topic / Specification starts / Adoption of IR / Implementation deadline for the Member StatesMetadata for Annex I and II / 3 Dec 2008 / 24 Dec 20101
Annex I data / 2008 / Submission Dec 2009. Adoption in 2nd half of 2010 / June 20122,3
June 20172,4
Discovery and View services / 2008 / Dec 2009 / Oct 20112
Download and transformation services / 2008 / 2010 / June 20122
Annex II / Oct 2009 / 15 May 2012 / Jan 20152,3
May 20192,4
Annex III / Oct 2009 / 15 May 2012 / Jan 20152,3
May 20192,4
Notes:
- Do not includethe theme specific metadata
- Deadline is dependent on the date of adoption of the IR
- For newly collected and extensively restructured spatial data sets. As reporting can be subject to re-designing, even a date of 1 year after adoption of IR could be relevant for integration in WISE implementation
- For other(not newly collected or extensively restructured) spatial data sets
The development of Annex II and III theme specifications
The development of the INSPIRE Annex II and III specifications will start early 2010 following the formation of new TWG’s. The extent of the Annex II and III themes coverage is certainly both wider and has more complex interrelations than the Annex I themes. JRC sees WISE TG as a partner in the process to ensure a coherent implementation, exploiting the already developed domain knowledge. It may be valuable that MS identify and propose own water policy domain experts either through their LMOs (Legally mandated organizations) or through the SDIC WISE (Spatial Data Interest Community). However WG F(as well as WG D) is invited to take active part in the process of development of guidance documents and Implementing rules of Inspire to ensure consistency with WISE.
9-10-2009 / JRC call for SDICs and LMOs expression of interest to participate in the development of data specifications for Themes of Annex II and III with candidate domain experts.1February 2010 / Effective start of thematic workgroups (TWG)
2011 / Consolidation, improvement and test of specifications
May 2012 / Adoption of IR for Annex II and III
Note:
1Here the action from WISE community is needed and it is proposed that WISE TG nominates one or more representatives to the relevant groups to ensure that WISE and Water community interests in Inspire process will be reflected
Overview of Floods Directive activities and reporting deadlines
Date / Activity / Report / Impact to/ from INSPIRE22-12-2009 / Technical reporting format for preliminary flood risk assessments ready / Geographical reporting of areas of potential significant flood risk to be reported, as well as spatial information of past floods[7].
26-5-2010 / Art. 3.2 Report Competent authorities and Units of management if different from WFD / No change in format for reporting, similar to WFD includes Area Management units.
22-12-2010 / Transitional measures, deadline date of availability. / Transitional measures to be requested by Commission.
22-12-2011 / Technical reporting format for flood hazard maps and flood risk maps ready / The reporting specifications should be in line with the proposal from the TWG Natural Risk zones.
22-03-2012 / Art 4 reporting preliminary flood risk assessments (Past floods, potential significant flood risks) reporting deadline / See above for PFRA.(22.12.2009)
22-12-2013 / Technical reporting format for flood risk management plans ready / The reporting specifications should be in line with the proposal from the TWG Natural Risk zones.
22-03-2014 / Art, 6 Flood hazard maps, Flood risk maps deadline reporting / According to early version of INSPIRE specifications if possible. Interim short term reporting format to be agreed for the first cycle, with full INSPIRE compliance second cycle.
22-03-2016 / Art. 7 Flood risk management plans deadline reporting. / See above for FRMP(22.12.2013). According to INSPIRE specifications
Overview of Floods Directive and WFD spatial datasets and their link to INSPIRE Annexes (II, III)
The following tables provide an overview of the spatial data identified in the FD and the work of the Common Implementation Strategy. A complete overview of all water policies is being prepared for the SCG and will be made available for WG F when ready. First column identifies the spatial data (feature classes) to be provided by FD and WFD, second column identify the INSPIRE annex number, INSPIRE theme name. The third column note the current status of INSPIRE work. For annex II/III themes the work will generally speaking start in early 2010 after the TWGs have been formed. The “Updated WISE GIS guidance” together with WFD reporting guidelines has for WFD feature classes been provided as reference material for the TWG work.
Floods Directive
Feature class / INSPIRE Theme / INSPIRE statusUnit of Management / RBD (FD) / III – Area management /restriction/regulation zones and reporting units / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Areas Potential Significant Flood Risk / III - Natural Risk zones / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Extent of past flooding events / III - Natural Risk zones / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Flood Hazard maps / III - Natural Risk zones / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Flood Risk Maps / III - Natural Risk zones / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
WFD
Feature classes of WFD / INSPIRE Annex and Theme / Status of INSPIRE specificationsRiver Basin Districts / III – Area management/restriction/regulation zones and reporting units / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010Not started
River Basin / I- HY-RiverBasin / Data specification v. 3 ready, awaits adoption in 2010
Main Rivers / I-HY-WaterCourse
I-HY-WFDRiver1 / Data specification v. 3 ready, awaits adoption in 2010
MainLakes / I-HY-StandingWater
I-HY-WFDLake1 / Data specification v. 3 ready, awaits adoption in 2010
Transitional Waters / I-HY-WFDCoastalWater2
or III - Sea regions / Data specification v. 3 ready, may be subject to re-evaluation by the TWG on Sea regions in 2010
Coastal Waters / I-HY-WFDCoastalWater2
Or III - Sea regions / Data specification v. 3 ready, may be subject to re-evaluation by the TWG on Sea regions in 2010
Groundwaters / II – Geology / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Competent Authorities / III – Area management /restriction/regulation zones and reporting units / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
River Water Bodies / I–HY-WFDRiver / Data specification v. 3 ready, awaits adoption in 2010
LakeWater Bodies / I–HY-WFDLake / Data specification v. 3 ready, awaits adoption in 2010
Transitional Water Bodies / I–HY-WFDTransitionalWater2 / Data specification v. 3 ready, may be subject to re-evaluation by the new TWGs in 2010
Coastal Water Bodies / I-HY-WFDCoastalWater2 / Data specification v. 3 ready, may be subject to re-evaluation by the new TWGs in 2010
Ground Water Bodies / I-HY-WFDGroundWaterBody2 / Data specification v. 3 ready, may be subject to re-evaluation by the TWG on Geology in 2010
Drinking Water Protected Areas / III – Area management /restriction/regulation zones and reporting units / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Nutrient-Sensitive Protected Areas3 / III – Area management /restriction/regulation zones and reporting units / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Habitats Protected Areas / I-PS- ProtectedSite / Data specification v. 3 ready, awaits adoption in 2010
Monitoring Sites (Operational, Surveillance, Reference, Groundwater, Chemical) / III – Environmental monitoring facilities / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Drinking Water Abstractions Points from Surface Water / III – Utility and government services / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Sub-units / III – Area management /restriction/regulation zones and reporting units / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Ecoregions / III – Bio-geographical regions / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
WISE SoE Monitoring stations (River, Lake, Quantity, Transitional, Coastal, Marine, Groundwater) / III – Environmental monitoring facilities / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
SoE Groundwater Saltwater Intrusion) / II – Geology / Data specification work should start with the new TWGs in 2010
Note:
- The implementation can use either of the 2 feature classes.
- Candidates – may change with Annex II/III work. The marine water body feature types may change by either the work of TWG Sea Regions or TWG Area management /restriction/regulation zones and reporting units
- Sensitive areas and their catchments falling under UWWT and Nutrient Vulnerable zones falling under NiD.
INSPIRE themes relevant for flood risk assessment, maps or plans
For the assessment of risk and impacts of flood events the following INSPIRE themes can be of relevance depending on the type of flooding in question:
Annex I (Data specifications v. 3 is already available):
Administrative units
Transport networks
Hydrography
Protected sites
Annex II (Data specification work start in Feb. 2010):
Elevation
Land cover
Geology
Annex III (Data specification work start in Feb. 2010):
Statistical units
Buildings
Soil
Land use
Human health and safety
Utility and governmental services
Environmental monitoring facilities
Production and industrial facilities
Agricultural and aquaculture facilities
Population distribution — demography
Area management/restriction/regulation zones and reporting units
Natural risk zones
Meteorological geographical features
Oceanographic geographical features
Energy resources
It is neither intended nor the goal of the INSPIRE directive to take over and organise reporting duties of Member States on EU directives. INSPIRE intends to build an infrastructure that helps to organize and implement reporting structures for decentralized European data structures.
The area of flood risk maps and floods hazards map have not yet come to a mature level with an agreed common structure. In order to allow the TWG to identify the commonalities of such maps all Member States should, if possible provide examples and documentation of their approach as reference material to the INSPIRE Data specification process. The EXCIMAP Handbook on Good practices in Flood mapping, including the Flood map atlas, could service this purpose[8]. Registration of interest and upload of reference material is performed at the INSPIRE web site.
The TWG will need to integrate request from many areas and will try to identify similar patterns in the information. Annex III specifications will most likely be less exhaustive than annex I and II specifications. It is highly likely that the outcome will be a specification which will be more generic and contain fewer mandatory attributes thane.g. the current WFD specifications. It may thus be necessary at a later stage to expand the INSPIRE set of attributes with more Floods specific elements. The specifications may also include a number of voidable attributes. These attributes can be considered “placeholders” for information which may be available in some but not all of the implementations and are included to provide a common data structure if the information is available. WISE specifications may not require theseattributes but may exploit these when available.
Appendix 1: Contents of INSPIRE annexes
INSPIRE Annex I
Coordinate reference systems -Systems for uniquely referencing spatial information in space as a set of coordinates (x, y, z) and/or latitude and longitude and height, based on a geodetic horizontal and vertical datum.
Geographical grid systems -Harmonised multi-resolution grid with a common point of origin and standardised location and size of grid cells.
Geographical names -Names of areas, regions, localities, cities, suburbs, towns or settlements, or any geographical or topographical feature of public or historical interest.
Administrative units -Units of administration, dividing areas where Member States have and/or exercise jurisdictional rights, for local, regional and national governance, separated by administrative boundaries.
Addresses -Location of properties based on address identifiers, usually by road name, house number, postal code.
Cadastral parcels -Areas defined by cadastral registers or equivalent.
Transport networks -Road, rail, air and water transport networks and related infrastructure. Includes links between different networks. Also includes the trans-European transport network as defined in Decision No 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community Guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (1) and future revisions of that Decision.
Hydrography -Hydrographic elements, including marine areas and all other water bodies and items related to them, including river basins and sub-basins. Where appropriate, according to the definitions set out in Directive 2000/60/EC of theEuropean Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (2) and in the form of networks.
Protected sites -Area designated or managed within a framework of international, Community and Member States' legislation to achieve specific conservation objectives.
INSPIRE Annex II
Elevation - Digital elevation models for land, ice and ocean surface. Includes terrestrial elevation, bathymetry and shoreline.