Action area ‘WATER QUALITY’ – activities contributing to achievement of ambition ‘Water quality is known’

Open for comments until 25 May 2021Extended to 31 May 2021Leave your comment(s) below

A Logical Framework methodology was used to design a holistically consistent structure of goals, outcomes that leads to achievement of these goals, outputs that together will materialize into desirable outcomes, and finally activities through which outputs will be delivered.

A schematic illustration of resulting proposal is provided in the following figure.

The Table below provides a list of proposed activities grouped by outputs. More details can be found in the following table/document where for some of the activities additional features are proposed (such as responsibility, time, linkages, etc.). The Table is intended to become an integral part of the Action Plan as its annex.

ID

Activity

Description

I.1

Partnership at UN level exists and promotes provision of WQ data from NHSs to existing information systems (such as GEMS, IIWQ, ISI).

I.1.1

Establishing WMO-UNEP-UNESCO partnership/ mechanism on water quality building on the world water quality alliance

Responsibility on Water Quality at UN level is shared between WMO, UNESCO and UNEP. A joint coordinated effort needs to be established. Joint group should establish working procedures and develop its work plan.

I.1.2

WHOS interconnection to GEMS/IIWQ

Water Quality data are registered and shared via WHOS interconnecting National and Global data portals.

I.1.3

Supporting WaterML-WQ development

WaterML-WQ format is further developed and adopted as standard for WQ data transfer and sharing

I.2

Increased NHSs involvement in co-production of water quality related data and products thanks to promotion of IWRM principles.

I.2.1

Water quality training materials development

After identification of the priority needs for training from Members initial training materials activities are developed to reply to the needs.

I.2.2

Supporting building of national partnerships for water quality

Compilation of success stories and good examples (EU, basin organizations, etc.), basic advice on modes of operation for partnerships of various organizations

I.2.3

Support of development of data policies that support water quality monitoring and assessment

Review of essential data definition in the view of needs of water quality assessment

I.2.4

Supporting basin organization in water quality agenda

Compilation of success stories and good examples (EU, basin organizations, etc.), basic advice on water quality monitoring and assessment programmes and action plans

I.2.5

Supporting formulation of the National Water Quality Management Strategy, action plan and monitoring programs (Task #1)

Guidelines supporting  Members in developing complete frameworks for water quality monitoring from definition of strategy, through development of National Water Quality Management Plan/Framework, screening of relevant issues (pollutants, processes etc.) to design and systematic realization of monitoring programmes. Guidance on

I.3

Increased joint water quantity and water quality assessment (monitoring and modelling) for operational management and for planning

I.3.1

Review of state of operational monitoring, modelling and assessment of water quality at Members and basin level

Based on I.2.5 a review of the state of operational monitoring, modelling and assessment of water quality will be done to inform other activities

I.3.2

Development of joint WMO-UNEP-UNESCO strategy to increase water quality assessment availability from Members and basins

SDGs 3.9, 11.6, 12.4, 14.1, 14.2, 6.3, 6.5 are closely related to water quality. Their achievement demands for coordination of effort of all involved UN agencies to aim in their development projects to establish sustainable system of monitoring and assessment of water quality in countries, where such system doesn’t exist yet. Definition of how to best coordinate in this issue needs to be the first step. Should be part of work plan developed under I.1.1

I.3.3

Development of concept paper for inclusion of WQ to HydroSOS

Based on I.3.2 a concept paper on how to enlarge the scope of HydroSOS by Water Quality information made by Members will be developed

I.3.4

Country Profile Data Base  collects basic information on Water Quality monitoring programmes

Optimized structure of information on water quality monitoring and assessment is used for evaluation of performance and needs for development and supporting activities of WMO/UNEP/UNESCO partnership on water quality

I.4

Water quality aspects are included in country support activities/ projects in the spirit of IWRM and in cooperation with other organizations

I.4.1

Partnership with UNEP, UNESCO, UNDP and WB on how to implement water quality aspects to development projects

SDGs 3.9, 11.6, 12.4, 14.1, 14.2, 6.3, 6.5 are closely related to water quality. Their achievement demands for coordination of effort of all involved UN agencies to aim in their development projects to establish sustainable system of monitoring and assessment of water quality in countries, where such system doesn’t exist yet. Definition of how to best coordinate in this issue needs to be the first step.

I.4.2

Definition of minimum requirements/ checklist for water quality aspects to be included in country support activities based on I.4.1

 

I.5

Partnership at UN level delivers co-produced guidelines related to water quality

I.5.1

Establishing WMO-UNEP partnership/ mechanism on guidelines delivery and updating

Responsibility on Water Quality at UN level is shared between WMO and UNEP. Building on existing UNEP work (guidelines) a joint coordinated effort needs to be established to compile guidelines and for operational hydrological services. Joint group should establish working procedures and develop it work plan.

I.5.2

Development of Technical Regulation Annex on water quality

New structure of the Technical Regulation vol.III foresee to develop ANNEX on Water Quality. It shall be developed via mechanism of cooperation between WMO and UNEP (I.4.1).

I.5.3

Development of guidelines according to I.4.1.

Based on identification of joint work group (I.4.1) necessary guidelines supporting NHSs involvement in water quality monitoring and assessment will be developed.

Please comment on the list of activities by answering to the following questions using the “Leave a reply” form at the bottom of this page:

  1. Are any substantial activities missing from your point of view (please keep in mind that, given their nature, they may be also listed under cross-cutting issues)?
  2. Are all listed activities feasible and meaningful?
  3. Do you want to propose some changes to definition, description or other features of individual activities? Please refer to ID of the activity.
  4. Any other comments are welcome as well.

In addition please indicate, using the survey form here below, your preferences concerning the priorities by assigning ‘High priority’ to those activities you consider critical for the Action Plan for Hydrology and which you’d like to promote. At the same time, please assign ‘no priority’ to activities that should be downgraded or dropped from the Action Plan:

This post is open for comments until 25 May 2021 – Extended to 31 May 2021.

Thank you for your inputs!

Comments (7)

  • Johanna Korhonen28 May 2021 at 14h38

    In respect of Water Quality issues, continuous in situ measurements could be mentioned in the action plan. WMO, NMSs, and NHSs have experience in automated measurement systems in meteorology and hydrology. This could be beneficial (e.g. benchmarking, sharing best practices) in improving water quality measurement systems into high-frequency measurements, and for their data quality assurance.

    Some countries state that their NHS is not responsible for water quality issues. However, NHS should still play an important role in bringing national WQ agencies together, sharing information and to be aware of WQ work done by WMO in collaboration with other UN organizations.

  • Viacheslav Manukalo27 May 2021 at 12h00

    New approaches to water quality monitoring have now been introduced in Ukraine. These approaches are based on the provisions of the European Water Framework Directive. There was a redistribution of monitoring tasks between agencies. Previously, the HydrometeorologicalSservice had the most extensive network of observations of hydrochemical parameters. The Water Resources Agency is now responsible for this type of observation. At the same time, the Hydrometeorological Service has expanded the programs of observation of hydrobiological characteristics and hydromorphologic monitoring has appeared. In view of the above, Ukraine supports all areas of this section of the Plan and is interested in participating in them.

  • Yashar Falamarzi26 May 2021 at 7h26

    The view of WMO in supporting national and regional hydrological activities is highly appreciated. As it is clear, water quality monitoring is not the responsibility of NMS in the majority of the countries. Thus, collaboration with the related bodies, at national, regional and global levels, is the main challenge in this action area that should be handled carefully.

  • nekooamal25 May 2021 at 8h18

    Nekooamal from Meteorological Organization of Iran
    The Meteorological organizations does not measure water quality in many countries. It is also not defined in their administrative structure.
    Given that water quality is an environmental and expertise issue, it is suggested that the activities of the WMO be limited to cooperation with UNEP-UNESCO and other international institutions in this field.

  • Liudmila Zhuravovich17 May 2021 at 11h03

    National Hygrological Services Republic of Belarus is not engaged in water quality.

  • Marcelo Uriburu Quirno11 May 2021 at 21h48

    I.1
    WHO is a key stakeholder in WQ issues to be considered.

    I.2.5
    Ensure water quality monitoring programmes provide a solid foundation for the elaboration of environmental baseline studies and environmental impact assessments for infrastructure projects (the aquatic environment chapter). Surveillance programmes may also be required, for operational purposes, by environmental management programmes during the project phases of construction, operation and decommissioning.

  • Ram Yerubandi11 May 2021 at 14h50

    I think there is a lot of work being done in UNESCO-IHP on water quality. WMO should work with them if they really want to influence the activities and make a difference.

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