title: Assessing reference conditions and physico-chemical status according to the European Water Framework Directive: a case-study from the Basque Country (Northern Spain).
abstract: The European Water Framework Directive requires the development of new and accurate methodologies, addressing the assessment of the physico-chemical status of transitional and coastal waters; these are considered by the Directive as the supporting elements for the final evaluation of the Ecological Quality Status. This contribution develops new approaches in the determination of the physico-chemical status, solving some problems detected in previous contributions, i.e.: (a) fitting the classification of water bodies and typologies, by means of the stretching of the typologies, according to the natural salinity gradient of types; (b) defining reference conditions, based upon the new approach to typologies, (c) proposing accurate multivariate methodologies, in determining the physico-chemical status of the transitional and coastal waters, based upon the defined typologies and references; and (d) discussion of the results obtained by reference to methodological aspects and water quality evolution in the Basque Country, Spain (as a case-study), during the last decade.
authors.affiliation: AZTI-Tecnalia, Marine Research Division, 20110 Pasajes, Spain. jbald@pas.azti.es
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bald
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borja
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Muxika
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valencia
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005060:Europe; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D011786:Quality Control; D012016:Reference Values; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D013030:Spain; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants