Aims and ambitions
The project will develop a computer based model that can determine emission sources, map the pathway of emissions to surface waters and generate emission maps at high spatial resolution. The model will support authorities with monitoring and reporting.
A computer based model that combines emission data from diffuse and point sources with mathematical algorithms will be developed. This model will:
- determine the significant emission sources and create a transparent inventory of all significant emissions, discharges and losses to water bodies caused by human activities.
- simulate the pathways of the pollutants from sources to sinks and quantify the importance of the flows in various nodes of the transport route.
- generate gross (prior to treatment) and net (after treatment) emission maps at high spatial resolution (under 1 ha).
- provide authorities with new methodologies and techniques that will assist in accurate estimation of sources of emissions and their contributions to the pollution of the surface waters.
- support authorities in their monitoring and reporting obligations and integrate the data to be collected in the framework of their mandatory reporting tasks. E.g.:
- Water Framework Directive (WFD)
- Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD)
- European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Regulation (E-PRTR)
- Water Information System for Europe (WISE)
- monitor compliance with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive to stop and decrease pollution.
- analyse trends in emission and assist in formulating (spatially explicit) mitigating measures.
- close remaining gaps in the knowledge of emission of certain pollutants.
