Management Strategies for the Protection of High Status Water Bodies

Summary: STRIVE Report 99 - Bernadette Ní Chatháin et al.

The EPA has highlighted, as a key concern, the decline in high ecological quality river sites.  Such waters are indicators of largely undisturbed conditions and reflect natural background status or only minor distortion by anthropogenic influences. 
The EPA commissioned research in this area to

• review existing legislation relevant to the protection and management of high status sites
• review international best practice on protecting these sites; and
• recommend new approaches to ensuring that high status water bodies remain at high status.

The report proposes key strategies to protect & manage high status waters.