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The concerted action Harmoni-CA: Facilitating the dialogue and
bridging the gap between research and the WFD implementation
Geo E. Arnold *, Wim J. de Lange, Michiel W. Blind
Institute of Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment (RIZA), Lelystad, The Netherlands
www.elsevier.com/locate/envsci
Environmental Science & Policy 8 (2005) 213–218
Abstract
This paper describes the role of Harmoni-CA, a concerted action supported in the fifth framework of the European research activities in the
field of water (Water Key Action, Environment and Sustainable Development Programme). The objective of Harmoni-CA is to create a forum
for communication, information exchange and harmonizing the use and development of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)-
tools relevant to Integrated River Basin Management Plans (IRBMPs) and the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive
(WFD).
Since end 2003, Harmoni-CA links its activities with those initiated by DG Environment, CIS Working Group B (Integrated River Basin
Management). As a result representatives of DG Env, DG RTD, Harmoni-CA/CatchMod, Joint Research Centre and WG2B leaders drafted a
‘‘scope paper’’ in order to start a discussion on the possibilities for strengthening the cooperation between RTD and those responsible for
implementing the WFD. This paper describes some of the activities as proposed in the scope paper.
# 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Integrated River Basin Management; Concerted action; Harmoni-CA; Information Communication and Technology (ICT); Modelling; Scope
paper; Web-portal; Pilot River Basins; Water Framework Directive (WFD)
1. Introduction
Improving research integration into the policy-making
process remains one of the major challenges in managing
complex environmental problems like water resources
management. Since many years RTD1 activities have paid
more and more attention in incorporating policy relevant
topics in their research agendas. Current RTD projects have
already established operational links with practitioners, in
several catchments/river basins, which allow the needs of
policymakers to be taken into account. Moreover, dedicated
structures (advisory boards) with the presence of several
decision makers have been established in several RTD
projects with a view of discussing project results and their
significance for policy implementation. However, so far the
objective of transferring newly developed tools from the
research community to operational use of the water
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: g.arnold@riza.rws.minvenw.nl (G.E. Arnold).1 Research and Technology Development.
1462-9011/$ – see front matter # 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2005.02.002
managers has not been completely achieved and the efforts
from the different projects are not coordinated.
There appear to be a number of inter-related reasons for
this, e.g.
� a
2
n insufficient dialogue among the scientific and policy-
making communities,
� a
lack of translation of scientific outputs into tools readilyapplicable to policy-makers,
� a
lack of a structure, bringing together those responsiblefor the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) and
WFD2 implementation and the scientists.
It therefore becomes clear that for enhancing the use of
RTD tools in the WFD implementation action is required.
During the past few years, valuable steps have been made
towards closer cooperation between the RTD and WFD
worlds. Several projects supported by DG RTD in FP5 have
end-user and stakeholder involvement. In addition, the
Water Framework Directive.
G.E. Arnold et al. / Environmental Science & Policy 8 (2005) 213–218214
concerted action Harmoni-CA has been established, which
aims to facilitate the specific clustering activities. Harmoni-
CA is also aiming to facilitate the dialogue and help bridging
the gap between research and policy, by synthesising the
available knowledge produced by the various RTD
(CatchMod) projects and facilitating the development and
the use of these methodologies and tools mostly designed to
help all types of actors for a wide variety of tasks in (model-
based) water management.
This paper gives a brief overview from Harmoni-CA’s
role in bridging the gap between research and the WFD
implementation.
Fig. 1. The (FP5) CatchMod cluster: related research efforts with common
objectives.
2. The concerted action Harmoni-CA
The project Harmoni-CA (Harmonised Modelling Tools
for Integrated Basin Management) is a concerted action
aiming at synthesizing available knowledge to support the
use of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)
tools in implementing the WFD. As part of the CatchMod
Cluster3 (see Fig. 1), it facilitates the information exchange
and collaboration between the research projects, but more
importantly, it aims at developing overarching, broadly
supported harmonized synthesis reports on various aspects
of using ICT-tools in the development of Integrated River
Basin Management Plans. For this purpose, it involves
participation beyond the CatchMod research.
Harmoni-CA’s strategy is mainly based on the fact that
much expertise relevant to the objectives of Harmoni-CA is
already available or will be developed in ongoing projects.
To achieve the main objectives, this expertise needs to be
elaborated and harmonized. Though much of the work
involves ICT-tools, Harmoni-CA is not about ICT-tools as
such but is about harmonization and guidance on develop-
ment and use of ICT-tools.
A second aim of Harmoni-CA is providing support to the
EU-policy in the area of developing strategies facilitating the
implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the
field of River Basin Management Plans.
A final (long-term) objective of Harmoni-CA is the
formulation of a set of specifications for the continuation and
extension of the communication forum. This task will be
executed by a Communication Services Centre (CSC). A
necessity of the Harmoni-CA CSC is that this organization
supporting the unambiguous communication, information
exchange and harmonization of the use and development of
ICT-tools does not perish with the end date of this concerted
action.
The organization of Harmoni-CA has been structured
around six work packages (Blind and de Lange, 2004):
3 CatchMod is a group of EC FP5 funded projects aiming at development
of ICT-tools and supporting methodologies for Integrated River Basin
Management (IRBM).
The objective of WP1 ‘‘Establishing a communication
forum/Harmoni-CA Management’’ is to build an infra-
structure for exchanging knowledge, to guide the process to
harmonization, and to report on the outcome. The CSC aims
at matching the WFD implementation demands with the
scientific and technological support offers. The WP includes
organization of conferences and workshops.
The objective of WP2 ‘‘Toolbox’’ is to provide easy and
guided access to approved (benchmarked) ICT-tools necessary
for the development of River Basin Management Plans. This
will lead to an open, flexible, ‘‘scientific sound’’ toolbox for
present and future integrated, harmonized ICT-tools. Besides a
harmonization effort on modelling toolboxes, WP2 will work
on tools for calibration, uncertainty assessment etc.
The ‘‘General Methodology and Guidance Documents’’
(WP3) activity delivers science-based guidance documents
for the harmonized application of this methodology and ICT-
tools. This task will serve the development of a harmonized
methodology for integrated river basin water management
under different circumstances across Europe.
The WP4 ‘‘Joint use of monitoring and modelling’’ aims at
bridging the gap between the monitoring community and the
modelling community. Emphasis is put on the need for data
for modelling, data availability and data accessibility. Data
uncertainty and the applicability of data assimilation
techniques will be addressed.
The WP5 ‘‘Integrated Assessment and the science-policy
interface’’ aims to develop and strengthen the science-policy
interface across sectors and spatial boundaries to establish a
dialogue on the requirements for modelling tools and
participatory approaches to implement the WFD.
The WP6 ‘‘Co-ordination ongoing & future RTD-activities’’
aims at increasing the output and benefit of ongoing
research, speeding-up the (re-) use of developed products,
and searching for potential complementarities in ongoing
research. WP6 will consider ongoing and future projects by
facilitating CatchMod workshops.
G.E. Arnold et al. / Environmental Science & Policy 8 (2005) 213–218 215
Put into the perspective of the collaborative planning
process, the six work packages of Harmoni-CA cover the
key aspects of the information process, and the commu-
nication process between the planning and the information
processes (for more information about Harmoni-CA: ww-
w.harmoni-ca.info).
3. Research supporting the WFD implementation
(‘‘Scope paper’’)
Since 2003, in its 2nd year of operation, the CatchMod/
Harmoni-CA consortium (under the umbrella of DG RTD)
started to link its activities with those initiated by DG ENV,
CIS II (via WG2B4). A conference5 held on the linkages
between research and WFD implementation, followed by
presentations and discussions on the same topic at the
WG2B meeting, highlighted some possible areas of
cooperation.
These exchanges also highlighted the fact that Harmoni-
CA could play the role of ‘‘mediator’’ for identifying the
most relevant and readily applicable research projects (not
only CatchMod projects but also other related EU funded
projects like LIFE-projects, etc.) for the WFD implementa-
tion.
As a result representatives of DG ENV, DG RTD,
Harmoni-CA/CatchMod, Joint Research Centre (Ispra) and
WG2B drafted a ‘‘scope paper’’ in order to start a discussion
on the possibilities for strengthening the cooperation
between RTD and those responsible for implementing the
WFD (Arnold and Drafting Group, 2004). This scope paper
contains several topics for collaboration and activities and
products. The aim of the scope paper was getting an
approval from the Strategic Coordination Group for joint
initiatives to improve the interaction between the CatchMod
projects an the WFD implementation. It was presented at the
meeting of the Strategic Coordination Group in May 2004.
3.1. Topics for collaboration between RTD
and WFD implementation
Closer cooperation should be beneficial to both the WFD
and the RTD community. The RTD developers would obtain
an insight into the problems experienced by WFD
implementers, assuring the relevance of their research;
WFD implementers would in turn have the opportunity of
explaining their needs and participating in the development
of solutions, thus assuring the improvement of their tools. To
initiate this discussion it is suggested that a starting point for
closer collaboration would to work on selected case studies,
including the Pilot River Basins (PRBs).
Designing the Programme of Measures (PoM) is one of
the key elements in building up the River Basin Management
4 Working Group 2B of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS).5 First Harmoni-CA Forum & Conference (Brussels, February 2004).
Plan (RBMP) according to the WFD. The planning process
for producing the PoM consists of several consecutive steps,
starting from setting the objectives to the analysis of
alternative ways of reaching them. All these steps call for
making decisions, some of them at a high political level in
the Member States (e.g. new policy interventions for
additional measures). However, in most of the steps policy
decision could utilize support from science and technology:
tools, models, data, information, assessments of different
options, best practices etc.
The scale of various steps and information needs differs.
Some of decision will be made on national level (e.g. many
of the policy interventions), some on local or river basin
district level. Thus, different RTD projects have a different
role in the process, and their contribution within the
planning process of PoM will be identified and presented to
the Strategic Coordination Group (SCG), Water Directors
and national and river basin authorities.
This calls for a joint action from the research community
to establish a joint framework for presenting the results of
individual projects in a WFD-related framework describing
the potential use of the project results within the WFD-
implementation process. All relevant CatchMod projects are
willing to participate in planning and implementing the
overall framework. Harmoni-CA is there to facilitate this
work, co-designing or co-producing any of the deliverables
that go therein (Fig. 2).
3.2. Activities and products
To take the discussion forward, the following initial
activities and products are proposed.
3.2.1. Linking WFD requirements and RTD products
Requirements in tools arising from CIS process, from
the experiences of the PRBs and other river basin studies,
and from other needs identified within the WFD imple-
mentation will be specified. It is proposed that Harmoni-CA
will carry out an inventory of the various needs of tools,
and when completed, the needs will be matched with the
tools developed by RTD projects in the ‘CatchMod-
cluster’. Harmoni-CA will also list the RTD products,
which have a potential role in supporting WFD implementa-
tion, a time schedule, at which they will be available
and which training services are available to familiarize
those responsible for the WFD implementation with the
RTD products.
Fig. 2. The role of Harmoni-CA between WFD and applied research.
G.E. Arnold et al. / Environmental Science & Policy 8 (2005) 213–218216
3.2.2. Building of a web-portal
Harmoni-CA initiated building a web-portal that will
serve different user groups. First the public, local authorities
and stakeholders are addressed by providing basic informa-
tion on specific features of the WFD (e.g. environmental
objectives, water body delineation, economics, river basin
management plans, monitoring, programme of measures
etc.). Secondly, the portal will address the operational
managers, methods and technology providers and WFD
implementers. The portal gives access to guidance, best
practices, tools, methods and technologies on specific WFD
issues (e.g. characterisation, modelling, river basin manage-
ment, compliance testing, measure effectiveness etc.). A link
with practical RTD/LIFE applications is also be ensured.
Finally, the portal focuses on specific scientific information
for policy officers, RTD managers and scientific stake-
holders, providing access to relevant scientific information.
The Web-portal can be seen as a first step towards a
sustainable communication process. This requires quick
links to any contact persons.
3.2.3. Close cooperation within Pilot River Basins
A key step forward will be to establish close co-operation
between CatchMod/Harmoni-CA projects and the PRB-
exercise. Already at present six PRBs are used by
CatchMod-cluster projects (namely Shannon, Odense,
Jucar, Pinios, Guadiana and Somos). An information flow
will be established from the river basin managers to the
research community (eliciting specific questions related to
the WFD implementation) and from research back to river
basins (highlighting successful methods that could readily
be used in the river basins). During the process of WFD
implementation, there is first a need of simple screening
tools, with little data-requirements. Later on in the process,
when the PoM has to be elaborated, most certainly also more
complicated process oriented tools are crucial.
4. Web-portal
Since April 2004, Harmoni-CA is developing a web-
portal focussing on levels 2 and 3. Level 1 will be managed
by DG Environment. The web-portal will be supported by
Harmoni-CA, acting as a portal for information exchange for
persons at level 2 and 3, respectively.
In the organisation of the development of the web-portal,
three different information levels are distinguished (Que-
vauviller et al., 2005):
(1) T
Fig. 3. Information flow.
he first level contains ‘‘simple’’ information for the
public and local authorities/stakeholders related to
specific features of the WFD (e.g. environmental
objectives, water body delineation, economics, river
basin management plans, monitoring, programme of
measures etc.). This can be developed as an extension of
the WFD Europe Website.
(2) T
he second level containing ‘‘toolboxes’’ will beaddressed to operational managers, methods and
technology providers and WFD implementers; it gives
access to guidance, best practices, methods and
technologies on specific WFD issues (e.g. characterisa-
tion, modelling, river basin management, compliance
testing, measure effectiveness etc.) and will be
developed through a common information platform
among Harmoni-CA and Pilot River Basins. A link with
practical RTD/LIFE applications could also be ensured.
(3) T
he third level will focus on specific scientificinformation for policy officers, RTD managers and
scientific stakeholders, providing access to scientific
information in a ‘‘policy-formatted’’ way (e.g. RTD
programmes, FP5/FP6 projects, national projects, LIFE
projects). This level can be developed as an extension of
a ‘‘WFD corner’’ of the Harmoni-CA website, establish-
ing links with the WFD Europe website.
A major aim of the web-portal is to open up the kno-
wledge available all over Europe in such a way that it ap-
peals to the people working on the actual implementation
and directly links to the problems and questions they are
dealing with. The web-portal will be supported by people of
the Harmoni-CA’s Communication Services Centre (CSC)
in order to assist the linkage between support and demand.
Direct questions will be forwarded to the appropriate per-
sons as well as gaps in available tools, information, kno-
wledge will be translated into possibilities for future
developments.
Harmoni-CA will also identify proper interfaces between
the research products and WFD implementation, translate
scientific information into solutions applicable for manage-
ment purposes policies, and facilitate the Web-based
availability of tools for the WFD implementation.
Designing the Programme of Measures (PoM) is one of
the key elements in building up the Integrated River Basin
G.E. Arnold et al. / Environmental Science & Policy 8 (2005) 213–218 217
Fig. 4. Mapping support and demand.
Management Plan (IRBMP) according to the WFD. The
planning process for producing the PoM consists of several
consecutive steps, starting from setting the objectives to the
analysis of alternative ways of reaching them. All these steps
call for making decisions, some of them at a high political
level in the Member States (e.g. new policy interventions for
additional measures). However, in most of the steps policy
decision needs support from science and technology: tools,
models, data, information, assessments of different options,
best practices etc.
The Harmoni-CA project will identify and list the
research requirements arising from CIS Guidance Docu-
ments and the experiences of the Pilot River Basins
regarding the WFD implementation. Once this inventory
is made, it will be matched with the tools developed by RTD
projects in the ‘CatchMod-cluster’ and other relevant
projects. Harmoni-CA will also list the RTD products that
can be used immediately, that need minor adjustments and
those that need further development.
Fig. 3 shows the main idea behind the web-portal. The
information flow consists of offers (tools and methodologies
from research and ICT technology) and experiences
(documents from Pilot River Basins (PRBs), toolboxes on
quality of models, etc.). These will be confronted with
the key-issues derived from the WFD and the guidance
documents (GDs) in order to determine the relevant
support to the demands from water managers and WFD
implementers. The CSC will actively manage the informa-
tion flow.
In the web-portal, the available information is structured
along the triangle of ‘‘offers’’, ‘‘experiences’’ and ‘‘key-
issues’’. The demand is linked to the information by means
of different mapping functions using different filters and for
different user-focuses (Fig. 4).
The web-portal aims to bring the support to the demand in
such a way that both the demand (WFD implementers) and
the support (research and technology) sides ‘‘feel at home’’
in the terminology, contents, lay-out, etc. of the information
exchange system. The focus is on serving different user
groups, e.g. ‘‘research and development’’ and ‘‘water
managers and WFD implementers (operational water
managers)’’. An extension of number user groups is
foreseen for the future.
The web-portal has a limited scope; it will present
existing information that is available on external websites
rather than re-store, re-invent or re-develop sources of
information. The information will be at a general level of
abstraction, without going into technical details. Detailed
information will be made available through linkages with
other websites/sources of information.
The web-portal aims to remain working after Harmoni-
CA/CatchMod is finished, which will be illustrated by its
name being independent of Harmoni-CA/CatchMod.
5. Time frame
In 2005, the web-portal will be fully operational for
information resources and user focuses as mentioned in this
paper. In 2006, an extension is foreseen for other sources
(e.g. LIFE) as well as for other user groups.
References
Arnold, G., cing Group, (2004). Research Supporting the WFD Implemen-
tation. ‘Mutual gains from cooperation’ (scope paper), Lelystad, The
Netherlands.
Blind, M., de Lange, W., 2004. CatchMod Flyer. Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Lange, W. et al. 2004. Summary Report—Harmoni-CA Forum & Con-
ference: Understanding Each Other’s Demand and Support for Imple-
menting the WFD, Harmoni-CA Forum & Conference, Brussels,
Belgium
Quevauviller, Ph., Balabanis, P., Fragakis, C., Weydert, M., Oliver, M.,
Kaschl, A., Arnold, G., Kroll, A., Galbiati, L., Zaldivar, J.M., Bidoglio,
G., 2005. Science-policy integration needs in support of the implemen-
tation of the EU Water Framework Directive. Environ. Sci. Pol. 8, 203–
211.
G.E. Arnold et al. / Environmental Science & Policy 8 (2005) 213–218218
Geo E. Arnold, MSc, Geohydrology (Wageningen University) is senior
project Engineer at RIZA and co-ordinator Harmoni-CA. He is responsible
for the overall and external co-ordination of Harmoni-CA and involved as
observer in CIS working group 2B. In IWAC (UNECE) he is, as programme
co-ordinator, responsible for the groundwater programme. In this function
he is member of the ISARM (Internationally Shared (Transboundary)
Aquifer Resources Management) working group under the umbrella of
UNESCO-IAH-FAO-UNECE., Geo Arnold is involved in both national
implementation of the WFD and member of the Groundwater Expert Group
of the Rhine Delta.
Wim J. de Lange, PhD (Civil Engin., Delft Univ of Technology) is senior
project manager at RIZA and vice-co-ordinator of Harmoni-CA. He is
responsible for the internal co-ordination of Harmoni-CA and involved in
many issues regarding harmonisation of methods, ICT-tools and models on
issues relevant for the implementation of the WFD. He is involved in
national and regional studies related to groundwater issues supporting water
management at both strategic level and in implementation. He initiated and
is responsible for the Dutch NAtional GROundwater Model NAGROM
including the ICT-tools and model parameters and as such he is experienced
in modelling of large domains at sub-river basin scale as part of the Dutch
integrated national modelling system PAWN (Policy Analysis for Water
Management in the Netherlands).
Michiel W. Blind, MSc, Integrated Water Manag., (Department of Env.
Sciences, Wageningen University) is project manager at RIZA, responsible
for the development of the Dutch national IT-framework for modelling in
Integrated Water Management (Generic Framework Water). As such he is
heavily involved in tuning various ongoing projects within RIZA and
within the Netherlands, which relate to the Generic Framework Water
development. Besides managing the more technical implementation of an
open framework, Michiel Blind is involved in developing agreements on
shared use of models and data and application of good modelling practice in
water management. Michiel Blind is directly involved in the HarmonIT
project, and contributed in the preparation of several other European
projects.
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