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 readily

applicable to policy-makers,

� a

lack of a structure, bringing together those responsible

for 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 be

addressed 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 scientific

information 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.