Water Framework Directive Acid Sensitive Waterbodies: Cycle 2 (2014-2019)

A spatial polygon dataset collated for the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). It identifies water bodies in two categories: those currently 'failing due to acidification' and those 'at risk of failing due to acidification' by 2027. The data was produced by the Government Digital Service under the OGL-UK-3.0 license.

Use Cases

• Map and analyze water bodies failing due to acidification based on WFD monitoring status.
• Assess risk for water bodies predicted to fail by 2027 based on a combined chemical and biological risk assessment.
• Support forest management guidance to minimize adverse impacts in acid-sensitive areas based on the identified sensitivity categories.
• Model the spatial distribution of acid-sensitive environments based on polygon shapefile data.

Strengths

• Data is structured for a specific regulatory purpose (WFD implementation), suggesting a clear use case.
• Defines two distinct, policy-relevant categories for acid sensitivity ('failing' and 'at risk').
• Risk assessment methodology combines chemical, biological, and environmental buffering capacity data.

Limitations

• Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service

Collection Method

Collated as defined for WFD implementation, using monitoring data and a Welsh acidification risk assessment.

Time Range

2014 - 2019 (Cycle 2)

Freshness

Covers the WFD Cycle 2 period (2014-2019). Last updated date is unknown.

Geography

Likely focuses on areas under the relevant authority's jurisdiction (suggested by mention of 'Welsh' assessment).