Short summary

EUROHARP includes nine different contemporary methodologies for quantifying diffuse losses of N and P, and a total of 17 study catchments across gradients in European climate, soils, topography, hydrology and land use. These methodologies have been selected to include those approaches - applicable at catchment scale - that are currently used by European research institutes to inform policy makers at national and international levels.  

Download full version of Description of Work (DoW)  (.zip, .doc)  

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Objectives

The first primary objective of EUROHARP is to provide end-users (national and international European environmental policy-makers) with a thorough scientific evaluation of the nine contemporary quantification tools and their ability to estimate diffuse nutrient (N, P) losses to surface freshwater systems and coastal waters. Thereby facilitate the
implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive.

The second primary objective is to develop an electronic decision support system (tool-box) for the identification of benchmarking methodologies with respect to both costs and benefits, for the quantification of diffuse nutrient losses under different environmental conditions across Europe.

EUROHARP will contribute substantially to improved comparability, transparency and reliability of the quantification of nutrient losses from diffuse sources, and thereby to improved efficiency of abatement strategies related to the implementation of e.g. the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive.  

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Structure

The work plan is divided into six work packages (WPs) with the major interconnections between work packages, as shown in the figure. Each Workpackage is divided further into tasks and subtasks.  

Interconnection diagram for the EUROHARP project. The arrows indicate the direction of the main flow of information/data/results.

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Workpackages

WP1: Project Management and Dissemination

The project consortium is well aware of the complexity in managing a project involving nine quantification tools and 17 catchments in 17 European countries. Therefore, the administrative and scientific management of the project is outlined in a separate WP (WP1), to allow a transparent and streamlined project management. Furthermore, it will facilitate a continuous review of resources and costs linked to project management/co-ordination and dissemination throughout the project period.

The project co-ordinator (PC) from NIVA-Norway has the overall responsibility and the general administrative management of the project. He will also co-ordinate WP1 and chair the Annual Partner meeting and the Advisory Board meetings. The five other WPs have a responsible from each of five different institutes, namely, EC-JRC-Italy, ALTERRA-the Netherlands, ADAS-UK,  NERI- Denmark and  JORDFORSK- Norway.

WP2: Development of a Catchment Information System

WP2 focuses on the collation and management of catchment data, together with its associated quality, spatial and temporal resolution. WP2 collects the necessary data from all 17 catchments for use by WPs 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The other WPs will provide feedback to WP2 throughout the project period whenever additional data is required.

WP3/WP4: Application and evaluation of phosphorus (WP3) and nitrogen
(WP4) loss quantification tools

The intercomparison of the source-orientated quantification tools on three core catchments will be undertaken in WP 3 (for phosphorus) and WP 4 (for nitrogen).

The intercomparison of the quantification tools for N and P are separated into two WPs because the main processes involved in mobilisation and transport within and out from soil differ between N and P. Wherever possible, resource saving actions will take place between WP 3 and 4 e.g. by:

·         Setting up (the parts of) the quantification tools requiring comparable parameterisation data, such as soil characteristics, land use, climatic parameters and transfer functions;

·         Setting up the hydrological representation in some of the quantification tools;

·         Selecting the sub-catchment and/or specific time period (3-5 years) for calibrating each quantification tool;

·         Selecting the specific time period (3-5 years) for testing the performance for each tool (validation);

·         Developing protocols with criteria for assessing model performance; and

·         Organising joint meetings

The protocols developed as performance and validation criteria in WPs 3 and 4 will also be used in WP 5 (application on the 14 remaining catchments) and WP 6 (scenario analysis).

WP5: Application of methodologies to analyse nutrient pollution in a European River Basin Network

WP5 makes an application and validation of the nine quantification tools on the 14 other catchments (apart from the three core catchments already studied in WP 3 and 4); based on the European harmonised data sets prepared under WP2. QT9 (the load orientated quantification tool) will be applied on all 17 catchments.

The main conclusions drawn in WPs 3 and 4 will represent an important input when selecting the combination matrix of quantification methodologies and catchments in WP5. Each of the source orientated quantification tools will be applied on at least three additional catchments (out of a total of 14) where input data, in general, is more limited. Within WP5, an Export Group on Retention in surface waters will quantify the retention in surface waters in all the 17 catchments.

WP6: Evaluation/synthesis of model performance and river basin Toolbox

The result of the performance, validation analyses and inter-comparison of the quantification tools on the three catchments from WP3 and WP4, and the performance and practicability tests on the other catchments within WP5, will represent the input to the synthesis and overall performance evaluation and cost-effectiveness assessment conducted in WP6.

The main results from WPs 3, 4 and 5 will represent important inputs to the toolbox to be developed in WP6. The toolbox that will consist of an inter-active interface, will be established based on the outcome of the activities carried out in WPs 2-5 and task 6.3 in WP6. The conceptual framework of the toolbox will be developed based on standard reporting requirements outlined in the Water Framework Directive, and any relevant issues from the HARP Guidelines, Barcelona Convention and HELCOM.

The toolbox will be developed to assist various end-users in choosing an appropriate methodology to assess the environmental pressure from diffuse pollution sources; by quantifying nutrient turnover and surplus, nutrient leaching and loads, including pathways at different scales and temporal resolutions, and retention in surface waters. The toolbox will guide the end-user through different steps that introduce the specific methodologies, their boundaries, their demand for input data, their accuracy, predictability and their cost-effectiveness, and critical model requirements.    

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Advisory Board

The involvement of ‘end-users’ in the EUROHARP project is crucial to obtain optimal benefit of the project results/deliverables for both the EC and end-users at the end of the project period. The Advisory Board will be the major channel for discussing project results and their significance for policy decisions of end-user organisations. The Advisory Board will meet once a year.

It is important to note that the Advisory Board will not be part of the formal decision-making structure of EUROHARP, but will provide guidance for the project management (co-ordinator, Steering Committee), based on end-user interests.  

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Models

EUROHARP includes the following nine different contemporary methodologies for quantifying diffuse losses of N and P: