(heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies)= # Groundwater methodologies ```{warning} Last updated - 2026-07-02 Changes based on feedback from WG DIS and WG Groundwater members. * Removal of the GWType related classes. ``` (heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_purpose_and_overview)= ## Purpose and overview This section: * revises the information related to **Groundwater methodologies** in the 2nd and 3rd cycle of reporting of the Water Framework Directive River Basin Management Plans * presents a simplified proposal for the electronic reporting in the 4th cycle (heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_reporting_of_groundwater_methodologies_GWMET_schema_3rd_cycle)= ## GWMET_2022 schema - 3rd cycle The GWMET_2022 schema defined the required data about about the groundwater methodologies ({numref}`ClassDiagram_GWMET_2022`). ```{figure} img/ClassDiagram_GWMET_2022.png :name: ClassDiagram_GWMET_2022 :align: center :width: 75% GWMET_2022 Schema - 3rd cycle ``` The GWMET_2022 schema was already partially revised (see {ref}`heading_wfd_exemptions_reporting_of_exemptions_3rd_cycle`). Specifically, the GWExemptions data ({numref}`Exemptions_3rdCycle_GWMET_ClassDiagram`) is no longer requested in the 4th cycle. {numref}`GroundwaterMethodologies_3rdCycle_GWMET_ClassDiagram` shows a simplified diagram to help focus the discussion on the remaining issues. ```{mermaid} /DataModelReview/mmd/GroundwaterMethodologies_3rdCycle_GWMET_ClassDiagram.mmd :name: GroundwaterMethodologies_3rdCycle_GWMET_ClassDiagram :align: center :caption: Class diagram for the GWMET_2022 schema in the 3rd cycle. ``` The Commission has revised and simplified the **GWMethodologies** class, keeping only a subset of the elements requested in the 3rd cycle. The following elements were removed: * GWMET/GWMethodologies/diminutionDamage * GWMET/GWMethodologies/methodCriterionExtentExceedance * GWMET/GWMethodologies/proportionExceedanceAllowed * GWMET/GWMethodologies/impactsGWAbstractionBalance * GWMET/GWMethodologies/impactsGWAbstractionSWObjective * GWMET/GWMethodologies/impactsGWAbstractionSWDiminutionStatus * GWMET/GWMethodologies/impactsGWAbstractionDamageGWDE * GWMET/GWMethodologies/impactsGWAbstractionSalineIntrusion * GWMET/GWMethodologies/availableGroundwaterResource * GWMET/GWMethodologies/needsTerritorialEcosystems * GWMET/GWMethodologies/balanceRechargeAbstraction * GWMET/GWMethodologies/gwMethodologiesChemicalStatusClassificationReference * GWMET/GWMethodologies/gwMethodologiesQuantitativeClassificationReference * GWMET/GWMethodologies/gwMethodologiesTransboundaryReference * GWMET/GWMethodologies/transboundaryGWBPresent * GWMET/GWMethodologies/trendAssessmentMethodology The following elements were moved or revised: * GWMET/GWMethodologies/trendAssessmentStatisticalElements * GWMET/GWMethodologies/thresholdValueBackgroundLevels The Commission has revised and simplified the **ThresholdValue** class, keeping only a subset of the elements requested in the 3rd cycle. The following elements were removed: * GWMET/ThresholdValue/pollutantIndicatorCodeOther * GWMET/ThresholdValue/thresholdValueDerivedFromCV * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvDrinkingWaterValueRange * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvDrinkingWaterValueUnit * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvIrrigationValueRange * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvIrrigationValueUnit * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvIndustryValueRange * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvIndustryValueUnit * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvOtherValueRange * GWMET/ThresholdValue/cvOtherValueUnit * GWMET/ThresholdValue/thresholdValueScale The Commission has revised **GWPressures** class. The following elements were removed: * GWMET/GWPressures/gwSignificantPressureOtherSourceTools * GWMET/GWPressures/gwPressuresNotAssessed * GWMET/GWPressures/gwPressuresReference The structure of the **GWPressures** class was also revised. (heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_descriptive_4th_cycle)= ## Descriptive dataset - 4th cycle This section shows the proposed structure for the groundwater methodologies reporting. ### GWMethodologies table The `GWMethodologies` table has a structure similar to the corresponding class in the 3rd cycle reporting, minus the attributes removed by the Commission's review (see {numref}`GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWMethodologies_ClassDiagram`). ```{mermaid} /DataModelReview/mmd/GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWMethodologies_ClassDiagram.mmd :name: GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWMethodologies_ClassDiagram :align: center :caption: Groundwater methodologies - GWMethodologies table - 4th cycle ``` ### GWPressureAssessment table The `GWPressureAssessment` table has a modified structure (see {numref}`GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWPressureAssessment_ClassDiagram`): * the reporting of "pressures not assessed" is eliminated, because the data was difficult to analyse and contained inconsistencies * instead, for each pressure (or group of pressures), three attributes are requested (`gwPressureAssessmentMethod`,`gwSignificanceDefinition`,`gwSignificanceLinkFailure`) * given that the pressure codelist is hierarchical, the granularity of the reporting is selected by Member States * the quality control procedure will verify that different levels are not selected simultaneously for any given RBD For more information see {ref}`heading_wfd_pressure_type_codelist_4th_cycle`. ```{mermaid} /DataModelReview/mmd/GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWPressureAssessment_ClassDiagram.mmd :name: GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWPressureAssessment_ClassDiagram :align: center :caption: Groundwater methodologies - GWPressureAssessment table - 4th cycle ``` (heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_gwthresholdvalue_table)= ### GWThresholdValue table The `GWThresholdValue` table has a structure similar to the corresponding class in the 3rd cycle reporting, minus the attributes removed by the Commission's review (see {numref}`GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWThresholdValue_ClassDiagram`). Note that: * a unique `gwThresholdIdentifier` was introduced to avoid ambiguity * duplicate records will be detected (i.e. records with identical values for all attributes, except the identifier) * for naturally occurring substances, if natural background levels were taken into account in the definition of the threshold value, then the applicable `nblValueRange` is provided (in the same unit of measure as the `thresholdValueRange`) ```{mermaid} /DataModelReview/mmd/GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWThresholdValue_ClassDiagram.mmd :name: GroundwaterMethodologies_4thCycle_GWThresholdValue_ClassDiagram :align: center :caption: Groundwater methodologies - GWThresholdValue table - 4th cycle ``` ```{todo} Groundwater methodologies - GWThresholdValue For groundwater thresholds can the attribute standardType be omitted? `+ standardType : StandardType` ``` (heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_codelists_4th_cycle)= ## Codelists - 4th cycle * For the `PressureAssessmentMethod` codelist, see {numref}`Codelist_4thCycle_PressureAssessmentMethod_Table`. * For the `TrendStatisticalMethod` codelist, see {numref}`Codelist_4thCycle_TrendStatisticalMethod_Table`. ```{dropdown} TrendStatisticalMethod codelist ```{include} tables/Codelist_4thCycle_TrendStatisticalMethod_Table ``` (heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_documents_dataset_4th_cycle)= ## Documents dataset - 4th cycle The Documents dataset follows the standard structure used in various WISE dataflows ({numref}`SurfaceWaterMethodologies_4thCycle_Documents`): * the `dcMetadata` table provides the basic Dublin Core metadata elements about the delivery - if required by the data providers, and especially if spatial data is being reported, the `licenseDocument` and the `metadataDocument` attributes allow the provision of additional information about the dataset - the `dcMetadata` table also functions as a "manifest file" explaining if the delivery contains data for a given river basin district or not * the `Document` table allows the upload of documents (for example, PDFs) or the provision of a `hyperlink` to a document stored in a publicly accessible national web site * the `Reference` table is also standard in the WISE dataflows: the `bookmark` it allows the identification of the chapter(s), sections(s) or page range(s) where the relevant information about a `subject` can be found within a document The following criteria apply: 01. the `dcMetadata` table must contain *one and only one* record for each of the country's river basin districts, identified by the `euRBDCode` 02. for countries reporting under the WFD, the quality control will raise an **ERROR**, if some, or all, the river basin districts have `includesDescriptiveData = no` ```{mermaid} /DataModelReview/mmd/GroundWaterMethodologies_4thCycle_Documents_ClassDiagram.mmd :name: GroundWaterMethodologies_4thCycle_Documents :caption: GroundWaterMethodologies - 4th cycle - Documents :align: center :zoom: ``` ```{todo} Groundwater methodologies - {ref}`heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_documents_dataset_4th_cycle` **Technical** review pending. ``` ## Annexes - Data analysis - 3rd cycle ### trendAssessmentMethodology The WFD2022 guidance document definitions for the trendAssessmentPerformed, trendAssessmentMethodology and statisticalElements elements of the GWMethodologies class are transcribed in {numref}`trendAssessmentMethodology_definition_3rdCycle`. ```{list-table} Definitions for trendAssessmentPerformed, trendAssessmentMethodology and statisticalElements – 3rd cycle. :name: trendAssessmentMethodology_definition_3rdCycle :width: 100% :widths: 35 40 25 :header-rows: 1 :align: left * - Attribute - Guidance - Option * - trendAssessmentPerformed - Required. Indicate whether trend assessment in groundwater pollutants was performed. - 'Yes' 'No' * - trendAssessmentMethodology - Conditional. If trend assessment in groundwater pollutants was performed, indicate whether a methodology for identifying significant and upward trends in any pollutant’s concentration has been applied. - 'Yes' 'No' * - statisticalElements - Conditional. If trend assessment in groundwater pollutants was performed, select from the enumeration list which statistical element was used. - 'Statistical significance' 'Confidence intervals' 'None' ``` The reported data for combinations of the three elements is presented in {numref}`trendAssessmentMethodology_reported_data_3rdCycle`. The first four records may be interpreted as: * in 95 river basin districts, trends were assessed and a test for statistical significance of an upward trend was used (e.g. using a linear regression t-test or a non-parametric Mann-Kendall test) * in 36 river basin districts, trends were not assessed * in 16 river basin districts, trends were assessed and the magnitude of significant upward trends was quantified using confidence intervals * in 2 river basin districts, trends were assessed but no methodology for detecting *significant* upward trends exists, and no statistical element was used (i.e. only expert judgement was used?) The last two records are difficult to interpret, and possibly result from reporting mistakes: * in 6 river basin districts trends were assessed, a methodology for detecting *significant* upward trends was applied, but somehow no statistical element was used * in 1 river basin districts trends were assessed, a methodology for detecting *significant* upward trends was not applied, but somehow statistical significance was determined In conclusion: * the trendAssessmentMethodology element appears to be redundant with respect to the statisticalElements element, and may be removed to simplify the reporting and avoid mistakes * the meaning of the statisticalElements element should be made clearer to both data provider and end-users, to facilitate the interpretation ```{csv-table} Reported data for trendAssessmentPerformed, trendAssessmentMethodology and statisticalElements – 3rd cycle. :name: trendAssessmentMethodology_reported_data_3rdCycle :header-rows: 1 :delim: "|" trendAssessmentPerformed|trendAssessmentMethodology|statisticalElements|numberOfRBDs|numberOfCountries Yes|Yes|Statistical significance|95|20 No|«null»|«null»|36|5 Yes|Yes|Confidence intervals|16|6 Yes|No|None|2|1 Yes|Yes|None|6|2 Yes|No|Statistical significance|1|1 ``` (heading_wfd_groundwater_methodologies_references)= ## References ```{footbibliography} ```