Delivery and public participation
Every six years, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) produces a river basin management plan for each river basin district within Northern Ireland. The current plans are due to be reviewed and updated in 2021, and a consultation, to give you an opportunity to feed into their development is now open.
In this, the first of 3 consultations, we would ask you to consider our timetable, consultation process and how we will work with stakeholders to review and update the plans in 2021. Please follow the link below to view the River Basin Planning 3rd Cycle Timeline Consultation.
- River Basin Planning 3rd Cycle Timeline Consultation
- SWMI Consultation
- Draft plan consultation
- CIWEM webinar “Your easy guide to the draft third cycle River Basin Management Plan 2021-2027”
Planning cycles
The first planning cycle covers the period from December 2009 - December 2015, with the second continuing from December 2015 - December 2021. The second cycle plans were published 22 December 2015. The interactive web map allows the quality of the water bodies to be viewed.
Note that a 2018 interim classification of water quality has been undertaken, details of which are available by contacting
WaterInfo@daera-ni.gov.uk
Northern Ireland has a layered approach to public involvement. The NI Water Framework Directive Stakeholder Forum will be invited to join the DAERA WFD Strategic Planning and Resources Group to review progress on an annual basis. River basin planning also involves anyone who is interested in, or may be affected by, the water environment and the way in which it is managed. Catchment Officers continually work with groups of stakeholders across the River Basin Districts. Details on becoming involved with projects within your local area, can be obtained on request by contacting the catchment management officers, as detailed below.
North Eastern River Basin District
North Western River Basin District
Neagh Bann River Basin District
In 2016, we held a workshop in each district on future partnerships, to bring stakeholders and government departments together. In 2017, we hosted a national conference.
- 2016 Public Participation
- 2017 Conference
- 2018 Public Participation
- 2019 NIEA Water Framework Directive Catchment Conference
- 2020 NIEA Water Framework Directive Catchment Stakeholder Webinar
- Cumulative 2019-20 Action Reports Summary
River Basin Planning Process
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was established into law in Northern Ireland on 22 December 2003 through the Water Environment (WFD) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003. The Regulations were replaced by the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017. This legislation sets out a timetable of deliverables that will continue to the end of the third river basin plans cycle 2027.
| Target date | Deliverable |
|---|---|
| 2021 - 2027 | Third River Basin Management Plan |
| 2020 | Consultation draft third cycle river basin management plans |
| 2019 | Publish and consult on river basin districts issues and objectives (significant water management issues - SWMI) |
| 2018 | Timetable and work program for the development of third cycle river basin management plans |
| 2018 | Delivering the programme of measures in the second cycle plan progress report |
| 2015 - 2021 | Second river basin management plan |
| 2014 | Consultation draft second river basin management plan |
| 2013 | Publish and consult on river basin districts issues and objectives (significant water management issues – SWMI) |
| 2012 | Delivering the programme of measures in the first cycle plan progress report |
| 2009 - 2015 | First river basin management plan |
| 2008 | Consultation draft river basin management plan |
| 2007 | Publish and consult on river basin districts issues and objectives (significant water management issues – SWMI) |
| 2006 | Monitoring programmes operational |
| 2004 | Complete initial characterisation of river basin districts. Establish registers of protected areas |
| 2003 | WFD incorporated into member state law, identification river basin districts |
In addition to river basin management plans, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has been carried out in line with the European Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive as well as a Habitat Directive Assessment for each river basin district.