SIST EN 14996:2006

Water quality - Guidance on assuring the quality of biological and ecological assessments in the aquatic environment

This guidance standard defines activities appropriate for ensuring that the quality of ecological assessments in surface waters (including rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters and the open sea) and sediments meets specified requirements. This standard also covers hydromorphological aspects relevant to ecological assessment. While it has particular importance in relation to the assessment of ecological status in surface waters, it also applicable to other types of investigation and habitat.

Wasserbeschaffenheit - Anleitung zur Qualitätssicherung biologischer und ökologischer Untersuchungsverfahren in der aquatischen Umwelt

Diese Anleitung legt Vorgehensweisen zur Qualitätssicherung biologischer und ökologischer Untersuchungsverfahren für Oberflächengewässer (einschließlich Fließgewässern, Seen, Übergangs- und Küstengewässern) und Sedimente fest. Diese Norm deckt weiterhin hydromorphologische Aspekte ab, die für eine ökologische Bewertung von Bedeutung sind. Sie ist in Verbindung mit der Abschätzung des ökologischen Zustandes für Oberflächengewässer besonders wichtig und auch für andere Untersuchungsarten und Habitat-Typen anwendbar

Qualité de l'eau - Guide d'assurance qualité pour des évaluations biologiques et écologiques dans l'environnement aquatique

La présente norme guide définit les activités appropriées pour assurer que la qualité des évaluations
écologiques dans des eaux de surface (comprenant les rivières, les lacs, les eaux de transition et côtières et
la haute mer) et les sédiments satisfasse à des exigences spécifiques. Cette norme couvre également les
aspects hydromorphologiques relatifs aux évaluations écologiques dans des eaux de surface. Bien qu'elle soit
particulièrement importante pour l'évaluation du statut écologique dans les eaux de surface, elle est
également applicable à d'autres types d'études et d'habitat.

Kakovost vode - Navodilo za zagotavljanje kakovosti biološkega in ekološkega ocenjevanja v vodnem okolju

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Aug-2006
• ICS: 13.060.70 - Examination of biological properties of water
• Technical Committee: KAV - Water quality
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 01-Sep-2006
• Due Date: 01-Sep-2006
• Completion Date: 01-Sep-2006
• Ref Project: EN 14996:2006 - Water quality - Guidance on assuring the quality of biological and ecological assessments in the aquatic environment

Overview

EN 14996:2006 - published by CEN - provides guidance on assuring the quality of biological and ecological assessments in the aquatic environment. It addresses how to design, perform, validate and report ecological investigations so that results from rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters, the open sea and sediments meet specified quality requirements. The standard also covers relevant hydromorphological aspects and complements general quality frameworks (e.g. EN ISO 9000 series, EN ISO/IEC 17025).

Key topics

• Scope and principles - defines activities to ensure ecological assessment quality and emphasizes that methods must be “fit for purpose.”
• Study design - clear objectives, statistical power, representativity (spatial/temporal), pilot studies and written protocols.
• Surveys and sampling - site identification, traceable metadata (coordinates, photos, unique IDs), handling of field-determined taxa and procedures for taxa requiring lab identification.
• Analysis and identification - laboratory procedures, taxonomic verification, reference collections and voucher specimens for independent confirmation.
• Performance characteristics - detection limits, precision, repeatability, reproducibility, bias, method sensitivity and recovery.
• Validation and verification - method validation for intended use and verification of identifications by experts.
• Measurement uncertainty - combining random and systematic components, reporting expanded uncertainties (coverage factor guidance is given).
• Interpretation and reporting - transparent presentation of methods, errors and limitations to ensure data are fit for management or regulatory use.
• Training and safety - competency of personnel and adherence to health & safety rules when working in or near water.

Practical applications

• Designing monitoring programs under the EC Water Framework Directive (WFD) or national water quality programs.
• Ensuring reproducible, auditable ecological data for regulatory compliance, impact assessment, restoration projects and research.
• Standardising field and laboratory workflows to minimise bias and quantify uncertainty.
• Creating traceable datasets suitable for long-term trend analysis, biological status classification and decision support.

Who uses this standard

• Environmental agencies and regulators
• Water quality laboratories and accredited testing bodies
• Environmental consultants and contractors conducting field surveys
• Academic and research institutions studying aquatic ecology
• Project managers responsible for monitoring, impact assessment and remediation

Related standards

• EN ISO 9000 series (quality management)
• EN ISO/IEC 17025 (laboratory competence)
• Relevant CEN/ISO standards for specific biological methods and sampling protocols

EN 14996:2006 provides a practical quality-assurance framework to make aquatic biological and ecological data defensible, comparable and suitable for management and regulatory decisions.

Standards Content (Sample)

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Water quality - Guidance on assuring the quality of biological and ecological assessments in the aquatic environmentKakovost vode - Navodilo za zagotavljanje kakovosti biološkega in ekološkega ocenjevanja v vodnem okoljuQualité de l'eau - Guide d'assurance qualité pour des évaluations biologiques et écologiques dans l'environnement aquatiqueWasserbeschaffenheit - Anleitung zur Qualitätssicherung biologischer und ökologischer Untersuchungsverfahren in der aquatischen UmweltTa slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 14996:2006SIST EN 14996:2006en,fr,de13.060.70ICS:SLOVENSKI
STANDARDSIST EN 14996:200601-september-2006

EUROPEAN STANDARDNORME EUROPÉENNEEUROPÄISCHE NORMEN 14996June 2006ICS 13.060.70 English VersionWater quality - Guidance on assuring the quality of biologicaland ecological assessments in the aquatic environmentQualité de l'eau - Guide d'assurance qualité pour desévaluations biologiques et écologiques dansl'environnement aquatiqueWasserbeschaffenheit - Anleitung zur Qualitätssicherungbiologischer und ökologischer Untersuchungsverfahren inder aquatischen UmweltThis European Standard was approved by CEN on 3 May 2006.CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this EuropeanStandard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such nationalstandards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any CEN member.This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translationunder the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the officialversions.CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATIONCOMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATIONEUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNGManagement Centre: rue de Stassart, 36
B-1050 Brussels© 2006 CENAll rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reservedworldwide for CEN national Members.Ref. No. EN 14996:2006: E
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