Identification

Title

OSPAR River Monitoring Programme

Alternative title(s)

AfA023 OSPAR

OSPAR Rhaglen Fonitro Afonedd

Abstract

The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic know as the OSPAR Convention 1998 (Oslo Convention 1972 and Paris Convention 1974), is an agreement signed by a number of European countries (including the United Kingdom) to protect the quality of the North East Atlantic. The objective of the OSPAR Convention is to take all possible steps to prevent and eliminate pollution entering the sea. The OSPAR Convention provides standard methods for estimating the inputs of selected pollutants to the sea by using fixed sampling schedule and a standard input calculation. In Wales, all principal rivers are sampled monthly (12 times a year) just upstream of their tidal limits. For those rivers carrying the heaviest contaminant loads the sampling frequency maybe increased beyond the minimum of 12. Major trade effluents and sewage effluents to estuaries or coastal waters are also sampled monthly to assess direct discharges to marine waters. Flow values of discharges direct to estuary or sea are sometimes provided by the operators themselves. This is usually part of statutory monitoring arrangements. The aim of these programmes is to assess the level of contamination entering the sea from Wales (the 'load') and to chart the progress in the reduction of this load. This dataset contains the results and data obtained from these programmes.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

https://naturalresourceswales.sharefile.eu/d-s90c30d70b014d5da

name: Download dataset

https://datamap.gov.wales/documents/2629

name: Download Data and Web Services

Unique resource identifier

code

116309

codeSpace

https://naturalresources.wales

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

authority code

OGP

code identifying the spatial reference system

urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::BNG

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

environment

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Environmental monitoring facilities

originating controlled vocabulary

title

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2023-01-28

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-5.77774100

East bounding longitude

-2.60886500

North bounding latitude

53.51306700

South bounding latitude

51.24082900

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2023-01-28

code identifying the extent

Wales (WLS)

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

1998-01-01

End position

2022-09-30

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2022-11-01

Frequency of update

annually

Quality and validity

Lineage

The substances controlled under OSPAR are: Mercury, Cadmium, Copper, Zinc, Lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), gamma-HCH (Hexachlorocyclohexane), Orthophosphate, Phosphorous (total), Nitrate, Nitrogen (total) and suspended particulate material. The load of contamination to the sea is measured at over 300 sites around the coast of England and Wales. These sites have been grouped into thirty two coastal zones. OSPAR data is updated annually approximately 6 months through the year for the previous year. Data held ranges from 1998 to the present. It’s high/low based on twelve annual samples. This product provides a pair of annual estimates for each sampling point, known as high load, and low load. The difference between the high and low load estimates is owing to the way in which the samples with results at the 'limit of detection' are treated. The limit of detection is the lowest concentration of a substance that can be reliably measured - any real concentration lower than this level, including zero, is reported as being present at 'less than' the limit of detection concentration. Where the substance has been analysed for but the concentration is below the limit of detection, a calculation can be made assuming that it is not present at all (a low load estimate). Alternatively, a calculation can be made by assuming that the substance is present exactly at the limit of detection (a high load estimate). The low load calculation gives an optimistic estimate of the real load, whereas the high load calculation gives a pessim istic estimate. The real load discharged will be somewhere between these two figures.

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

© CNC/NRW Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

organisation name

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

telephone number

0300 065 3000

email address

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

responsible party role

owner

Responsible party

organisation name

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

telephone number

0300 065 3000

email address

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

responsible party role

originator

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

telephone number

0300 065 3000

email address

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2023-01-27

Metadata language