Foreword; About This Manual - Planet WGSW-24010 User Manual

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FOREWORD

1.1

About this manual

1.1.1 Pur pose of the manual
The principal purpose of this manual is to provide procedural guidance on how to carry out
Mean Trophic Rank (MTR) macrophyte surveys to assess the trophic status of rivers, and
on the use of the method for the designation of Sensitive Areas (Eutrophic) (SA(E)) under
the requirements of the EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD,
91/271/EEC).
The manual describes what the MTR system is, for what purposes it can be used and how to use
it. It gives guidance on where and when to undertake MTR surveys, how to carry out the
macrophyte survey in the field, how to use the information gained to calculate an MTR, how to
interpret results for the purposes of the UWWTD and how to maximise the quality of the
information gathered. Uses of the method for purposes other than the requirements of the
UWWTD are also considered. The manual provides a standard methodology and hence allows
data to be collected in the same manner by all surveyors, eliminating differing interpretations of
the method.
The method described is based on the survey methodology produced by the National Rivers
Authority (NRA 1994a). It incorporates subsequent developments in the survey methodology and
calculation of Mean Trophic Rank values (Holmes 1995, 1996), and takes account of
recommendations made at a national R&D workshop to discuss methods used to assess trophic
status (Newman et al 1997a, b – also in Dawson et al 1999a). Furthermore, it is based on a
comprehensive evaluation of the MTR which used a dataset of more than 5000 surveys (Dawson
et al 1999b). It is thus based on considerable experience and represents the best current practice.
1.1.2 Statement of use
The procedures described are intended as the standard method for undertaking MTR surveys, and
as the standard macrophyte survey method to be used by the Environment Agency for the
purposes of the UWWTD. The guidelines provided should be followed in all MTR surveys, to
ensure that the data produced are of acceptable quality and are comparable on a national basis.
The methodology is applicable throughout the UK. This manual is therefore of use not only to
Environment Agency staff but also to regulatory agencies in Scotland and Northern Ireland,
statutory and non-statutory conservation bodies, and others interested in the trophic status of
rivers.
The protocol and guidance given in this document supersede and replace those previously
published in relation to macrophyte surveys for UWWTD monitoring purposes and to the MTR
system (NRA 1994a; Holmes 1995, 1996; Newman & Dawson 1996; Environment Agency
1996a).
R&D Technical Report E38 1