Common Standards Monitoring Guidance for ... - JNCC - Defra

Attributes Target Method of assessment Comment
should be maintained.
colonisation of other taxa in richer waters within this range e.g. Potamogeton spp..
At least the present structure
should be maintained.
Where present, well defined hydroseres should be maintained.
Water quality
Stable nutrient levels appropriate
to lake type
Existing data or develop a watersampling
regime. This should be
carried out quarterly, ideally monthly.
As a minimum samples should be
taken in early spring. See Appendix 2
and main text.
Mean annual TP concentrations (based on at least quarterly measurements), or spring TP
levels, should meet the targets appropriate for the lake type documented in the guidance,
unless site-specific targets are available.
If palaeolimnological techniques or hindcast modelling have been employed to reconstruct
natural background TP concentrations for a particular lake these can be used to set targets,
although it may be necessary to accept a small deviation from these background
conditions. Alternatively, historical water chemistry data may exist for individual lakes.
Where existing, site-specific TP concentrations are consistently lower than the standard
appropriate for the habitat type, a lower target should be applied to prevent deterioration
from current status.
Stable pH/ANC values appropriate
to lake type
As a guide, for oligotrophic waters, pH 5.50 to circumneutral and for mesotrophic waters,
pH circumneutral to < 8.00
There is a wide clinal range of community types embraced in this feature. Water quality
targets should be set for individual SAC lakes and an acceptable range established.
The acceptable range of chemical conditions (especially total P, other forms of
phosphorus, pH/ANC, and where appropriate NO 3 -N,) should be set for individual SACs
from recent or historical water chemistry data. See secion 2.1.2.2.
Check for changes in land-use in the catchment causing diffuse pollution and/or siltation
and check point sources of pollution. Aerially applied agro-chemicals have a high
potential to change plant communities, and to move them out of favourable condition.
Other methodologies involving trophic scoring can contribute to the assessment of
favourable condition.
Adequate dissolved oxygen levels
for health of characteristic fauna
Existing data or temperature/dissolved
oxygen profile
Levels of dissolved oxygen should support the invertebrate and vertebrate taxa associated
with this lake type.
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