FRESHWATER METADATA JOURNAL

Title

Metadata to the MARS spatial database

Author(s)

Lidija Globevnik, Maja Koprivsek & Luka Snoj

Abstract

The MARS spatial database (MARSgeoDB) supports analyses of European waters, providing common reference spatial layers and selected data on indicators of pressures, state and impacts of European waters. It is developed within the European research project MARS (Managing Aquatic ecosystems and water Resources under multiple Stress) in accordance with the WISE (Water Information System in Europe) concept. It is built on the ECRINS (European Catchments and Rivers Network System) spatial database (from the European Environment Agency), consisting of river segments, lakes and functional elementary catchments (FECs). It includes other available European spatial layers, such as River Basin Districts (RBDs), RBD sub-units, coastlines, regions, water bodies as reported under the WFD (Water Framework Directive) in 2010 and WISE SoE (State of Environment) locations. For spatial objects representing waters in the MARSgeoDB we compiled indicators of pressure, state and impact: physical-chemical indicators, ecological quality ratio, ecological status, chemical status, hydromorphological status, land use, population, nitrogen and phosphorus diffuse pollution, Eurostat agricultural data, UWWTD (Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive) point sources of organic pollution, E-PRTR (The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) point sources of large emissions to water, hydro-morphological changes/naturalness of rivers, meteorological and hydrological characteristics. To calculate pressures acting on selected locations on waters we derived surface water receiving areas (polygons representing catchments/hinterlands). We assigned broad ecological types to rivers (20 types) and lakes (15 types) objects in the MARSgeoDB using abiotic criteria as proposed by EEA ETC/ICM (European Topic Centre on Inland, Coastal and Marine waters) in 2015. A corresponding water body code and national ecological types were assigned as well. Spatial and associated attribute data were quality checked, unified when needed, harmonised and interlinked.

Keywords

watershed characteristics, rivers/streams, lakes/reservoirs, ground water, ecological status, water quality/water chemistry, discharge/flow, land use/land cover, population density, nutrient load, climate characteristics

How to cite this article

Globevnik L., Koprivsek M. & Snoj L., 2017. Metadata to the MARS spatial database. Freshwater Metadata Journal 21: 1-7. https://doi.org/10.15504/fmj.2017.21