CECINA

The EU Member States, Norway and the European Commission have jointly developed a common strategy for supporting the implementation of the Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy - the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The main aim of this strategy is to allow a coherent and harmonious implementation of this Directive. Overall, the WFD key objective is to achieving good water status for all waters by 2015.

One of the main short-term objectives of the strategy is the development of non-legally binding and practical guidance on various technical implementation of the Directive. For this purpose the participating countries have proposed pilot river basins (PRB) to apply and test guidelines of the WFD in the context of a common implementation strategy. Italy has committed to carry out the testing in two river basins: the Cecina as example for mainly local involvement and the Tevere as a large river flowing through several regions.

The short-term action on Cecina intended to:

• demonstrate the use and cost effectiveness of Earth Observation derived information products for the WFD,
• involve the users in the process from the beginning and
• stimulate the process of integration of EO derived information products in middle and long-term observation schemes of the WFD.

The geographical area was the river bed of Cecina in Toscany/Italia with approximately 900 sqkm size and the related coastal zone.