Setting EU Threshold Values for impulsive underwater sound

The purpose of the present document is to give guidance on the setting of EU threshold values related to anthropogenic impulsive noise in the water. Such guidance is meant to be used by regulators and managers of the EU Member States (MS) aiming to achieve Good Environmental Status of their marine waters, as requested by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). In this report, a clarification of the assessment framework is done based on concepts of habitat, effect ranges and habitat degradation. The guidance is based on the earlier work done by TG Noise in deliverable 1 (DL 1) providing a common methodology for the setting of EU threshold values for impulsive sound and on results from the Harmonize project. An introduction is further given on the Level of Onset of Biological adverse Effects (LOBE), the noise level above which an adverse biological effect on an indicator species is expected to occur. It should be underlined that this document as well as the recommended threshold values are only dealing with displacement as a result of anthropogenic impulsive noise. A dual threshold approach is proposed recognising both temporal and spatial variability of potential disturbance effects related to exposure to underwater impulsive noise, where short-term is defined as 1 day, long-term is defined as 1 year and long-run is defined as the time it takes before a negative effect on the population occurs, which often is longer than one year.JRC.D.2 - Ocean and Wate

Setting EU Threshold Values for continuous underwater sound

The purpose of the present document is to give guidance on the setting of EU threshold values related to anthropogenic continuous noise in water1. Such guidance is meant to be used by regulators and managers of the EU Member States (MS) aiming to achieve Good Environmental Status of their marine waters, as requested by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)2. This document is intended to inform managers and other stakeholders of practical options for setting threshold values for continuous sound. The rationale for setting regional conditions to evaluate the status of habitat is explained. Practical examples that illustrate regional approaches are demonstrated in detail. Finally, and most important to managers, options for setting threshold values for continuous sound are illustrated.JRC.D.2 - Ocean and Wate

Geochemical and geophysical monitoring of thermal waters in Sloveniain relation to seismic activity

Pre-seismic related strains in the Earth s crust are the main cause of the observed geophysical and geochemical
 anomalies in ground waters preceding an earthquake. Posoc?je Region, situated along the Soc?a River, is one of
 the most seismically active areas of Slovenia. Our measuring stations close to the Posoc?je Region were installed
 in the thermal springs at Bled in 1998 and at Zatolmin in 1999. Since the beginning of our survey, radon concentration,
 electrical conductivity and water temperature have been measured continuously once every hour. In
 May 2002, the number of geochemical parameters monitored was extended to ionic concentration, pH and Eh,
 which are analysed once a month. Before seeking a correlation between geochemical and geophysical anomalies
 with seismic events, the influence of meteorological (atmospheric precipitation, barometric pressure) and hydrological
 (water table of the Tolminka River) factors on observed anomalies were studied. Results at Zatolmin
 showed that some radon variation during the period from June to October 2002 may be related to seismic activity
 and not only to meteorological effects

Geochemical and geophysical monitoring of thermal waters in Sloveniain relation to seismic activity

Pre-seismic related strains in the Earth s crust are the main cause of the observed geophysical and geochemical anomalies in ground waters preceding an earthquake. Posoc?je Region, situated along the Soc?a River, is one of the most seismically active areas of Slovenia. Our measuring stations close to the Posoc?je Region were installed in the thermal springs at Bled in 1998 and at Zatolmin in 1999. Since the beginning of our survey, radon concentration, electrical conductivity and water temperature have been measured continuously once every hour. In May 2002, the number of geochemical parameters monitored was extended to ionic concentration, pH and Eh, which are analysed once a month. Before seeking a correlation between geochemical and geophysical anomalies with seismic events, the influence of meteorological (atmospheric precipitation, barometric pressure) and hydrological (water table of the Tolminka River) factors on observed anomalies were studied. Results at Zatolmin showed that some radon variation during the period from June to October 2002 may be related to seismic activity and not only to meteorological effects.PublishedJCR Journalope