Monitoring of Reference Rivers

The program includes monitoring of biology (fish, benthic animals and algae), pollutants, water chemistry and various supporting parameters in a total of 77 rivers from coast to high mountains, distributed throughout the country.

The rivers will be monitored with a view to providing knowledge about reference conditions, in different water types, and large-scale impacts such as climate change and atmospheric deposition. This monitoring is also an important part of the basic monitoring required by the Water Regulations. Data from the program is also used to verify and further develop the classification system for environmental status in water.

The classified data produced will in turn provide a basis for assessing measures to counter climate effects, measures to achieve good environmental status, and to identify the need for regulation of chemicals nationally and/or internationally.