BENTHIC DIATOMS, FRENCH WATERCOURSE QUALITY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN WATER RESOURCES FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE.

J. Prygiel. Agence de l'Eau Artois-Picardie, 200 rue Marceline, BP 818, F-59508 Douai, France

Regular monitoring of French watercourses using benthic diatoms and the Biological Diatom Index (IBD) has existed since 1998 thanks to the production of specific tools (NF T 90-350 standard, methodological manual including adapted identification keys, calculation and management software), and IBD training programs. A French hydrobiological accreditation program including IBD was created in 2000. National IBD quality maps are produced and data bases for algal material, slides and lists of diatoms with relative abundances are currently being implemented. The European water resource framework directive of December 2000 highlights the biological monitoring especially for rivers by using macroinvertebrates, fishes, and periphyton. Good ecological status of rivers must be reached in 2015. The IBD is an important element for this ecological monitoring but has to be updated to fulfill the directive requirements (identification of reference conditions for different types of water bodies, intercalibration exercises between the European classification systems using biological indicators, etc.). Running European research programs as well as European diatom standardization should facilitate the implementation of this directive.