Ecological status pursuant to Legislative Decree 152/06 of the lakes

The Ecological State of Lakes within the meaning of Legislative Decree 152/2006, is a descriptor that considers the quality of the structure and functioning of lake aquatic ecosystems. The organisms living in the lakes are considered the dominant element to understand the state of the water body. The legislation provides for a selection of the Organic Quality Elements (EQB) to be monitored in the lakes based on the objectives and the assessment of pressures and impacts. The EQB monitored in lakes and used for evaluation over the three-year period 2010-2012 is phytoplankton. In order to allow for a greater understanding of the status and management of water bodies, in addition to EQBs, other “support” elements shall be monitored: Trophic level of Lakes (LTLeco) and specific pollutants not included in the priority list (compliance with EQS-MA Tab. 1/B, Annex 1 of Ministerial Decree 260/10). The Eco-State calculation procedure provides, for each station, for the calculation of the metrics provided for the quality elements monitored, the integration of the results of the stations at the level of the water body. The ecological state class of the water body will derive from the lowest class attributed to the different quality elements over the three years. The quality, expressed in five classes, can vary from High to Bad. The worst ratings (Dead and Bad) are determined only by EQB indices