Numbering of waters

A body of water can be identified by different types of digits and numbers. Scientific measurement data are collected on its location and size. In order to better manage a large number of bodies of water and to be able to compare their importance, each significant body of water is also given specific numbers.

Localization - quantification - numbering

• Location: The geographical coordinates and the height above sea level can be specified for the beginning and end as well as for confluences and branches of water bodies .
• Size information:
  • In terms of quantitative information, there are primarily the length, the area of ​​the catchment area , as well as volume velocities such as spring discharge and runoff , as well as z. B. Water depths and cross-sectional areas in different places.
  • For lakes there is usually also a discharge value, but above all the water area and volume , as well as various length, width and depth information .
• Numbering : There are basically two types of numbering: Classifications and identification numbers.
  • With classifications a group membership is determined or determined.
    • Classifications based on measured values group bodies of water according to their scientific and technical properties. This is primarily about ecological qualities and usability as a transport route.
    • The position of a body of water in the hierarchy of a river system is determined with the river order number . Various systems of flow order numbers have been developed in hydrography .
    • There are also classifications that regulate the legal status of the body of water and the distribution of tasks by authorities and associations.
  • In the case of identification numbers (similar to postcodes), each individual water body, often also water body sections, is assigned an individual number. This also clearly defines this body of water and its catchment area , here in the literal sense: Its limits are determined.

In countries of the European Communities ( EEC , EU ), the Water Framework Directive usually gave the impetus for a nationwide precise recording of the waters.

As different as the identification number principle and the classification principle are, most types of classification of a body of water are not possible without a clear definition.

Watercourse number, water body number and area number

There are two fundamentally different approaches to defining parts of a water network and providing them with identification numbers, the watercourse number and the water body number. In individual cases, the defined river boundaries can be very similar, here and there even the numbers have similar starting digits, but they are different systems, and each number includes information about which system it belongs to. In several, if not most, countries both watercourse numbers and water body numbers have been established, but the weight of one and the other in the public presentation varies from country to country.

Watercourse number

As the name suggests, when defining watercourses, the focus is on the network connection: A part of the water that receives a large part of its water from another is to be combined with this to form a watercourse. Partial waters between which there is no exchange of water in either one or the other direction may not be combined to form a watercourse. Watercourse numbers can be based strictly on the position of a partial watercourse in the hierarchy tree of a river system , like the German waterway indicators. However, you can also take into account other aspects for scientific or political reasons, so the size of the water body and canton affiliation also play a role in the Swiss GEWISS numbers.

Water body number

When defining water bodies , the focus is on their homogeneity . The sub-waters combined in a water body should not only be connected, but should have similar physical and ecological properties. However, a section of a main body of water with its tributaries can be combined to form a body of water, although there is of course no water exchange between the tributaries. In addition, water bodies should not be too big or too small. That is why long rivers have traditionally been broken down into numerous water bodies. In addition to surface water bodies, groundwater bodies were also defined, each of which is documented as a separate national system.

Territory number

The terms area number and area directory put the catchment area in the foreground. Catchment areas can be determined for bodies of water and parts of bodies of water that have been defined as watercourses as well as for those that have been defined as water bodies. In individual cases, both principles can merge: Logically, the catchment area of ​​a body of water at its mouth is its entire catchment area. In German land registers, which are actually based on the principle of watercourse numbers in accordance with the German watercourse key figures, sub-catchment areas of lower courses are also specified, which correspond more to the principle of catchment areas of water bodies.

Identification numbers in individual states

Country	Identification numbers
Germany	Water code number (GKZ), numbering agreed by LAWA in Germany Water body numbers in Germany, completely separate system, but in the above Article taken into account.
Austria	The waters numbering in Austria except for the Water Information System Austria (WISA) and publications on the status of implementation are EU - WFD used water body numbers at least two nationwide systems maintained by the principle of watercourse numbers. In addition, there is the recording of water bodies in individual federal states.
Switzerland	Watercourse number of weight ässer i nformation s ystems the S witzerland certainly
Belgium	For Wallonia there are publications with complete classification into water bodies and their complete numbering. In the Flemish Community , there are numbered though, but can be in Vlaamse Hydrographic Atlas Although nationwide water running show names, but no watercourse or water body numbers.
Finland	Water code (Finland)
France	SANDRE code
Norway	Vassdragsnummer (river system number) of the REGINE water database
Russia	Number of the ГВР / GWR (State Water Register )
Slovakia	Číslo hydrologického povodia (roughly: "hydrological catchment area number")
Czech Republic	Číslo hydrologické pořadí (ČHP, roughly: "Hydrological serial number")
United Kingdom	Waterbody Id
United States	Geographic Names Information System
Italy	In Italy there are provincial or regional identification numbers, but there may not yet be a national system.

In addition to the national identification numbers, there have been - for a long time - processing numbers of the local associations responsible for water maintenance, in Germany mostly water and soil associations , and the dike associations near the North Sea coast .

Classifications

With classifications only one group membership is determined or determined:

• Hydrographic hierarchy level in the water network:
  • Flow ordinal number - (several different systems)
• Ecological grades:
  • Water structure quality class - general ecological measure of the naturalness of the water bed
  • Water quality class - classification of the pollution with oxygen-consuming substances in the saprobic system
  • Bathing water quality - classification according to the guidelines on bathing water (in Europe EU and national)
• Responsibility classes, e.g. B. Classification in Germany:
  • 1st order waters under federal jurisdiction; the water area is public.
  • Waters II. Order in the jurisdiction of the federal state; the water area is public.
  • Waters III. Order in the jurisdiction of the water and soil associations ; the water area is divided between the residents.
• Classes of inland waterways
  • European classification (I – VII and 0) according to permissible ship sizes
  • according to jurisdiction, e.g. B. Federal waterways and state waterways in Germany

Web links

• EC Water Framework Directive in full

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Lists of detailed catchment areas - water network for Upper Austria , "HZB code" for water body numbers, "RoutID" for watercourse numbers in the area directory (ZIP package with several file formats)
2. ↑ Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management: The area directory - the order of our waters - with PDF directories for five river basins - what appears in these tables, broken down into "number (s) of order" 2, 3, 4… , are the same numbers that appear in the Upper Austrian table as RouteID
3. ↑ tirisMaps , topic rivers / lakes : bodies of water with HZB numbers, watercourse numbers that were developed for an Austrian nationwide area directory
4. ↑ British Catchment Data Explorer - nationwide index of catchment areas , defined by water body
5. ↑ Lower Saxony environmental maps:

   Click on the Sachsenross to open the Layer Manager (if it is not already open)

   Layers for the GKZ classification:

   • Basics:
     • DTK 25 SW (or Orthophoto)
   • Hydrology:
     • Hierarchical area directory 4 + −3 + −2 + −1
     • Water network

   Layers for the water body classification:

   • Basics:
     • DTK 25 SW (or Orthophoto)
   • Water Framework Directive (scroll selection areas all the way to the right):
     • Rivers (WFD)
     • Lakes (WFD)
     • if necessary, coastal and transitional waters (WFD)
     • Water catchment areas (WFD)
6. ^ Environment Lower Saxony - Area Directory Weser
7. ↑ Austrian report according to EU WFD: Risk analysis of surface water… Rhine planning area → see legend
8. ↑ Wallonia's environmental portal : Table des matiéres (content) → L'eau (water) → Masses d'eau de surface: map of the catchment areas of surface water bodies - without displaying or calling up the numbers
9. ↑ Wallonia - General Directorate for Agriculture, Natural Reserves and Environment - DGO3 / SPW: Environmental objectives for water bodies (detail) with a list of all water bodies
10. ^ Vlaamse Hydrographic Atlas