OSPAR COMP4 thresholds for nutrients and chlorophyll : consequences for the Netherlands

In the preparation of the 4th assessment of the eutrophication status of the North East Atlantic by OSPAR, several changes in the assessment methods were made. Rijkswaterstaat asked Deltares to give insight in potential consequences of the assessment for the Netherlands. This report presents an analysis of riverine nutrient loads in relation to the assessment results. For the riverine nitrogen and phosphorus loads to the North Sea, the relative contribution of emissions of within the Netherlands and of transboundary transport in the rivers was analyzed. Model results on the relation between riverine nutrient loads and near-bottom oxygen concentrations in the North Sea are discussed.