Options for meeting WFD targets beyond 2015 in a highly polluted river basin in Germany

The Weser River Basin will most likely not meet European water framework directive nitrogen concentration targets by 2015. We use the AGRUM model network connecting hydrological and nutrient transport models with a German agricultural sector model to analyse current and future nitrogen surplus developments, water quality aspects and additional agrienvironmental measures to discuss options for WFD targets until 2021. Results show that even with a full implementation of the nitrogen directive and with additional agrienvironmental measures the objectives of the WFD can hardly be met.