The Environment Agency’s annual survey for 2003 reports little change in river quality nationally from last year. A slight rise in biological quality (70% of rivers classified as of ‘good’ biological status) was offset by a small decrease in chemical quality (65% classified as of ‘good’ chemical quality). While the long term trend is positive – rivers in England and Wales have seen a 37% improvement in chemical quality and a 30% improvement in biological status since 1990 – the rate of progress has slowed in recent years.
Nutrient levels are also examined in the survey. Phosphates – ‘high’ in 53% of rivers -have levelled off since the large reductions in the early 1990s. Nitrate levels have recently shown only small reductions and remain ‘high’ in 27% of rivers.
Chairman of the Environment Agency Sir John Harman said: “Our annual river surveys have been an effective guide to river quality, and have helped to direct major investment into improving habitats and reversing the most serious pollution blight. Around 30% of our rivers, however, still need improvement, and one in six rivers in urban areas are still classed as ‘poor’ or ‘bad’. Added to this, the advent of the new Water Framework Directive will require a more detailed picture of the ecological health of our rivers and new benchmarks of quality.
“The Government recently demonstrated its commitment and support for a programme of environmental improvements by the water industry for 2005 to 2010. These investments, to protect fisheries, to control pollution and enhance nature conservation, will set good foundations.
By tackling these problems now, we will make the more challenging issues that the Water Framework Directive requires us to deal with that much easier to handle in the future.
At the beginning of September, the Environment Agency published initial maps showing the pressures and impacts on our water environment in England and Wales, illustrating where further improvements will be needed to meet the standards set by the Water Framework Directive. The maps, currently with key partners for review, identify environmental threats including point source and diffuse pollution, water abstraction and physical alterations to our water environment. In general, the draft results show that that the main pressures on our environment are rural and urban diffuse pollution and man made physical changes to rivers and other water bodies.
Sir John Harman added: “These new maps will allow the Environment Agency to prioritise the work needed to meet the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. We are moving towards a better and more comprehensive way of assessing the water environment, which will in turn give communities a safer, cleaner and richer water environment.”
The Environment Agency’s General Quality Assessment for 2003 can be found at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/gqaresults/
NOTES FROM FISHINGmagic
The Environment Agency has statutory duties to reduce pollution, manage water resources and conserve the environment. The Agency monitors the quality of over 40,000km of rivers and canals and 2,800km of estuaries in England and Wales.
General Quality Assessment
The Agency’ General Quality Assessment (GQA) scheme classifies water quality in rivers and canals in England and Wales. The scheme provides a way of comparing river quality from one river to another and for looking at changes over time.
For the chemistry and nutrient ‘windows’, about 7,000 river and canal sites are sampled 12 times each year. The annual classification is based on 36 samples ie the combined results for three years, so the classification for the year 2003 is based on sample results for 2001, 2002 and 2003.
GQA classification methods
– Chemistry: Samples are analysed for ammonia, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen. Each of the three parameters is graded A to F, and the iste is assigned an overall grade based on the lowest of the three. For example, if a site is graded A for dissolved oxygen and ammonia but only grade B for BOD, then the overall grade assigned is B.
– Biology: In 2003, a third of all sites were tested for macro-invertebrates (small animals that can be seen with the naked eye). The range of species found is compared with the range that would be expected in the river if it was not polluted or physically damaged. This takes account of natural differences expected due to different types of geology and flow. One of six grades – A to F – is allocated to each river length.
– Nutrients: Samples are analysed for nitrate and orthophosphate. Grades are assigned for each of these nutrients. There are no set ‘good’ or ‘bad’ concentrations for nutrients in rivers in the way that we describe chemical and biological quality. Rivers in different parts of the country have naturally different concentrations of nutrients. ‘Very low’ nutrient concentrations, for example, are not necessarily good or bad; the classification merely states that concentrations in this river are very low relative to other rivers.
Water Framework Directive (WFD)
Under the WFD, surface water bodies must meet ‘good’ ecological status and ‘good’ chemical status by 2015. Groundwaters must meet ‘good’ chemical status and ‘heavily modified water bodies’ must achieve ‘good ecological potential’ by the same date. In addition there must be no deterioration from sites currently at or above ‘good’ status.
The UK Government is obliged to complete and submit a full risk assessment of all water bodies in the UK to the European Commission by March 2005. The risk assessments establish those water bodies at risk of not meeting objectives for the WFD if no work is carried out.
On 1 September, the Environment Agency published its initial pressure and impact assessments of all water bodies in England and Wales. These initial results are currently with key partners for review and can be seen on the Environment Agency Website www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wfdreview
Following review, the Environment Agency will submit its risk assessments to Defra in December 2004.
The initial risk assessments examine a broad range of pressures including point source pollution, diffuse pollution, abstraction, morphological alterations and invasive alien species. Within these categories more refined assessments have been made.
Periodic Review
The periodic review is the process by which the Office of Water Services (Ofwat) sets the level of bills that water companies charge their customers. Ofwat will set prices for the period 2005 to 2010 in December 2004.
The programme of environmental investment recommended by the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Countryside Council for Wales includes:
– stopping pollution from storm sewage overflows which empty raw sewage into streams and rivers during wet weather
– protecting our most important wetland wildlife sites from pollution and over-use of water
– controlling water leakage and managing water demand, taking into account possible impacts from climate change
– tackling the nutrient phosphorus which can damage the ecological balance of lakes and rivers.
