Northumberland Rivers Management Catchment

About

The Northumberland Rivers Catchment extends southwards from Berwick-upon-Tweed down to the Blyth Valley, with the Cheviot Hills to the west and the North Sea to the east. The rivers Tweed and Till are not part of this catchment as they are within the Solway Tweed River Basin District. The Northumberland Rivers Catchment includes Lindisfarne, the Farne Islands, and Coquet Island, all internationally recognised for their native wildlife.

Lindisfarne Castle with boats in foreground

Classifications data for Northumberland Rivers Management Catchment

Number of water bodies

The number of water bodies in the river basin district. It shows whether these are natural, artificial (such as canals and reservoirs) or have been modified ('heavily modified') for particular uses.

Water body categoriesNaturalArtificialHeavily modifiedTotal
River, canals and surface water transfers6001878
Lake1247
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total6122285

Ecological status for surface waters

Table summarises the current ecological status of surface water bodies. Water bodies are classified as being at high, good, moderate, poor or bad ecological status or potential.

Ecological status or potentialBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
Number of water bodies0153731285
Number of water body elements0265283589750

Chemical status for surface waters

Table summarises the current chemical status of water bodies. These are classified as being at good or fail.

Chemical statusFailGoodTotal
Number of water bodies85085
Number of water body elements18210421224

Why do all water bodies have a chemical status of fail?

Quantitative status for groundwater

Table summarises the quantitative status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Quantitative statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies000
Number of water body elements000

Chemical status for groundwater

Table summarises the chemical status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Chemical statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies000
Number of water body elements000

Challenges data for Northumberland Rivers Management Catchment

Reasons for not achieving good status by business sector

The issues preventing waters reaching good status and the sectors identified as contributing to them. The numbers in the table are individual counts of the reasons for not achieving good status with a confidence status of 'confirmed' and 'probable', where the latest classification is less than good status. There may be more than one reason in a single water body. Note, table does not include reasons for deterioration.

Significant water management issueChanges to the natural flow and level of waterInvasive non-native speciesPhysical modificationsPollution from abandoned minesPollution from rural areasPollution from towns, cities and transportPollution from waste water
Agriculture and rural land management00803300
Domestic general public0000002
Industry0010000
Local & central government0040001
Mining and quarrying0012000
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0040010
Recreation0020010
Sector under investigation0060000
Urban and transport0090000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry307001114
Total30422331317

Objectives data for Northumberland Rivers Management Catchment

Ecological status or potential objectives for surface water bodies

Table summarises the ecological status and ecological potential objectives set for water bodies in the river basin management plan. Each water body is only counted once in this table. Each water body objective consists of a target status and a date when it was, or is expected to be, met.

StatusBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
By 201500035035
By 2021001405
By 202700045045
Total00184085

45 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for surface water bodies

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusFailGoodTotal
By 206308585
Total08585

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Quantitative status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
Total000

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
Total000