Severn Middle Worcestershire Management Catchment
About
The River Severn and its tributaries are highly valued for their landscape and potable drinking water supply. The catchment extends from the southern end of Telford, through the rural areas of West Shropshire, the urban conurbations of Bridgnorth, Kidderminster, Stourport, Bromsgrove and Droitwich into the city of Worcester. It is a highly diverse catchment with both urban and rural pressures. The area contains a wide diversity of habitats and is home to the last substantial water vole (BAP Species) populations in the county. The River Severn is heavily used for recreation, including angling and boating. Ironbridge is a UNESCO site of historic cultural importance. The rural areas consist of a wide range of farming activities, arable, livestock, dairy, horticulture and orchards. The area contains a wide diversity of habitats and a number of designated wetland sites. Notable sites include Wilden Marsh, Puxton and Stourvale Marshes, Upton Warren, Hurcott and Podmore, Hartlebury Common and Hillditch Coppice. The Meres and Mosses are all Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and form part of a nationally important series of open water and peatland sites. Designated due to their unique habitat which provides for rich aquatic flora & fauna. Most of the catchment is designated a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. Several heavily modified waterbodies within the catchment, River Severn and Spadesbourne Brook.
![River Severn at Worcester](/catchment-planning/photos/managementcatchment/3075.jpg)
Classifications data for Severn Middle Worcestershire 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 categories | Natural | Artificial | Heavily modified | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
River, canals and surface water transfers | 37 | 0 | 7 | 44 |
Lake | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
Coastal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Estuarine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Groundwater | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 38 | 5 | 8 | 51 |
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 potential | Bad | Poor | Moderate | Good | High | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 1 | 14 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 51 |
Number of water body elements | 6 | 41 | 67 | 55 | 288 | 457 |
Chemical status for surface waters
Table summarises the current chemical status of water bodies. These are classified as being at good or fail.
Chemical status | Fail | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 51 | 0 | 51 |
Number of water body elements | 129 | 614 | 743 |
Quantitative status for groundwater
Table summarises the quantitative status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.
Quantitative status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Number of water body elements | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chemical status for groundwater
Table summarises the chemical status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.
Chemical status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Number of water body elements | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Challenges data for Severn Middle Worcestershire 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 issue | Changes to the natural flow and level of water | Invasive non-native species | Physical modifications | Pollution from abandoned mines | Pollution from rural areas | Pollution from towns, cities and transport | Pollution from waste water |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agriculture and rural land management | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 86 | 0 | 0 |
Domestic general public | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
Industry | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Local & central government | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mining and quarrying | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Navigation | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
No sector responsible | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recreation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sector under investigation | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Urban and transport | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
Waste treatment and disposal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Water Industry | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
Total | 17 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 86 | 43 | 51 |
Objectives data for Severn Middle Worcestershire 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.
Status | Bad | Poor | Moderate | Good | High | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
By 2015 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
By 2021 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
By 2027 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 37 | 0 | 41 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 12 | 39 | 0 | 51 |
Chemical status objectives for surface water bodies
Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines
Status | Fail | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
By 2063 | 0 | 51 | 51 |
Total | 0 | 51 | 51 |
Quantitative status objectives for groundwater
Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines
Status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chemical status objectives for groundwater
Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines
Status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 |