Tame Lower Rivers and Lakes Operational Catchment

About

This mixed urban and rural catchment incorporates the River Tame and tributaries from Bescot to its confluence with the River Trent at Alrewas, plus part of the extensive Birmingham Canal Navigations. Many of the river water bodies are heavily modified due to urbanisation and flood risk management. At Lea Marston the River Tame flows through a series of purification lakes and treated sewage effluent discharged into the catchment upstream contributes over fifty percent of the average flow in the river. There are some significant public water supply abstractions from groundwater sources within the catchment particularly around Lichfield and Shenstone.

River Tame at Perry Hall playing fields

Classifications data for Tame Lower Rivers and Lakes Operational 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 transfers801119
Lake2013
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total1001222

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 bodies08140022
Number of water body elements8294021136234

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 bodies22022
Number of water body elements65290355

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 Tame Lower Rivers and Lakes Operational 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 management30001300
Domestic general public0000010
Industry0000030
Local & central government00100000
Mining and quarrying0010000
Navigation2000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0000000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0020000
Urban and transport001800480
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry30100046
Total80320135246

Objectives data for Tame Lower Rivers and Lakes Operational 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 201504160020
By 2021010001
By 2027001001
Total05170022

1 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 206302222
Total02222

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