Thames Wallingford to Caversham Water Body

Moderate ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106039030331
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationheavily modified
  • NGRSU5975592031
  • Catchment area18648.061 ha
  • Length39.401 km
  • Catchment area186.481 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalModerateModerate
Biological quality elementsHighHigh
InvertebratesHighHigh
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined
Macrophytes Sub ElementHighHigh
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Acid Neutralising CapacityHighHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
PhosphateModerateModerate
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
Supporting elements (Surface Water)ModerateModerate
Mitigation Measures AssessmentModerate or lessModerate or less
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
CopperHighHigh
IronHighHigh
ManganeseHighHigh
TriclosanHighHigh
ZincHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
AnthraceneGood
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Benzo(b)fluorantheneFail
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneFail
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
HexachlorocyclohexaneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsFail
NonylphenolGood
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Fail
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesFailDoes not require assessment
1,2-dichloroethaneGood
Cypermethrin (Priority)Fail
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
PentachlorophenolGood
TrichlorobenzenesGood
TrichloromethaneGood
Other PollutantsGoodDoes not require assessment
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood
Carbon TetrachlorideGood
DDT TotalGood
TetrachloroethyleneGood
TrichloroethyleneGood
para - para DDTGood

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

Investigations into classification status

Classification ElementCycleYearStatusOutcome
Invertebrates22015Moderate

Reasons for not achieving good (RNAG) and reasons for deterioration (RFD)

All reasons (RFDs and RNAGs) attributed to the classification elements in this water body.

Reason TypeSWMIActivityCategoryClassification ElementMore information
RNAGDiffuse sourceOther (not in list, must add details in comments)Agriculture and rural land managementPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationOther (not in list, must add details in comments)Local and Central GovernmentMitigation Measures AssessmentDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationOther (not in list, must add details in comments)RecreationMitigation Measures AssessmentDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationOther (not in list, must add details in comments)NavigationMitigation Measures AssessmentDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationBenzo(g-h-i)peryleneDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationBenzo(b)fluorantheneDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationPerfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Details
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details

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 issuePhysical modificationsPollution from waste waterPollution from towns, cities and transportChanges to the natural flow and level of waterInvasive non-native speciesPollution from rural areasPollution from abandoned mines
Agriculture and rural land management0000010
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation1000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0100000
Local & central government1000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation1000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total3100010

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available;
Technically infeasible: Practical technical constraints prevent implementation of the measure by an earlier deadline
Biological quality elementsGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
InvertebratesGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedNot assessed2021
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphateModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Good2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Technically infeasible: Practical technical constraints prevent implementation of the measure by an earlier deadline
Mitigation Measures AssessmentGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Technically infeasible: Practical technical constraints prevent implementation of the measure by an earlier deadline
Specific pollutantsHigh2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
TriclosanHigh2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
ZincHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
AnthraceneGood2015
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood2033Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood2033Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood2015
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood2015
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood2015
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood2015
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good2015
HexachlorobenzeneGood2015
HexachlorobutadieneGood2015
HexachlorocyclohexaneGood2015
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood2040Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
NonylphenolGood2015
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2039Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
Priority substancesGood2039Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown
1,2-dichloroethaneGood2015
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2039Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown
FluorantheneGood2015
Lead and Its CompoundsGood2015
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood2015
PentachlorophenolGood2015
TrichlorobenzenesGood2015
TrichloromethaneGood2015
Other PollutantsGood2015
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood2015
Carbon TetrachlorideGood2015
DDT TotalGood2015
TetrachloroethyleneGood2015
TrichloroethyleneGood2015
para - para DDTGood2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Lower Thames (Cookham Egham Teddington)SWSGZ4016Safeguard Zone
Berkshire DownsG87Nitrates Directive
Little WittenhamUK0030184Special Area of ConservationNatural England
Thames Wallingford to Caversham NVZS481Nitrates Directive
River ThamesUKENRI17Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive

Monitoring sites which have been used to classify this water body

Shows which sites were used for classification for which years within each cycle.

Monitoring SiteCycle 1Cycle 2Cycle 3
184231 18423120192019
184230 18423020192019
165823 1658232019, 2015, 2014, 20162019
THAMES AT SHILLINGFORD BRIDGE PTHR010120192019
THAMES JUST ABOVE GORING WEIR PTHR01202009, 2013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 20102016, 2013, 2019, 2015, 20142019, 2022
THAMES AT WALLINGFORD BRIDGE PTHR01112009, 2012, 2013, 2011, 2014, 20102015, 2013, 2016, 2014, 20192022, 2019
THAMES AT CAVERSHAM WEIR PTHR00802009, 2012, 2013, 2011, 2014, 20102015, 2016, 2013, 2019, 20142019, 2022
35854 358542014, 2012, 2010, 20112014, 2015, 2016
THAMES ABOVE MAPLEDURHAM WEIR PTHR01212009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 20112019, 20162019
35850 358502014, 2012, 2010, 20112014, 2015, 2016
HOWBERY DITCH AT OLD A423, BENSON PTHR003620092016, 2019, 20152019
35366 353662010, 2009

Downstream water bodies