Somerhill Stream Water Body

Poor ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106040018410
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRTQ5958544418
  • Catchment area17.596 km2
  • Catchment area1759.62 ha
  • Length8.154 km
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalBadPoor
Biological quality elementsBadPoor
InvertebratesBadPoor
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedModerateModerate
Phytobenthos Sub ElementModerateModerate
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Acid Neutralising CapacityHighHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)GoodGood
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
PhosphatePoorPoor
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
MorphologySupports goodSupports good
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
ChlorothalonilHighHigh
CopperHighHigh
DiazinonHighHigh
DimethoateHighHigh
IronHighHigh
ManganeseHighHigh
PendimethalinHighHigh
PermethrinHighHigh
TriclosanHighHigh
ZincHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (Priority hazardous)Good
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
HexachlorocyclohexaneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsFail
NonylphenolGood
PentachlorobenzeneGood
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Fail
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
QuinoxyfenGood
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesFailDoes not require assessment
AclonifenGood
AlachlorGood
BifenoxGood
CybutryneGood
Cypermethrin (Priority)Fail
Dichlorvos (Priority)Good
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
TerbutrynGood
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessmentDoes not require assessment

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

Investigations into classification status

Classification ElementCycleYearStatusOutcome
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined22015ModerateQuite certain there is a problem

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
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationCypermethrin (Priority)Details
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
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceContaminated landIndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)Water IndustryMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceContaminated landIndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceContaminated landIndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceContaminated landIndustryInvertebratesDetails

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 management0000000
Industry0010000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0600000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total0610000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Biological quality elementsModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
InvertebratesModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphatePoor2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsHigh2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
ChlorothalonilHigh2015
CopperHigh2015
DiazinonHigh2015
DimethoateHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
PendimethalinHigh2015
PermethrinHigh2015
TriclosanHigh2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
ZincHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Benzo (b) and (k) fluorantheneGood2015
Benzo (ghi) perelyene and indeno (123-cd) pyreneGood2015
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood2015
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood2015
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood2015
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood2015
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (Priority hazardous)Good2015
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
PentachlorobenzeneGood2015
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2039Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
QuinoxyfenGood2015
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
Priority substancesGood2039Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
AclonifenGood2015
AlachlorGood2015
BifenoxGood2015
CybutryneGood2015
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2039Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Dichlorvos (Priority)Good2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Lead and Its CompoundsGood2015
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood2015
TerbutrynGood2015
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
River Medway at MaidstoneSWSGZ4007Safeguard Zone
Lesser Teise and Bewl Water ReservoirSWSGZ4223Safeguard Zone
Somerhill Stream NVZS806Nitrates 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
SOMERHILL STREAM OLD FORGE FM E00007702012, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2009, 20112019, 2015, 2016, 20142019, 2022
THE POSTERN SOMERHILL STREAM E00007682012, 2013, 2014, 20092019, 2015, 2016, 2013, 20142019, 2022
43626 436262010, 2011, 2014, 2012, 2009, 20132016, 2014, 2015, 20132022
42096 420962010, 2011, 2014, 2009, 2012, 20132016, 2014, 2015, 2013
154899 15489920142016, 2014, 2015
43453 434532016, 2015

Upstream water bodies