Upper Great Stour Water Body

Bad ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB107040019660
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRTQ9173748639
  • Catchment area70.608 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyYes
  • Catchment area7060.752 ha
  • Length27.122 km

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalBadBad
Biological quality elementsBadBad
FishBadBad
InvertebratesHighHigh
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedModerateModerate
Macrophytes Sub ElementModerateModerate
Phytobenthos Sub ElementGoodGood
Physico-chemical quality elementsGoodGood
Acid Neutralising CapacityHighHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
PhosphateGoodGood
TemperatureGoodGood
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support goodDoes not support good
MorphologySupports goodSupports good
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
CopperHighHigh
IronHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsFail
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Priority substancesGoodDoes not require assessment
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good
FluorantheneGood
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 Combined32019ModerateCertain there is not a problem
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined22019ModerateCertain there is not 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
RNAGPhysical modificationBarriers - ecological discontinuityDomestic General PublicFishDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationUrbanisation - urban developmentUrban and transportFishDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceTransport DrainageUrban and transportFishDetails
RNAGSuspect dataNot applicableNo sector responsibleMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryFishDetails
RNAGFlowGroundwater abstractionWater IndustryHydrological RegimeDetails
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

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
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport1010000
Water Industry0101000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public1000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total2111000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Biological quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
FishGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
InvertebratesGood2015
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Physico-chemical quality elementsGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphateGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsHigh2015
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood2015
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood2015
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good2015
HexachlorobenzeneGood2015
HexachlorobutadieneGood2015
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood2040Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2015
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority substancesGood2015
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
R. GREAT STOUR NVZS515Nitrates Directive
MaidstoneG64Nitrates 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
43585 435852012
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/GODINTON PARK/ 105252013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 2010, 20092015, 2013, 2016, 2014, 20192022, 2019
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/LITTLE CHART, FORSTAL/ 25862013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 2010, 20092015, 2013, 2016, 2014, 20192022, 2019
BUCKSFORD GREAT CHART G.STOUR E00013062013, 2012, 2010, 2011, 2014, 20092015, 2013, 2016, 2014, 20192022, 2019
D/S LENHAM STW BRIDGE FARM E00013222009
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/GODINTON PARK GLIDE SECTION/ 391072013, 2012
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/GODINTON PARK DS CHART AVE/ 524632014
GREAT STOUR RIPPERS CROSS E00013092012, 2010, 2011, 2009
188653 18865320192019, 2022
42413 424132014, 20132015, 2014, 2016, 2013
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/LITTLE CHART, SWAN INN/ 413512013, 2014
43191 431912010, 2011, 2009, 2014, 20122016, 2019, 2014, 20152022, 2019
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/GODINTON PARK DS WORTON ROAD BRIDGE/ 524642014
CHARING STRM CONFL GT.STOUR E00013112013, 2012, 2014, 2010, 2009, 20112015, 2013, 2016, 2014, 20192019
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/GODINTON PARK US POOLS/ 391062013, 2012
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/GODINTON PARK DS POOLS/ 390872013, 2012
43702 437022011, 2012, 2014, 2010, 2013, 20092016, 2015, 2013, 2014, 20192019
GREAT STOUR LITTLE CHART E00013132013, 2012, 2014, 20092015, 2013, 2016, 2014, 20192022, 2019
43988 439882010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2014, 20122013, 2016, 2019, 2014, 20152019
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/LITTLE CHART, FORSTAL, UPSTREAM OF ROAD BRIDGE/ 413462013, 2014
BOWLEY FARM D/S LENHAM STW E00047712012, 201120192019
GREAT STOUR/GREAT STOUR - MAIN RIVER/BARNFIELD BRIDGE/ 86272011, 2012, 2010, 2009
43797 437972012, 2014, 2010, 2013, 2011, 20092019, 2016, 2015, 2013, 20142019, 2022
134361 1343612010, 2011

Upstream water bodies