Itchen Water Body
Good ecological status
Get Itchen data
Attributes
- Water Body IDGB107042022580
- Water Body TypeRiver
- Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
- NGRSU4662119265
- Catchment area119.619 km2
- Natural England Revised WB Protected Area targetshttp://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5077964668534784
- Surveillance Water BodyYes
- Length87.94 km
- Catchment area11961.906 ha
Classifications
| Classification Item | 2019 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Ecological | Good | Good |
| Biological quality elements | Good | Good |
| Fish | High | High |
| Invertebrates | High | High |
| Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | Good | Good |
| Macrophytes Sub Element | Good | Good |
| Phytobenthos Sub Element | High | High |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | High | High |
| Acid Neutralising Capacity | High | High |
| Ammonia (Phys-Chem) | High | High |
| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | High | |
| Dissolved oxygen | High | High |
| Phosphate | High | High |
| Temperature | High | High |
| pH | High | High |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Supports good | Supports good |
| Hydrological Regime | Does not support good | Does not support good |
| Specific pollutants | High | High |
| Arsenic | High | High |
| Chlorothalonil | High | High |
| Chromium (VI) | High | High |
| Copper | High | High |
| Iron | High | High |
| Manganese | High | High |
| Pendimethalin | High | High |
| Zinc | High | High |
| Chemical | Fail | Does not require assessment |
| Priority hazardous substances | Fail | Does not require assessment |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good | |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | Good | |
| Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Fail | |
| Benzo(k)fluoranthene | Good | |
| Cadmium and Its Compounds | Good | |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good | |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good | |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good | |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good | |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good | |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane | Good | |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Fail | |
| Nonylphenol | Good | |
| Pentachlorobenzene | Good | |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good | |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Fail | |
| Quinoxyfen | Good | |
| Tributyltin Compounds | Good | |
| Priority substances | Good | Does not require assessment |
| 1,2-dichloroethane | Good | |
| Aclonifen | Good | |
| Alachlor | Good | |
| Benzene | Good | |
| Bifenox | Good | |
| Cybutryne | Good | |
| Dichloromethane | Good | |
| Dichlorvos (Priority) | Good | |
| Fluoranthene | Good | |
| Lead and Its Compounds | Good | |
| Nickel and Its Compounds | Good | |
| Terbutryn | Good | |
| Trichloromethane | Good | |
| Other Pollutants | Good | Does not require assessment |
| Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & Isodrin | Good | |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | Good | |
| DDT Total | Good | |
| para - para DDT | Good |
Investigations into classification status
| Classification Element | Cycle | Year | Status | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrological Regime | 2 | 2015 | Does Not Support Good | Uncertain there is a problem |
| Hydrological Regime | 2 | 2013 | Does Not Support Good | Uncertain there is a problem |
| Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | 2 | 2013 | Moderate | Uncertain 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 Type | SWMI | Activity | Category | Classification Element | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RNAG | Physical modification | Conservation and heritage | Sector under investigation | Hydrological Regime | Details |
| RNAG | measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Mercury and Its Compounds | Details |
| RNAG | Unknown (pending investigation) | Unknown (pending investigation) | Sector under investigation | Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Details |
| RNAG | Suspect data | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Hydrological Regime | Details |
| RNAG | measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Polybrominated 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 issue | Physical modifications | Pollution from waste water | Pollution from towns, cities and transport | Changes to the natural flow and level of water | Invasive non-native species | Pollution from rural areas | Pollution from abandoned mines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and rural land management | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Industry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mining and quarrying | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Navigation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Urban and transport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Water Industry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Local & central government | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic general public | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Recreation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Waste treatment and disposal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No sector responsible | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sector under investigation | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Objectives
| Classification Item | Status | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecological | Good | 2015 | |
| Biological quality elements | Good | 2015 | |
| Fish | Good | 2015 | |
| Invertebrates | Good | 2015 | |
| Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | Good | 2015 | |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | Good | 2015 | |
| Acid Neutralising Capacity | Good | 2015 | |
| Ammonia (Phys-Chem) | Good | 2015 | |
| Dissolved oxygen | Good | 2015 | |
| Phosphate | Good | 2015 | |
| Temperature | Good | 2015 | |
| pH | Good | 2015 | |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Supports good | 2015 | |
| Hydrological Regime | Supports good | 2027 - Low confidence | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Supporting elements (Surface Water) | Not assessed | 2015 | |
| Specific pollutants | High | 2015 | |
| Arsenic | High | 2015 | |
| Chlorothalonil | High | 2015 | |
| Chromium (VI) | High | 2015 | |
| Copper | High | 2015 | |
| Iron | High | 2015 | |
| Manganese | High | 2015 | |
| Pendimethalin | High | 2015 | |
| Zinc | High | 2015 | |
| Chemical | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time; Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Priority hazardous substances | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time; Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Benzo (b) and (k) fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo (ghi) perelyene and indeno (123-cd) pyrene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Good | 2033 | Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Benzo(k)fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Cadmium and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane | Good | 2015 | |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Good | 2040 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Nonylphenol | Good | 2015 | |
| Pentachlorobenzene | Good | 2015 | |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good | 2015 | |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Quinoxyfen | Good | 2015 | |
| Tributyltin Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Priority substances | Good | 2015 | |
| 1,2-dichloroethane | Good | 2015 | |
| Aclonifen | Good | 2015 | |
| Alachlor | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzene | Good | 2015 | |
| Bifenox | Good | 2015 | |
| Cybutryne | Good | 2015 | |
| Dichloromethane | Good | 2015 | |
| Dichlorvos (Priority) | Good | 2015 | |
| Fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Lead and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Nickel and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Terbutryn | Good | 2015 | |
| Trichloromethane | Good | 2015 | |
| Other Pollutants | Good | 2015 | |
| Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & Isodrin | Good | 2015 | |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | Good | 2015 | |
| DDT Total | Good | 2015 | |
| para - para DDT | Good | 2015 |
Protected areas
| PA Name | Id | Directive | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamble Estuary Eutrophic NVZ (TraC) | ET3 | Nitrates Directive | |
| Hampshire Chalk | G143 | Nitrates Directive | |
| Solent And Dorset Coast | UK9020330 | Special Protection Area | Natural England |
| Itchen | UKGB107042022580 | Drinking Water Protected Area | |
| River Itchen (Hampshire) | UKENRI110 | Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive | |
| River Itchen | UK0012599 | Special Area of Conservation | Natural England |
| Southampton Water | UKSW35 | Shellfish Water 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.