East & West Fen Drains Water Body

Bad ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB205030056405
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationartificial
  • NGRTF3302247344
  • Catchment area37177.558 ha
  • Length69.846 km
  • Catchment area371.776 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalBadBad
Biological quality elementsBadBad
FishBadBad
Physico-chemical quality elementsGoodModerate
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)GoodGood
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)Moderate
Dissolved oxygenGoodPoor
PhosphateHighHigh
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support goodDoes not support good
Supporting elements (Surface Water)ModerateModerate
Mitigation Measures AssessmentModerate or lessModerate or less
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsFail
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Fail
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
Temperature22016ModerateCertain there is not a problem
Dissolved oxygen22019ModerateQuite certain there is a problem
Dissolved oxygen22015PoorCertain 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
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RFDFlowNo further action (Flow is below the EFI but NOT causing an ecological failure)No sector responsibleHydrological RegimeDetails
RNAGFlowNo further action (Flow is below the EFI but NOT causing an ecological failure)No sector responsibleHydrological RegimeDetails
RFDFlowLand drainage - operational managementAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationLand drainageAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationPerfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Details
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)Agriculture and rural land managementMitigation Measures AssessmentDetails

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 management2000000
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0000000
Local & central government1000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total3000000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Good status prevented by A/HMWB designated use: Action to get biological element to good would have significant adverse impact on use
Biological quality elementsModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Good status prevented by A/HMWB designated use: Action to get biological element to good would have significant adverse impact on use
FishModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Good status prevented by A/HMWB designated use: Action to get biological element to good would have significant adverse impact on use
Physico-chemical quality elementsGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
PhosphateGood2015
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Good2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Mitigation Measures AssessmentGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Specific pollutantsNot assessed2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural 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(a)pyreneGood2015
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood2015
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)Good2039Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
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
West WashUKSW4Shellfish Water Directive
The Wash & North Norfolk CoastUK0017075Special Area of ConservationNatural England
The WashUK9008021Special Protection AreaNatural England
The WashUK11072Ramsar SiteNatural England
ConingsbyG178Nitrates Directive
Witham Drains NVZS716Nitrates 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
WITHAM CATCHMENT/HOBHOLE / STONEBRIDGE SUBCATCHMENT/WEST FEN FMU/NEWHAM DRAIN/MILLS BRIDGE/ 66702019, 2015, 20162019, 2022
LADE BANK EAST DOVECOTE FARM BRIDGE LADE12015, 2019, 20162022, 2019
HOBHOLE DRN.FISHTOFT BRIDGE BOTTOM HOBD72015, 20192022, 2019
HOBHOLE DRN.FREISTON INGS BRIDGE BOTTOM HOBD62015, 2019, 20162022, 2019
CASTLE DIKE U/S OF GIPSEY BRIDGE STW CASTLEDK2022

Downstream water bodies