RIBBLE Water Body

Bad ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB531207112400
  • Water Body TypeTransitional Water
  • Hydromorphological designationheavily modified
  • NGRSD3459822935
  • Surveillance Water BodyYes
  • Surface area40.773 km2
  • Surface area4077.291 ha

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalBadBad
Biological quality elementsBadBad
AngiospermsGoodGood
SaltmarshGoodGood
FishModerateModerate
InvertebratesGoodGood
Infaunal Quality IndexGoodGood
MacroalgaeGoodHigh
Fucoid ExtentGood
Opportunistic MacroalgaeHighHigh
PhytoplanktonBadBad
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Dissolved Inorganic NitrogenModerateModerate
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
Supporting elements (Surface Water)ModerateModerate
Mitigation Measures AssessmentModerate or lessModerate or less
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
ArsenicHighHigh
Chromium (VI)HighHigh
CopperHighHigh
IronHighHigh
Un-ionised ammoniaHighHigh
ZincHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
AnthraceneGood
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood
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
PentachlorobenzeneGood
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
QuinoxyfenGood
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesGoodDoes not require assessment
AclonifenGood
AlachlorGood
BifenoxGood
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
NapthaleneGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
OctylphenolGood
TrichloromethaneGood
Other PollutantsGoodDoes not require assessment
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood
para - para DDTGood

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

Investigations into classification status

No data to show

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
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhytoplanktonDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryMacroalgaeDetails
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
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGPhysical modificationOther (not in list, must add details in comments)Local and Central GovernmentMitigation Measures AssessmentDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryDissolved Inorganic NitrogenDetails

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 transport0000000
Water Industry0200000
Local & central government1000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total1200000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Biological quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
AngiospermsGood2015
FishGood2015
InvertebratesGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
MacroalgaeGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
PhytoplanktonGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Physico-chemical quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Dissolved Inorganic NitrogenGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
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 pollutantsHigh2015
ArsenicHigh2015
Chromium (VI)High2015
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
Un-ionised ammoniaHigh2015
ZincHigh2015
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
AnthraceneGood2015
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood2021Technically 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
PentachlorobenzeneGood2015
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2015
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
QuinoxyfenGood2015
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
Priority substancesGood2015
AclonifenGood2015
AlachlorGood2015
BifenoxGood2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Lead and Its CompoundsGood2015
NapthaleneGood2015
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood2015
OctylphenolGood2015
TrichloromethaneGood2015
Other PollutantsGood2015
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood2015
para - para DDTGood2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Ribble & Alt EstuariesUK9005103Special Protection AreaNatural England
Sefton CoastUK0013076Special Area of ConservationNatural England
Ribble & Alt EstuariesUK11057Ramsar SiteNatural England
RibbleUKSW111Shellfish Water Directive
Liverpool BayUK9020294Special Protection AreaNatural England
River DarwenUKENRI154Urban 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
RIBBLE ESTUARY AT 10TH MILE POST 880035942013, 2010, 2011, 20122019, 2016, 20152019
RIBBLE ESTUARY AT 7TH MILE POST 8800358620132016, 2015, 20192019
RIBBLE ESTUARY AT 4TH MILE POST 8800357920132016, 2015, 20192019
RIBBLE ESTUARY AT 1ST MILE POST 880035662013, 2010, 2012, 2009, 20112016, 2015, 20192019
RIBBLE ESTUARY AT 5TH MILE POST 880035822010, 2012, 2013, 2009, 2011
RIBBLE ESTUARY AT 2ND MILE POST 880035772009, 2011, 2010, 2012, 2013
RIBBLE ESTUARY AT 11TH MILE POST 880035952016, 2019, 20152019
D/S WALTON-LE-DALE STW ON RIBBLE ESTUARY 8802037420132015, 2016, 20192019

Downstream water bodies