Kent Greensand Middle and Western Operational Catchment

About

The Kent Greensand Western is comprised of the Folkestone, Sandgate, Hythe, and Atherfield Clay Formations. The Principal Aquifers are the Folkestone and Hythe Formations, whilst the Sandgate and Atherfield Clay Formations are Secondary Aquifers. It is a Drinking Water Protected Area, supporting large public water supplies along with industrial, agricultural and private groundwater supplies. The Darent river system is heavily reliant on groundwater from the Lower Greensand in the upper catchment, fed by a multitude of springs as it flows toward Sevenoaks. Fracture flow dominates in the Hythe Formation, whereas intergranular flow dominates in the Folkestone Formation.

Diagram of a typical hydrogeological setting for a groundwater catchment like the Kent Greensand Middle

Classifications data for Kent Greensand Middle and Western Operational Catchment

Number of water bodies

The number of water bodies in the river basin district. It shows whether these are natural, artificial (such as canals and reservoirs) or have been modified ('heavily modified') for particular uses.

Water body categoriesNaturalArtificialHeavily modifiedTotal
River, canals and surface water transfers0000
Lake0000
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater2002
Total2002

Ecological status for surface waters

Table summarises the current ecological status of surface water bodies. Water bodies are classified as being at high, good, moderate, poor or bad ecological status or potential.

Ecological status or potentialBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
Number of water bodies000000
Number of water body elements000000

Chemical status for surface waters

Table summarises the current chemical status of water bodies. These are classified as being at good or fail.

Chemical statusFailGoodTotal
Number of water bodies000
Number of water body elements000

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

Quantitative status for groundwater

Table summarises the quantitative status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Quantitative statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies202
Number of water body elements268

Chemical status for groundwater

Table summarises the chemical status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Chemical statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies202
Number of water body elements3710

Challenges data for Kent Greensand Middle and Western Operational Catchment

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 issueChanges to the natural flow and level of waterInvasive non-native speciesPhysical modificationsPollution from abandoned minesPollution from rural areasPollution from towns, cities and transportPollution from waste water
Agriculture and rural land management0000100
Domestic general public0000000
Industry1000000
Local & central government0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0000000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry1000000
Total2000100

Objectives data for Kent Greensand Middle and Western Operational Catchment

Ecological status or potential objectives for surface water bodies

Table summarises the ecological status and ecological potential objectives set for water bodies in the river basin management plan. Each water body is only counted once in this table. Each water body objective consists of a target status and a date when it was, or is expected to be, met.

StatusBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
Total000000

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for surface water bodies

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusFailGoodTotal
Total000

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Quantitative status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
By 2027022
Total022

2 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
By 2027022
Total022

2 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Summary Statistics data for Kent Greensand Middle and Western Operational Catchment

Groundwater

Summary statisticGround water
% of water bodies at good chemical (GW) status0%
% of groundwater chemical elements at good status70%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical (GW) status100%
% of groundwater chemical elements with an objective of good100%
% of water bodies at good quantitative status0%
% of groundwater quantitative elements at good status75%
% of water bodies with an objective of good quantitative status100%
% of groundwater quantitative elements with an objective of good100%