Chicksands Brook Water Body

Moderate ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB105033037670
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationheavily modified
  • NGRTL1186040185
  • Catchment area17.887 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo
  • Length4.824 km
  • Catchment area1788.654 ha

Classifications

Classification Item2019
EcologicalModerate
Biological quality elementsPoor
InvertebratesPoor
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined
Macrophytes Sub ElementModerate
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Poor
Dissolved oxygenPoor
PhosphatePoor
TemperatureHigh
pHHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports good
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Moderate
Mitigation Measures AssessmentModerate or less
ChemicalFail
Priority hazardous substancesFail
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Priority substancesGood
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good
FluorantheneGood
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment

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

Investigations into classification status

Classification ElementCycleYearStatusOutcome
Dissolved oxygen22015BadQuite certain there is a problem
Phosphate22015PoorVery certain 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 TypeSWMIActivityCategoryClassification ElementMore information
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceTrade/Industry dischargeIndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGFlowSurface water abstractionIndustryDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGPoint sourceTrade/Industry dischargeIndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGPoint sourceTrade/Industry dischargeIndustryAmmonia (Phys-Chem)Details
RNAGPhysical modificationLand drainageAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryAmmonia (Phys-Chem)Details
RNAGPoint sourceTrade/Industry dischargeIndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceTrade/Industry dischargeIndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceTrade/Industry dischargeIndustryDissolved oxygenDetails

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 management0000010
Industry0011000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0200000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total0211010

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Biological quality elementsModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
InvertebratesModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedNot assessed2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Dissolved oxygenModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
PhosphateModerate2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
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
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 CompoundsGood2015
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
Great Ouse NVZS391Nitrates Directive
Woburn SandsG76Nitrates 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
CHICKSANDS BK.TRIB.FLIT SHEFFORD HARDWKE 16M192016, 2019, 20152019
R.FLIT GREENFIELD MILL 16M012009
IVEL NAVIGATION TWIN BRIDGE CLIFTON 18M012009
R.FLIT SHEFFORD NORTH BRIDGE 16M042009
R.FLIT BEADLOW RD.BR. 16M032009
160182 1601822014, 20132013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 20142019

Upstream water bodies