Ewelme Stream (Source to Thames) Water Body

Moderate ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106039023610
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRSU6287792132
  • Catchment area1513.79 ha
  • Length3.704 km
  • Catchment area15.138 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo

Classifications

Classification Item2019
EcologicalModerate
Biological quality elementsModerate
FishModerate
InvertebratesHigh
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood
Macrophytes Sub ElementGood
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)High
Dissolved oxygenHigh
PhosphateModerate
TemperatureHigh
pHHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good
Hydrological RegimeHigh
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 CompoundsFail
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Fail
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Priority substancesFail
Cypermethrin (Priority)Fail
FluorantheneGood
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment

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
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGPhysical modificationUrbanisation - urban developmentOtherFishDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationBarriers - ecological discontinuityOtherFishDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationPerfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)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 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 Industry0000000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other2000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total2000000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits;
Good status prevented by A/HMWB designated use: Action to get biological element to good would have significant adverse impact on use
Biological quality elementsModerate2015Good status prevented by A/HMWB designated use: Action to get biological element to good would have significant adverse impact on use
FishModerate2015Good status prevented by A/HMWB designated use: Action to get biological element to good would have significant adverse impact on use
InvertebratesGood2015
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood2015
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphateModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsNot assessed2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown;
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
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 substancesGood2039Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2039Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown
FluorantheneGood2015
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Thames Wallingford to Caversham NVZS481Nitrates Directive
Ewelme Stream (Source to Thames) NVZS804Nitrates 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
EWELME STREAM AT ST HELENS AVENUE, BENSO PTHR02932013, 2014, 20122019, 2015, 2013, 2016, 20142019
159599 1595992014, 20132014, 2013, 2016, 2015
155238 15523820132015, 2013, 2016
THAMES/MIDDLE THAMES/EWELME STREAM/BROOK STREET/ 545082016, 20192019

Upstream water bodies

    Downstream water bodies