Western Rother Water Body

Moderate ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB107041012810
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRSU8891519407
  • Catchment area132.857 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyYes
  • Length56.046 km
  • Catchment area13285.727 ha

Classifications

Classification Item2019
EcologicalModerate
Biological quality elementsModerate
FishModerate
InvertebratesGood
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood
Macrophytes Sub ElementGood
Phytobenthos Sub ElementGood
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate
Acid Neutralising CapacityHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)High
Dissolved oxygenGood
PhosphateModerate
TemperatureHigh
pHHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support good
MorphologySupports good
Specific pollutantsHigh
ArsenicHigh
Chromium (VI)High
CopperHigh
IronHigh
ManganeseHigh
ZincHigh
ChemicalFail
Priority hazardous substancesFail
AnthraceneGood
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
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)Fail
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesGood
1,2-dichloroethaneGood
AtrazineGood
BenzeneGood
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good
DichloromethaneGood
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
SimazineGood
TrichloromethaneGood
Other PollutantsGood
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood
Carbon TetrachlorideGood
DDT TotalGood
para - para DDTGood

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

Investigations into classification status

Classification ElementCycleYearStatusOutcome
Phosphate22013ModerateQuite certain there is a problem
Hydrological Regime22013Does Not Support GoodQuite certain there is a problem
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined22013ModerateQuite certain there is a problem
Fish22015ModerateVery 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
RNAGFlowSurface water abstractionWater IndustryHydrological RegimeDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor soil managementAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationBarriers - ecological discontinuityOtherFishDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationPerfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Details
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor soil managementAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor soil managementAgriculture and rural land managementPhosphateDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGFlowNo further action (Flow is below the EFI but NOT causing an ecological failure)No sector responsibleHydrological RegimeDetails

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 management0000030
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0101000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other1000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total1101030

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Biological quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
FishGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
InvertebratesGood2015
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Physico-chemical quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphateGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support good2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsHigh2015
ArsenicHigh2015
Chromium (VI)High2015
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
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 (b) and (k) fluorantheneGood2015
Benzo (ghi) perelyene and indeno (123-cd) pyreneGood2015
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
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)Good2039Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
Priority substancesGood2015
1,2-dichloroethaneGood2015
AtrazineGood2015
BenzeneGood2015
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2015
DichloromethaneGood2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Lead and Its CompoundsGood2015
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood2015
SimazineGood2015
TrichloromethaneGood2015
Other PollutantsGood2015
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood2015
Carbon TetrachlorideGood2015
DDT TotalGood2015
para - para DDTGood2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
River Western RotherSWSGZ4014Safeguard Zone
ArunSWSGZ4317Safeguard Zone
River Rother WestUKENRI128Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive
PetersfieldG61Nitrates Directive
Western RotherUKGB107041012810Drinking Water Protected Area

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
42012 420122009, 2010
R ROTHER SOUTH AMBERSHAM BR F00028992010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 20142013, 2019, 2014, 2015, 20162019
HARDHAM ROMAN STATION F00028862009, 2012, 2010, 2013, 2011, 20142015, 2016, 2013, 2019, 20142019
42766 427662009, 2010
WESTERN ROTHER/HABIN BRIDGE/ 57282010, 2013, 2011, 2012, 2009
R ROTHER RD BR TROTTON A272 F00029112010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 20142016, 2013, 2019, 2014, 20152019
MIDHURST OUTFALL SOUTH POND-*CLOSED* F00029892009
R ROTHER SELHAM BRIDGE F00028952010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 20142013, 2019, 2014, 2015, 20162019
WESTERN ROTHER/COULTERSHAW/ 70722010, 2013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 20092013, 2016, 2014, 2019, 20152019
ARUN/PULBOROUGH CUT/ 283112009
42741 427412012, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2013, 20112013, 2016, 2015, 2014
WESTERN ROTHER/WESTERN ROTHER TRIBUTARIES/SELHAM STREAM/ 33882010, 2013, 2011, 2012, 2009
42692 426922009, 2011, 2014, 20102016, 2019, 2014, 20152019
WESTERN ROTHER/TERWICK MILL/ 57122010, 2013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 20092013, 2016, 2014, 2019, 20152019
R ROTHER IPING MILL F00029102010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 2014
WESTERN ROTHER/COWDRAY ESTATE/ 70702010, 2013, 2011, 2012, 2009
R ROTHER SHOPHAM BRIDGE F00028892010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 20142013, 2019, 2014, 2015, 20162019
WESTERN ROTHER/WESTERN ROTHER TRIBUTARIES/SUTTON STREAM/ 37192010, 2013, 2011, 2012, 2009
WESTERN ROTHER/WOOLBEDING/ 71232010, 2013, 2009
WESTERN ROTHER/WESTERN ROTHER TRIBUTARIES/COSTERS BROOK/WEST LAVINGTON/ 33862010, 2013, 2011, 2012, 2009
WESTERN ROTHER/HARDHAM/ 106422010, 2013, 2011, 2012, 2009
42894 428942009, 2014, 20102016, 2014, 2015
42759 427592009, 20142016, 2019, 2014, 20152019
WESTERN ROTHER/FITTLEWORTH BRIDGE/ 70712010, 2013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 20092013, 2016, 2014, 2019, 20152019
DOWNSTREAM HEATHS END SAND PIT G00064732016
42758 427582012, 2011, 2014, 2013, 20102016, 2019, 2015, 2014, 20132019
42776 427762009, 2010
ROTHER TRIB SUTTON STRM RD BR F00029322013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 20142013, 2019, 2014, 2015, 20162019
WESTERN ROTHER/WESTERN ROTHER TRIBUTARIES/MIDHURST STREAM/ 33852013, 2011, 2012, 2009
42760 427602012, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2013, 20102016, 2019, 2015, 2014, 20132019
PERRYFIELDS RIVER ROTHER F00020572010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 2014
COSTERS BROOK - COWDRAY ESTATE F00029802010, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2012, 20142013, 2019, 2014, 2015, 20162019

Downstream water bodies