GREAT OUSE Water Body
Poor ecological status
Get GREAT OUSE data
Attributes
- Water Body IDGB530503300300
- Water Body TypeTransitional Water
- Hydromorphological designationheavily modified
- NGRTF5779827049
- Surface area877.528 ha
- Surface area8.775 km2
- Surveillance Water BodyYes
Classifications
| Classification Item | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Ecological | Poor |
| Biological quality elements | Poor |
| Angiosperms | Moderate |
| Saltmarsh | Moderate |
| Phytoplankton | Poor |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | Moderate |
| Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Moderate |
| Dissolved oxygen | High |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Supports good |
| Hydrological Regime | Supports good |
| Supporting elements (Surface Water) | Good |
| Mitigation Measures Assessment | Good |
| Specific pollutants | High |
| Arsenic | High |
| Chromium (VI) | High |
| Copper | High |
| Iron | High |
| Un-ionised ammonia | High |
| Zinc | High |
| Chemical | Fail |
| Priority hazardous substances | Fail |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | Good |
| Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Fail |
| Benzo(k)fluoranthene | Good |
| Cadmium and Its Compounds | Good |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane | Good |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Fail |
| Nonylphenol | Good |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Fail |
| Tributyltin Compounds | Good |
| Priority substances | Good |
| 1,2-dichloroethane | Good |
| Chlorpyrifos | Good |
| Fluoranthene | Good |
| Lead and Its Compounds | Good |
| Nickel and Its Compounds | Good |
| Octylphenol | Good |
| Trichloromethane | Good |
| Other Pollutants | Good |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | Good |
| Tetrachloroethylene | Good |
| Trichloroethylene | Good |
Investigations into classification status
| Classification Element | Cycle | Year | Status | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrological Regime | 2 | 2016 | Does Not Support Good | Certain there is not 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 Type | SWMI | Activity | Category | Classification Element | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RNAG | Suspect data | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Details |
| RNAG | Flow | No further action (Flow is below the EFI but NOT causing an ecological failure) | No sector responsible | Hydrological Regime | Details |
| RNAG | Suspect data | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Phytoplankton | Details |
| RNAG | Physical modification | Coastal squeeze | Agriculture and rural land management | Angiosperms | Details |
| RNAG | Physical modification | Flood protection - sediment management | Local and Central Government | Angiosperms | Details |
| RNAG | Physical modification | Flood protection - structures | Local and Central Government | Angiosperms | Details |
| RNAG | Unknown (pending investigation) | Unknown (pending investigation) | Sector under investigation | Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Details |
| RNAG | measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Details |
| RNAG | measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Mercury and Its Compounds | 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 issue | Physical modifications | Pollution from waste water | Pollution from towns, cities and transport | Changes to the natural flow and level of water | Invasive non-native species | Pollution from rural areas | Pollution from abandoned mines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and rural land management | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Industry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mining and quarrying | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Navigation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Urban and transport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Water Industry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Local & central government | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic general public | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Recreation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Waste treatment and disposal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No sector responsible | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sector under investigation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Objectives
| Classification Item | Status | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecological | Moderate | 2015 | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens; Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits |
| Biological quality elements | Moderate | 2015 | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens; Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits |
| Angiosperms | Moderate | 2015 | Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits |
| Phytoplankton | Good | 2027 - Low confidence | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | Moderate | 2015 | Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits |
| Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Moderate | 2015 | Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits |
| Dissolved oxygen | Good | 2015 | |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Supports good | 2015 | |
| Hydrological Regime | Supports good | 2015 | |
| Supporting elements (Surface Water) | Good | 2015 | |
| Mitigation Measures Assessment | Good | 2015 | |
| Specific pollutants | High | 2015 | |
| Arsenic | High | 2015 | |
| Chromium (VI) | High | 2015 | |
| Copper | High | 2015 | |
| Iron | High | 2015 | |
| Un-ionised ammonia | High | 2015 | |
| Zinc | High | 2015 | |
| Chemical | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time; Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Priority hazardous substances | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time; Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Good | 2033 | Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Benzo(k)fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Cadmium and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good | 2021 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorocyclohexane | Good | 2015 | |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Good | 2040 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Nonylphenol | Good | 2015 | |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good | 2015 | |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Tributyltin Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Priority substances | Good | 2015 | |
| 1,2-dichloroethane | Good | 2015 | |
| Chlorpyrifos | Good | 2015 | |
| Fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Lead and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Nickel and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Octylphenol | Good | 2015 | |
| Trichloromethane | Good | 2015 | |
| Other Pollutants | Good | 2015 | |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | Good | 2015 | |
| Tetrachloroethylene | Good | 2015 | |
| Trichloroethylene | Good | 2015 |
Protected areas
| PA Name | Id | Directive | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Great Ouse | UKENRI61 | Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive | |
| Headwaters of the Great Ouse | UKENRI61_&_UKENRI83b | Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive | |
| Ouse Washes | UK9008041 | Special Protection Area | Natural England |
| The Wash & North Norfolk Coast | UK0017075 | Special Area of Conservation | Natural England |
| The Wash | UK9008021 | Special Protection Area | Natural England |
| The Wash | UK11072 | Ramsar Site | Natural England |
| Ouse Washes | UK11051 | Ramsar Site | Natural England |
| Ouse Washes | UK0013011 | Special Area of Conservation | Natural England |
| South East Wash | UKSW2 | Shellfish Water Directive | |
| Cut Off and Relief Channel | UKENRI25 | Urban 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.