SWALE Water Body

Moderate ecological status

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Attributes

Water Body IDGB530604011500
Water Body TypeTransitional Water
Hydromorphological designationheavily modified
NGRTR0547567221
Surveillance Water BodyNo
Surface area29.687 km2
Surface area2968.737 ha

Classifications

Classification Item	2019
Ecological	Moderate
Biological quality elements	Good
Invertebrates	Good
Infaunal Quality Index	Good
Macroalgae	Good
Opportunistic Macroalgae	Good
Phytoplankton	High
Physico-chemical quality elements	Moderate
Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen	Moderate
Dissolved oxygen	Good
Hydromorphological Supporting Elements	Supports good
Hydrological Regime	Does not support good
Supporting elements (Surface Water)	Moderate
Mitigation Measures Assessment	Moderate or less
Specific pollutants	High
Arsenic	High
Copper	High
Dimethoate	High
Iron	High
Zinc	High
Chemical	Fail
Priority hazardous substances	Fail
Benzo(a)pyrene	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
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)	Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)	Fail
Tributyltin Compounds	Good
Priority substances	Good
1,2-dichloroethane	Good
Fluoranthene	Good
Lead and Its Compounds	Good
Nickel and Its Compounds	Good
Pentachlorophenol	Good
Trichlorobenzenes	Good
Trichloromethane	Good
Other Pollutants	Good
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & Isodrin	Good
Carbon Tetrachloride	Good
Tetrachloroethylene	Good
Trichloroethylene	Good
para - para DDT	Good

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

Investigations into classification status

Classification Element	Cycle	Year	Status	Outcome
Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen	2	2016	Moderate	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	measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery	Not applicable	No sector responsible	Mercury and Its Compounds	Details
RNAG	Physical modification	Other (not in list, must add details in comments)	Local and Central Government	Mitigation Measures Assessment	Details
RNAG	measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery	Not applicable	No sector responsible	Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)	Details
RFD	High to Good deterioration, no action required (RFD only)	Not applicable	No sector responsible	Dissolved oxygen	Details
RNAG	Flow	Surface water abstraction	Water Industry	Hydrological Regime	Details
RFD	High to Good deterioration, no action required (RFD only)	Not applicable	No sector responsible	Invertebrates	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	Changes to the natural flow and level of water
Agriculture and rural land management	0	0
Industry	0	0
Mining and quarrying	0	0
Navigation	0	0
Urban and transport	0	0
Water Industry	0	1
Local & central government	1	0
Domestic general public	0	0
Recreation	0	0
Waste treatment and disposal	0	0
Other	0	0
No sector responsible	0	0
Sector under investigation	0	0
Total	1	1

Objectives

Classification Item	Status	Year	Reasons
Ecological	Moderate	2015	Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens; Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Biological quality elements	Good	2015
Invertebrates	Good	2015
Macroalgae	Good	2015
Phytoplankton	Good	2015
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	Does not support good	2015	Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Supporting elements (Surface Water)	Good	2027 - Low confidence	Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Mitigation Measures Assessment	Good	2027 - Low confidence	Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Specific pollutants	High	2015
Arsenic	High	2015
Copper	High	2015
Dimethoate	High	2015
Iron	High	2015
Zinc	High	2015
Chemical	Good	2063	Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority hazardous substances	Good	2063	Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Benzo(a)pyrene	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
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
Fluoranthene	Good	2015
Lead and Its Compounds	Good	2015
Nickel and Its Compounds	Good	2015
Pentachlorophenol	Good	2015
Trichlorobenzenes	Good	2015
Trichloromethane	Good	2015
Other Pollutants	Good	2015
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & Isodrin	Good	2015
Carbon Tetrachloride	Good	2015
Tetrachloroethylene	Good	2015
Trichloroethylene	Good	2015
para - para DDT	Good	2015

Protected areas

PA Name	Id	Directive	More information
Swale East	UKSW26	Shellfish Water Directive
Outer Thames Estuary	UK9020309	Special Protection Area	Natural England
Medway Estuary & Marshes	UK11040	Ramsar Site	Natural England
The Swale	UK9012011	Special Protection Area	Natural England
The Swale	UK11071	Ramsar Site	Natural England
Medway Estuary & Marshes	UK9012031	Special Protection Area	Natural England
Swale Central	UKSW25	Shellfish Water 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 Site	Cycle 1	Cycle 2
SWALE CENTRAL-SHELLFISH WATER E0017472	2012, 2010, 2011, 2013	2015
SWALE COAL JETTY HIGH WATER E0001057	2012, 2013
SWALE KINGSFERRY E0001073	2009, 2012, 2010, 2011, 2013
SWALE EAST-SHELLFISH WATER E0017471	2012, 2010, 2011, 2013	2015
MILTON CREEK CONFLUENCE SWALE E0001110		2015, 2016
MILTON CREEK D/S SITTINGBOURNE E0001113	2012, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009
SWALE HORSE REACH HIGH WATER E0001078	2012, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009
SEVERN ESTUARY ADJ. PORTBURY O/F E8400220	2009
SWALE, KENT, CSEMP, MUSSEL SITE E0007019		2015, 2016

SWALE Water Body

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Related links

Attributes

Classifications

Investigations into classification status

Reasons for not achieving good (RNAG) and reasons for deterioration (RFD)

Reasons for not achieving good status by business sector

Objectives

Protected areas

Monitoring sites which have been used to classify this water body

Upstream water bodies

Downstream water bodies

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SWALE Water Body

Get SWALE data

Related links

Attributes

Classifications

Investigations into classification status

Reasons for not achieving good (RNAG) and reasons for deterioration (RFD)

Reasons for not achieving good status by business sector

Objectives

Protected areas

Monitoring sites which have been used to classify this water body

Upstream water bodies

Downstream water bodies