2024 Bathing Water Profile for Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow
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Rayrigg Meadow is located on the eastern edge of Lake Windermere. The beach at Rayrigg Meadow is shallow sloping and made up of gravel with larger rocks towards the water's edge.
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South Lakeland District
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Cumbria
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The Windermere Catchment Restoration Programme has been set up to address the long term decline in water quality in Lake Windermere. A partnership between the Lake District National Park Authority, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the National Trust, United Utilities, the Forestry Commission, Cumbria Tourism and South Lakeland District Council has been set up to restore the lake to its former high quality. The programme, which is primarily concerned with the nutrient load to the lake, also aims to improve bathing water quality. In 2009 the Environment Agency repeated an earlier campaign carried out in 2002 which looked at the sewage disposal from boats on the lake to protect bathing water quality. Byelaws on Windermere prohibit the direct discharge from boat toilets to the lake. The Environment Agency has also been working closely with South Lakeland District Council lake wardens, the National Park Rangers and United Utilities. This is to ensure an awareness of the correct disposal of sewage waste. The Environment Agency will take appropriate enforcement action where necessary. In 2015 a surface water outfall located immediately to the south of the bathing water was impacting bathing water quality. The Environment Agency worked with United Utilities to ensure the discharge did not pose a risk to bathing water quality. The lake has a large population of gulls, swans, ducks, and other waterfowl. The birds tend to gather at the tourist hotspots and their droppings can contribute to a decline in bathing water quality.
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The Bowness Pumping Station (also known as Glebe Road storm overflow), which is just under 1.5 kilometres south of Rayrigg Meadow bathing water, was upgraded in 2013 to resolve flooding in the area. United Utilities is working with the Environment Agency and other partners to review the future needs of the Windermere sewerage catchment. Between 2015 and 2020 United Utilities are carrying out further improvements to the Glebe Road Pumping Station to reduce the frequency of storm overflows. This will reduce the amount of nutrients entering the lake and reduce the frequency of algal blooms which can have a significant impact on bathing and other leisure pursuits in Lake Windermere. Under the programme of work for United Utilities (from 2015 to 2020) all storm overflows close to bathing waters have had equipment installed to monitor spills to the environment. This will help to identify where bathing water improvements may be needed in the future.
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In 2004 United Utilities upgraded Ambleside Sewage Treatment Works six kilometres to the north of Millerground bathing water. The treatment was improved to ensure the discharge is disinfected to protect bathing water quality. The storm sewage discharge from the sewage treatment works was also improved in 2004 by United Utilities to protect bathing water quality. Historically, there have been problems of algal blooms caused by the eutrophication (a presence of high levels of nutrients) of Lake Windermere. Ambleside Sewage Treatment Works has had nutrient removal treatment installed to address this problem.
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To help improve bathing water quality we are working alongside Local Authorities through a LOVEmyBEACH campaign. Further information can be found at http://lovemybeach.org/
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Lake Windermere can occasionally have aquatic plants washed up on the shore which can be slippery on foot. If you have any concerns please contact the local authority health contact for help and advice.
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Modern sewerage systems have two separate systems, one takes foul sewage to sewage treatment, the other takes rainwater runoff through surface water drains to rivers, lakes and the sea. Misconnections occur when waste water pipes are plumbed into surface water drains instead of the foul water sewerage system. This can give rise to pollution when the waste water is discharged directly to the environment through the surface water drain. For example, a washing machine or toilet may be incorrectly plumbed so that it discharges to the surface drain rather than the foul sewage drain.
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For the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, phytoplankton (microscopic algae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 5% of visits, with 22% of visits noting the presence of phytoplankton (microscopic algae). Lake Windermere has a history of blue-green algal blooms which can be toxic. If a bloom of blue-green algae is visible you are advised not enter the water and to contact your local authority health contact for help and advice. Lake Windermere also has a history of phytoplankton blooms which are not harmful, but they can result in the water appearing discoloured or a foam forming on the water.
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There are no active pollution risk forecasts made at this bathing water. However any bathing water has the potential to be affected by a pollution incident and if this occurs a pollution risk warning with associated advice against bathing will be issued on this website.
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2024 Bathing Water Profile for Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow
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2024-09-30
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2024-05-01
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The River Rothay flows into the top of the north basin of Lake Windermere. This source could impact upon bathing water quality. The River Brathay which drains the Langdale valley joins the River Rothay immediately before the Rothay flows into the lake. Smaller streams such as the Trout Beck, Mill Beck and Meadow Beck can impact upon bathing water quality depending on the strength of the wind direction as well as river flow.
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Between 2015 and 2020 United Utilities are carrying out improvements to Ambleside, Windermere and Grasmere sewage treatment works to improve the quality of the final effluent reducing the amount of nutrients entering the lake. This will reduce the frequency of algal blooms which can have a significant impact on bathing and other leisure pursuits in Lake Windermere.
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Environment Agency samplers make observations of litter present on the beach at every visit, this includes assessments of sewage debris, litter and tar. At Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow for the four year (2020-2023) assessment period where data is available, sewage debris was not noted at this site. Litter was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 51% of visits. Tarry residue was not noted at this site.
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The catchment area around Lake Windermere contains large amounts of farmland. During and after periods of heavy rainfall excess water may not soak into agricultural land causing runoff into the streams and rivers entering the lake as well as the lake itself. The quality of the bathing water may decline as a result of such events. A partnership between Natural England and the Environment Agency, as part of the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative, aims to improve the Environment Agency understanding of pollution issues. Following this initiative, the Environment Agency now work more closely with farmers to enhance farming practices and reduce run off from farmland. A project being run in the Lake Windermere catchment has successfully delivered a number of workshops to provide advice to farmers. As a result, the Environment Agency have developed nutrient management plans with farmers, given advice on the handling and storage of manures and helped them apply for grants to improve manure storage. In 2009 a pollution prevention campaign was completed by the Environment Agency in the Cunsey Beck and Black Beck catchments which drain to the south basin of Lake Windermere. The campaign was aimed at improving farm practices and gave advice on improvements that could be made.
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There are a number of discharges from private sewage systems serving some of the large hotels situated beside the lake. There are also several hundred private septic tanks which discharge either directly to the lake or into its tributaries. The lake is also used by many small boats and pleasure crafts. The Environment Agency regulate these discharges and where there is a risk to bathing water quality the Environment Agency will step in to ensure improvements are made.
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Lake Windermere is in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria. Several large rivers flow into the lake from the surrounding fells. The land use beyond the lake is mainly for agricultural purposes such as mixed livestock farming.
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Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow
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Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow
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Sampling point at Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow
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340177
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54.3781618660443
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-2.922499452360544
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498465
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Sampling point at Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow
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p152 dT23 h59 m59 s
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2024 05 01 t00:00:00
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2024-05-01T00:00:00
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2024 09 30 t23:59:59
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2024-09-30T23:59:59
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2024 45675:1
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Seaweed (macroalgae) and phytoplankton (microscopic algae) are a natural part of the marine and freshwater environment. Below we note whether these have been recorded in quantities sufficient to be a nuisance.
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The majority of sewers in England are “combined sewers” and carry both sewage and surface water from roofs and drains. A storm overflow operates during heavy rainfall when the sewerage system becomes overwhelmed by the amount of surface water. The overflow prevents sewage from backing up pipes and flooding properties and gardens. An emergency overflow will only operate infrequently, for example due to pump failure or blockage in the sewerage system.
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Heavy rain falling on pavements and roads often flows into surface water drains or highway drains, ending up in local rivers and ultimately the sea. The quality of bathing water may be adversely affected as a result of such events.
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It is the Environment Agency's role to drive improvement of water quality at bathing waters that are at risk of failing higher standards. It is natural for water to run off the land to the sea. Water quality at a bathing water is dependent upon the type and area of land (the catchment) draining to the water and the activities undertaken in that catchment.
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Discharges from sewage treatment works have improved substantially in England since the 1980s.
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