North Devon Management Catchment

About

The North Devon catchment has diverse landscapes from the Sandy beaches of the coast to the moorland of Exmoor. It is environmentally rich, containing a number of designated sites, including Braunton Burrows SAC, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, wet Culm grassland, and areas of ancient woodland. The catchment forms part of the North Devon Biosphere Reserve transition zone. Land use in the catchment is very rural with significant agriculture; tourism is important for the economy throughout the coastal areas and Exmoor.

Photograph with view of the estuary with flood banks breached.

Classifications data for North Devon Management Catchment

Number of water bodies

The number of water bodies in the river basin district. It shows whether these are natural, artificial (such as canals and reservoirs) or have been modified ('heavily modified') for particular uses.

Water body categoriesNaturalArtificialHeavily modifiedTotal
River, canals and surface water transfers900292
Lake0156
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total901798

Ecological status for surface waters

Table summarises the current ecological status of surface water bodies. Water bodies are classified as being at high, good, moderate, poor or bad ecological status or potential.

Ecological status or potentialBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
Number of water bodies0176615098
Number of water body elements227121109619878

Chemical status for surface waters

Table summarises the current chemical status of water bodies. These are classified as being at good or fail.

Chemical statusFailGoodTotal
Number of water bodies98098
Number of water body elements20010581258

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

Quantitative status for groundwater

Table summarises the quantitative status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Quantitative statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies000
Number of water body elements000

Chemical status for groundwater

Table summarises the chemical status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Chemical statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies000
Number of water body elements000

Challenges data for North Devon Management Catchment

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 issueChanges to the natural flow and level of waterInvasive non-native speciesPhysical modificationsPollution from abandoned minesPollution from rural areasPollution from towns, cities and transportPollution from waste water
Agriculture and rural land management202015300
Domestic general public0000002
Industry0000080
Local & central government0010000
Mining and quarrying0004010
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0100000
Other0010000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0020000
Urban and transport0020070
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry00100092
Total21941531694

Objectives data for North Devon Management Catchment

Ecological status or potential objectives for surface water bodies

Table summarises the ecological status and ecological potential objectives set for water bodies in the river basin management plan. Each water body is only counted once in this table. Each water body objective consists of a target status and a date when it was, or is expected to be, met.

StatusBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
By 201500117018
By 2021010203
By 202700077077
Total01196098

77 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for surface water bodies

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusFailGoodTotal
By 206309898
Total09898

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Quantitative status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
Total000

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
Total000