Wey and Trib Management Catchment

About

The River Wey flows off the South Downs and through the North Downs and the Surrey countryside. As such the landscape is a mix of rural with urban centres like Guildford. The River Wey is a southern tributary of the River Thames and rises as two main headwaters which have very different habitats, the North Wey near Alton and the South Wey near Haslemere. The main river shares water with the Wey Navigation which can reduce the habitat quality for flow dependant species. The Wey Valley contains valuable floodplain grazing marsh, a priority UK Biodiversity Action Plan habitat that provides feeding opportunities for wintering wading birds. The Wey catchment also contains large areas of lowland heathland, which is important internationally. Protected species include otters that are slowly returning to the Wey catchment, while numbers of water voles are decreasing, mainly because of mink in the area. Native brown trout can be found in the catchment, mostly in the headwaters.

South Wey, Headley Wood Farm

Classifications data for Wey and Trib 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 transfers261431
Lake42511
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total303942

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 bodies413232042
Number of water body elements7246458214367

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 bodies42042
Number of water body elements79460539

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 Wey and Trib 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 management0080500
Domestic general public0000001
Industry0000010
Local & central government0010000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0040000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0050020
Recreation0060000
Sector under investigation0000000
Urban and transport0040073
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry30000028
Total3028051032

Objectives data for Wey and Trib 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 2015003205
By 202700029029
By 2033000202
By 2039001506
Total00438042

28 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 206304242
Total04242

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