Vale of White Horse Chalk Operational Catchment
About
The Vale of White Horse Groundwater Body (GWB) describes part of the Chalk Group and Upper Greensand strata that lie beneath the Berkshire and Marlborough Downs. The Vale of White Horse Chalk GWB is located on the northern part of the London Basin syncline. The Vale of White Horse Chalk GWB coincides with the southern side of the Upper River Thames Catchment and part of the Middle Thames Catchment as well as the Upper parts of the River Avon. The River Thames is located to the north of the Berkshire Downs Scarp slope hence tributaries of the River Thames flow from springs that emanate from the base of the Berkshire Downs. A similar scenario applies to the River Avon where springs emerge from the Marlborough Downs to the west and the south. The Chalk and Upper Greensand aquifers are water-bearing permeable strata that provide a high level of storage. Since they support regionally important groundwater supplies these aquifers are classified as Principal Aquifers. The Chalk is exposed at the surface for a large part of the Vale of White Horse Chalk GWB and in these areas the Chalk is susceptible to vertical migration of chemicals, including fertilisers. Where the Chalk is confined by superficial clays and head deposits it is generally protected from vertical migration of chemicals used at the surface.
Classifications data for Vale of White Horse Chalk Operational 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 categories | Natural | Artificial | Heavily modified | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
River, canals and surface water transfers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Coastal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Estuarine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Groundwater | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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 potential | Bad | Poor | Moderate | Good | High | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Number of water body elements | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chemical status for surface waters
Table summarises the current chemical status of water bodies. These are classified as being at good or fail.
Chemical status | Fail | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Number of water body elements | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Quantitative status for groundwater
Table summarises the quantitative status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.
Quantitative status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Number of water body elements | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Chemical status for groundwater
Table summarises the chemical status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.
Chemical status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Number of water bodies | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Number of water body elements | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Challenges data for Vale of White Horse Chalk Operational 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 issue | Changes to the natural flow and level of water | Invasive non-native species | Physical modifications | Pollution from abandoned mines | Pollution from rural areas | Pollution from towns, cities and transport | Pollution from waste water |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agriculture and rural land management | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Domestic general public | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Industry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Local & central government | 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 |
No sector responsible | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recreation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sector under investigation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Urban and transport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Waste treatment and disposal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Water Industry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Objectives data for Vale of White Horse Chalk Operational 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.
Status | Bad | Poor | Moderate | Good | High | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chemical status objectives for surface water bodies
Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines
Status | Fail | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Quantitative status objectives for groundwater
Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines
Status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
By 2015 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Total | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Chemical status objectives for groundwater
Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines
Status | Poor | Good | Total |
---|---|---|---|
By 2027 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Total | 0 | 1 | 1 |