Stour Dorset Operational Catchment

About

The overall catchment area is about 1,240km2. The main rivers are the Stour and Moors which flow through a mostly rural landscape in the upper and middle reaches becoming urbanised as it enters the conurbation of Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. There are several statutory designations within the catchment including 5 Special Areas of Conservation a Special Protected Area and the Moors River Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The catchment also includes Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Christchurch Harbour incorporates a SSSI comprising the estuary of the Stour and Avon and the Hengistbury Head peninsula. The habitats which can be found in the harbour area include saltmarsh, wet meadows, grassland, heath, sand dune, woodland and scrub.

Stour from Tarrant Crawford Bridge

Classifications data for Stour Dorset 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 categoriesNaturalArtificialHeavily modifiedTotal
River, canals and surface water transfers360238
Lake0000
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total360238

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 bodies312185038
Number of water body elements4334143202323

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 bodies38038
Number of water body elements79400479

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 Stour Dorset 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 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 management00007300
Domestic general public0000033
Industry0000000
Local & central government0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0060000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0050000
Urban and transport00100100
Waste treatment and disposal0000010
Water Industry00000033
Total00120731436

Objectives data for Stour Dorset 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.

StatusBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
By 201521145022
By 2021021003
By 20270058013
Total232013038

13 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 206303838
Total03838

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