Douglas OC Operational Catchment

About

The River Douglas rises in the moors above Rivington Reservoir before flowing through Horwich, Wigan and out to the Ribble Estuary near Hesketh Bank. A valuable source of drinking water, the moors around Rivington Reservoir are also used for recreation. The operational catchment supports coarse fisheries and is used by canoeists. The River Douglas and its tributaries have three major water company sewage works; Wigan, Skelmersdale and Horwich. There are problems with weirs and culverts across the catchment which reduce wildlife movement. The catchment suffers from urban and diffuse pollution, industrial pollution and minewater discharges.

River Douglas in Haigh Country Park

Classifications data for Douglas OC 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 transfers0099
Lake0246
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total021315

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 bodies00150015
Number of water body elements58222167123

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 bodies15015
Number of water body elements36161197

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 Douglas OC 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 management0000600
Domestic general public0000051
Industry0010030
Local & central government0070000
Mining and quarrying0001000
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0000000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0020000
Urban and transport0030013
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry00100012
Total001416916

Objectives data for Douglas OC 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 2015001001
By 202700014014
Total00114015

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 206301515
Total01515

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