Witham Upper Operational Catchment

About

The Upper Witham operational catchment covers the River Witham and its tributaries from its source at South Witham to Stamp End Sluice in Lincoln. The River Brant and River Till are within this operational catchment. Grantham, North Hykeham and Lincoln are the significant urban areas within this largely rural catchment. The River Till drains land to the east of Gainsborough. The Fossdyke Canal provides a navigable link from the River Trent to the River Witham. There are a number of protected areas in the catchment including drinking water protected areas, urban waste water directive sensitive sites and nutrient sensitive zones.

Upper Witham at Claypole

Classifications data for Witham Upper 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 transfers601420
Lake0101
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total611421

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 bodies04152021
Number of water body elements2182627117190

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 bodies21021
Number of water body elements57245302

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 Witham Upper 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 management201502000
Domestic general public0000010
Industry0000030
Local & central government0060000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0010000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0010000
Urban and transport0020020
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry00000024
Total2025020624

Objectives data for Witham Upper 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 2015006309
By 202700011011
By 2033000101
Total00615021

9 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 206302121
Total02121

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