About

The South West river basin district covers over 21,000km2. It includes Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and parts of Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. The Isles of Scilly, a group of islands 25 miles south west of Cornwall, and Lundy Island are included in the district. In total over 5.3 million people live and work in the south west, with a resident population fluctuating due to seasonal tourism. The south west has the lowest population density of any English region and includes urban areas such as Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Bournemouth and Poole. The South West river basin district has a rich diversity of wildlife and habitats, supporting many species of global and national importance. Freshwater habitats within the river basin district are very important for wintering wildfowl, and reservoirs, rivers, estuaries and coastal water bodies support fisheries and shellfish waters. Coastal waters are also very important and the river basin district has over half of the country's designated bathing waters. The management catchments that make up the river basin district include many interconnected rivers, lakes, groundwater, estuarine and coastal waters. These catchments range from the shallow aquifers and rocky rivers in Cornwall and Devon to lowland chalk rivers in Dorset. Around 80% of the river basin district is rural, with dairy farming being the most common land use. This, and the legacy of mineral extraction, shape much of the landscape. In addition, the popularity of the district as a holiday destination means tourism makes a significant contribution to the local economy.