Henlow Brook Water Body

Moderate ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB105033037770
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationheavily modified
  • NGRTL1753538153
  • Catchment area1594.722 ha
  • Length8.687 km
  • Catchment area15.947 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalModerateModerate
Biological quality elementsGoodGood
InvertebratesGoodGood
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined
Macrophytes Sub ElementPoorPoor
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenGoodGood
PhosphatePoorPoor
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
Supporting elements (Surface Water)ModerateModerate
Mitigation Measures AssessmentModerate or lessModerate or less
Specific pollutantsModerateModerate
IronModerateModerate
ManganeseHighHigh
TriclosanHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesGoodDoes not require assessment
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good
FluorantheneGood
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessmentDoes not require assessment

Why do all water bodies have a chemical status of fail?

Investigations into classification status

Classification ElementCycleYearStatusOutcome
Dissolved oxygen22014PoorQuite certain there is a problem

Reasons for not achieving good (RNAG) and reasons for deterioration (RFD)

All reasons (RFDs and RNAGs) attributed to the classification elements in this water body.

Reason TypeSWMIActivityCategoryClassification ElementMore information
RFDSuspect dataNot applicableNo sector responsibleIronDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationLand drainage - operational managementAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)OtherPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGFlowLand drainageAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)OtherInvertebratesDetails
RNAGSuspect dataNot applicableNo sector responsibleIronDetails
RNAGInvasive non-native speciesNorth american signal crayfishNo sector responsibleInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor soil managementAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails

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 issuePhysical modificationsPollution from waste waterPollution from towns, cities and transportChanges to the natural flow and level of waterInvasive non-native speciesPollution from rural areasPollution from abandoned mines
Agriculture and rural land management0000000
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0100000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0100000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total0200000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Biological quality elementsGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
InvertebratesGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedNot assessed2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
PhosphatePoor2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Good2015
Mitigation Measures AssessmentGood2015
Specific pollutantsHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
TriclosanHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood2015
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood2015
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood2015
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood2015
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood2015
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good2015
HexachlorobenzeneGood2015
HexachlorobutadieneGood2015
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood2015
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2015
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
Priority substancesGood2015
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Great Ouse NVZS391Nitrates Directive
Woburn SandsG76Nitrates Directive

Monitoring sites which have been used to classify this water body

Shows which sites were used for classification for which years within each cycle.

Monitoring SiteCycle 1Cycle 2Cycle 3
HENLOW BK.TRIB.IVEL D/S LANGFORD MILL 15M052014, 2009, 2012, 2010, 2013, 20112016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 20192019
HENLOW BK.TRIB.IVEL HENLOW CROSS 15M032009, 2012, 2010, 20112016, 2015
56249 562492010, 2014, 2011, 20092016, 2019, 2014, 20152019
TRIB.HENLOW BRK. D/S MEPPERSHALL WTW 1536062013, 2011, 2012, 2010, 200920192019
56251 5625120142013, 2016, 2015, 2014

Upstream water bodies

    Downstream water bodies