Colne (upper east arm including Mimshall Brook) Water Body

Bad ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106039029850
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRTL2312402069
  • Catchment area60.996 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo
  • Length24.709 km
  • Catchment area6099.64 ha

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalBadBad
Biological quality elementsBadBad
FishBadBad
InvertebratesPoorPoor
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedModerateModerate
Macrophytes Sub ElementModerateModerate
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
PhosphateModerateModerate
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support goodDoes not support good
MorphologySupports goodSupports good
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
CopperHighHigh
IronHighHigh
ManganeseHighHigh
TriclosanHighHigh
ZincHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneFail
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (Priority hazardous)Good
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood
NonylphenolGood
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Fail
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Priority substancesGoodDoes not require assessment
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
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
Hydrological Regime22019Does Not Support GoodCertain there is not 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
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor Livestock ManagementAgriculture and rural land managementPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourcePrivate Sewage TreatmentOtherPhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceUrbanisation - urban developmentUrban and transportPhosphateDetails
RNAGNaturalNatural conditions - otherNo sector responsibleFishDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationUrbanisation - transportUrban and transportInvertebratesDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationPerfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Details
RNAGPhysical modificationUrbanisation - urban developmentUrban and transportInvertebratesDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationBenzo(g-h-i)peryleneDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGNaturalDroughtNo sector responsibleInvertebratesDetails
RNAGNaturalNatural conditions - otherNo sector responsibleHydrological RegimeDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceTransport DrainageUrban and transportInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationFlood protection - structuresUrban and transportMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor soil managementAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationUrbanisation - urban developmentUrban and transportMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGPoint sourceMisconnectionsDomestic General PublicInvertebratesDetails
RNAGNaturalDroughtNo sector responsibleInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceTransport DrainageUrban and transportInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceTransport DrainageUrban and transportFishDetails
RNAGInvasive non-native speciesOther plantsNo sector responsibleMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGPoint sourcePrivate Sewage TreatmentOtherMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor soil managementAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationUrbanisation - urban developmentUrban and transportFishDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)Water IndustryMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceUrbanisation - urban developmentUrban and transportMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationFlood protection - structuresLocal and Central GovernmentInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor Livestock ManagementAgriculture and rural land managementMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails

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 management0000030
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport4030000
Water Industry0200000
Local & central government1000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0020000
No sector responsible0000100
Sector under investigation0000000
Total5250130

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Biological quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
FishGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
InvertebratesGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Physico-chemical quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphateGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsHigh2015
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
TriclosanHigh2015
ZincHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood2015
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood2033Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Benzo(k)fluorantheneGood2015
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood2015
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (Priority hazardous)Good2015
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood2015
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood2015
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good2015
HexachlorobenzeneGood2015
HexachlorobutadieneGood2015
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood2015
NonylphenolGood2015
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2039Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority substancesGood2015
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Lead and Its CompoundsGood2015
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood2015
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Lower Thames (Cookham Egham Teddington)SWSGZ4016Safeguard Zone
North MymmsG92Nitrates 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
MIMMSHALL BROOK AT WATER END PCNR00682010, 2009, 2011, 2012, 20132015, 2016, 20192019
POTTERS BAR BROOK ABOVE MIMMSHALL BROOK PCNR00832009
34057 340572009, 20142016, 2014
33493 334932013, 2014, 20122019, 2013, 20142019, 2022
34259 342592014, 20132015, 2014, 2016, 2013
COLNE/COLNEY HEATH/ 4161220142015, 2016, 20192019

Upstream water bodies

    Downstream water bodies