Kingsey Cuttle Brook and tributaries at Thame Water Body

Poor ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106039030200
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRSP7605703271
  • Catchment area54.298 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo
  • Length24.247 km
  • Catchment area5429.776 ha

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalPoorPoor
Biological quality elementsPoorPoor
FishPoorPoor
InvertebratesPoorPoor
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedModerateModerate
Macrophytes Sub ElementModerateModerate
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Acid Neutralising CapacityHighHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
PhosphatePoorModerate
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
MorphologySupports goodSupports good
Specific pollutantsModerateModerate
CopperHighHigh
IronHighHigh
ManganeseHighHigh
PermethrinHighHigh
TriclosanModerateModerate
ZincHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood
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 CompoundsFail
NonylphenolGood
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Cypermethrin (Priority)Fail
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
OctylphenolGood
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
Invertebrates22015PoorVery 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
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationLand drainage - operational managementAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGNaturalDroughtNo sector responsibleInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementPhosphateDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationLand drainageAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationBarriers - ecological discontinuityAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourceRiparian/in-river activities (inc bankside erosion)Agriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationLand drainageAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RFDHigh to Good deterioration, no action required (RFD only)Not applicableNo sector responsibleDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationLand use - arableAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)Water IndustryInvertebratesDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails

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 management2000040
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0500000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total2500040

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Natural conditions: Ecological recovery time;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Biological quality elementsGood2039Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Natural conditions: Ecological recovery time
FishGood2039Natural conditions: Ecological recovery time
InvertebratesGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood2015
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphatePoor2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsHigh2015
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
PermethrinHigh2015
TriclosanHigh2015
ZincHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Benzo (b) and (k) fluorantheneGood2015
Benzo (ghi) perelyene and indeno (123-cd) pyreneGood2015
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Benzo(b)fluorantheneGood2015
Benzo(g-h-i)peryleneGood2015
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 CompoundsGood2040Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
NonylphenolGood2015
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2015
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
Priority substancesGood2039Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2039Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown
FluorantheneGood2015
Lead and Its CompoundsGood2015
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood2015
OctylphenolGood2015
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Lower Thames (Cookham Egham Teddington)SWSGZ4016Safeguard Zone
Thame (Scotsgrove Brook to Thames) NVZS479Nitrates 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
THAMES/RIVER THAME/HORSENDEN STREAM/THE FORD/ 4714620142015, 2016, 2019, 20142019
HORSENDEN STREAM AT B4009, LONGWICK CUM PTAR01642016, 2019, 20152019
BLACK DITCH AT A4129, THAME PTAR01092009
THAMES/RIVER THAME/KINGSEY CUTTLE BROOK/ 157752012, 2010, 2013, 2009, 2011, 20142015, 2016, 2019, 20142022, 2019
36070 360702009, 2011, 2010, 20142015, 2016, 2014
HORSENDEN STREAM AT BROOKE ROAD, PRINCES PTAR011820092016, 20152022
TOWERSEY BROOK ABOVE KINGSEY CUTTLE BROO PTAR011320092016
HENTON STREAM BELOW CHINNOR NO.2 STW PTAR014720192019
35147 351472010, 2009, 2011, 20142015, 2016, 2014
35094 350942010, 2009, 20142019, 2015, 2016, 20142019
HORSENDEN STREAM AT THE FORD, BLEDLOW PTAR00892010, 2009, 2012, 2011, 20132016, 2019, 20152019, 2022
166223 1662232016, 2014
KINGSEY CUTTLE BROOK ABOVE SCOTSGROVE BR PTAR00172010, 2009, 2014, 2012, 20112015, 2016, 2019, 20142019, 2022

Upstream water bodies