Thame (Scotsgrove Brook to Thames) Water Body

Moderate ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106039030240
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRSP6840606698
  • Catchment area89.918 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo
  • Length52.453 km
  • Catchment area8991.8 ha

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalModerateModerate
Biological quality elementsGoodGood
InvertebratesHighHigh
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGoodGood
Macrophytes Sub ElementGoodGood
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Acid Neutralising CapacityHighHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
PhosphatePoorPoor
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
MorphologySupports goodSupports good
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
ArsenicHighHigh
CopperHighHigh
IronHighHigh
ManganeseHighHigh
PermethrinHighHigh
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
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsFail
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Fail
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Cypermethrin (Priority)Fail
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
Other PollutantsGoodDoes not require assessment
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood
para - para DDTGood

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

Investigations into classification status

Classification ElementCycleYearStatusOutcome
Phosphate22016Poor

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 responsiblePhosphateDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementPhosphateDetails
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationPerfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Details
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails

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 management0000010
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0100000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total0100010

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Biological quality elementsGood2015
InvertebratesGood2015
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood2015
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphateModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsHigh2015
ArsenicHigh2015
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
PermethrinHigh2015
ZincHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time;
Technically infeasible: Cause of adverse impact unknown;
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 (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
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood2015
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood2015
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good2015
HexachlorobenzeneGood2015
HexachlorobutadieneGood2015
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood2040Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2039Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
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
Other PollutantsGood2015
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood2015
para - para DDTGood2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Lower Thames (Cookham Egham Teddington)SWSGZ4016Safeguard Zone
Thames Wallingford to Caversham NVZS481Nitrates Directive
Thame (Scotsgrove Brook to Thames) NVZS479Nitrates Directive
THAMES (LEACH TO EVENLODE) NVZS482Nitrates 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
35139 351392009, 2010
BENNETTS DITCH AT A418 ROADBRIDGE PTAR005820092015, 2016
THAMES/RIVER THAME/DORCHESTER ROAD BRIDGE/ 109242011, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2013
35138 351382009
TIDDINGTON BROOK ABOVE THAME, TIDDINGTON PTAR010520092015, 2016
THAMES/RIVER THAME/IKFORD BRIDGE/ 105662011, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2013
CHALGROVE BROOK AT CHISELHAMPTON BRIDGE, PTAR00522009, 2010
MILTON DITCH AT GREAT MILTON ROAD, WHEAT PTAR006320092015, 2016
GAINSBRIDGE BROOK AT LITTLE MILTON PTAR005120092019, 2015, 20162019
35929 359292014, 2012, 20132016, 2014, 2015, 20132022
DENTON BROOK AT CHIPPINGHURST MANOR, LIT PTAR010020092015, 2016
THAMES/RIVER THAME/SHABBINGTON (WEST ARM)/ 89632011, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2013
WHEATLEY DITCH AT SUPERSTORE CAR PARK, W PTAR006220092015, 2016
35533 355332014, 2012, 20132014, 2013
THAMES/RIVER THAME/SCOTSGROVE BROOK/UP STREAM CONFLUENCE WITH THE THAME/ 413912012, 2013
MILTON DITCH AT GREAT MILTON PTAR01032009, 20102015, 2016
GAINSBRIDGE BROOK ABOVE LITTLE MILTON ST PTAR01012009
35588 355882009, 2010
THAMES/RIVER THAME/CUDDESDON/ 106162010, 2013
THAME AT THAME BRIDGE PTAR00292012, 2011, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014
THAMES/RIVER THAME/CHISELHAMPTON/ 106182011, 2014, 2012, 2009, 2013
THAMES/RIVER THAME/OLD CRENDON ROAD BRIDGE/ 105642011, 2014, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2013
THAME AT WHEATLEY BRIDGE PTAR00302012, 2009, 2010, 20112015, 20162022
159720 1597202013, 20142014, 2013, 2016, 2015
THAMES/RIVER THAME/SCOTSGROVE BROOK/ 156152011, 2010, 2009
35095 350952012, 2010
35913 359132014, 2012, 2013
THAMES/RIVER THAME/GAINSBRIDGE BROOK/D/S OF A329/ 428292013
36266 362662012, 2013, 2011
35578 355782009, 2010
THAMES/RIVER THAME/WATERSTOCK MILL/ 135662011, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2013
THAME AT DORCHESTER BRIDGE PTAR00222012, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2010, 20142019, 2015, 2016, 2014, 20132019, 2022

Downstream water bodies