Thame (Aylesbury to Scotsgrove Brook) Water Body

Moderate ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106039030370
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRSP7462612436
  • Catchment area3045.54 ha
  • Length18.571 km
  • Catchment area30.455 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalModerateModerate
Biological quality elementsModerateModerate
InvertebratesHighModerate
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedModerateModerate
Macrophytes Sub ElementModerateModerate
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Acid Neutralising CapacityHighHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenModerateGood
PhosphatePoorPoor
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
MorphologySupports goodSupports good
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
Chromium (VI)HighHigh
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
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)Fail
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
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

No data to show

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
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
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryPhosphateDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementPhosphateDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationBarriers - ecological discontinuityDomestic General PublicDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGPoint sourceIncidentsWater IndustryDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor nutrient managementAgriculture and rural land managementMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGFlowLand drainageAgriculture 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 management0001020
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0300000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total0301020

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Biological quality elementsModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
InvertebratesGood2015
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedModerate2015Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
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
Chromium (VI)High2015
CopperHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ManganeseHigh2015
PermethrinHigh2015
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 (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)Good2039Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
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
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/EYTHROPE/ 89622010, 2013, 2011, 2014, 2009, 2012
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_RIFFLES SITE THREE/ 306952009
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_BYPASS CHANNEL SITE ONE/ 306912009
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_RIFFLES SITE ONE/ 306932009
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_HISTORIC CHANNEL SITE ONE/ 306862009
35927 359272011, 2014, 2013, 20102016, 2015, 2019, 2014, 20132019
THAME BELOW AYLESBURY STW PTAR007220192019
THAMES/RIVER THAME/D/S BEAR BROOK/ 106372009
THAME ABOVE EYTHROPE LAKE PTAR00202012, 2011, 2009, 2014, 2010, 20132016, 2019, 2015, 2014, 20132019
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_RIFFLES SITE TWO/ 306942009
THAMES/RIVER THAME/NETHER WINCHENDON - ORIGINAL ENHANCEMENT/ 57542009
33206 332062009, 2014, 2010
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_BYPASS CHANNEL SITE TWO/ 306922009
THAME AT CUDDINGTON BRIDGE PTAR00212011, 2009, 2014, 2012, 2010, 20132016, 2019, 2015, 2014, 20132019, 2022
35911 359112009, 2011, 2010, 2014, 2012, 20132016, 2019, 2014, 2015, 20132019, 2022
THAMES/RIVER THAME/NETHER WINCHENDON - LOWER RIFFLE/ 89612010, 2013, 2011, 2014, 2009, 2012
THAMES/RIVER THAME/UPSTREAM OF NOTLEY ABBEY/ 89642010, 2013, 2011, 2014, 2009, 2012
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_HISTORIC CHANNEL SITE THREE/ 306902009
35071 350712009, 2010
BEAR BROOK ABOVE RIVER THAME PTAR00032011, 2009, 2014, 2012, 2010, 20132019, 2016, 2014, 2015, 20132019
THAME AT STONE BRIDGE, AYLESBURY PTAR00282011, 2009, 2014, 2012, 2010, 20132019, 2016, 2014, 2015, 20132019, 2022
THAMES/RIVER THAME/EYTHROPE_HISTORIC CHANNEL SITE TWO/ 306872009

Downstream water bodies