Pippingford Brook Water Body

Poor ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106040018360
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRTQ4872335010
  • Catchment area31.447 km2
  • Catchment area3144.732 ha
  • Length15.486 km
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalPoorPoor
Biological quality elementsPoorPoor
FishModerateModerate
InvertebratesPoorPoor
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGoodGood
Phytobenthos Sub ElementGoodGood
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenPoorModerate
PhosphateGoodModerate
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeSupports goodSupports good
MorphologySupports goodSupports good
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsFail
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
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 oxygen32019PoorVery certain there is a problem
Dissolved oxygen22019PoorVery 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 responsibleDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (intermittent)IndustryDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)Water IndustryDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGInvasive non-native speciesNorth american signal crayfishNo sector responsibleInvertebratesDetails
RNAGPoint sourceSewage discharge (continuous)IndustryDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationRecreationOtherFishDetails
RNAGDiffuse sourcePoor soil managementAgriculture and rural land managementFishDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details

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
Industry0200000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0100000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other1000000
No sector responsible0000100
Sector under investigation0000000
Total1300110

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 CombinedGood2015
Physico-chemical quality elementsGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
PhosphateGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2015
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Not assessed2015
Specific pollutantsNot assessed2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
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)Good2015
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority substancesGood2015
Cypermethrin (Priority)Good2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Other PollutantsDoes not require assessment2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
River Medway at MaidstoneSWSGZ4007Safeguard Zone
Lesser Teise and Bewl Water ReservoirSWSGZ4223Safeguard Zone
Ashdown ForestUK0030080Special Area of ConservationNatural England

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
PIPPINGFORD BRK B2026 POSI' FM E00009702012, 2013, 2009, 20142015, 2013, 2016, 2019, 20142022, 2019
44303 443032009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 20112016, 2015, 2014
PIPPINGFORD BROOK E00009732012, 2009
MEDWAY/MEDWAY TRIBUTARIES/WITHYHAM STREAM/FORSTAL FARM UPSTREAM OF BRIDGE/ 73802010, 2009
MEDWAY/MEDWAY TRIBUTARIES/WITHYHAM STREAM/PIPINGFORD MANOR ESTATE/ 5458520192019
MEDWAY/MEDWAY TRIBUTARIES/WITHYHAM STREAM/FORSTAL FARM DOWNSTREAM OF BRIDGE/ 5936320192019

Upstream water bodies