Middle and Lower Darent Water Body

Good ecological status

Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB106040024222
  • Water Body TypeRiver
  • Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
  • NGRTQ5623070718
  • Catchment area153.503 km2
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo
  • Length23.652 km
  • Catchment area15350.258 ha

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalPoorGood
Biological quality elementsPoorGood
FishModerateGood
InvertebratesHighHigh
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedPoorGood
Macrophytes Sub ElementPoorGood
Phytobenthos Sub ElementModerate
Physico-chemical quality elementsHighHigh
Acid Neutralising CapacityHighHigh
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)HighHigh
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)HighHigh
Dissolved oxygenHighHigh
PhosphateHighHigh
TemperatureHighHigh
pHHighHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support goodDoes not support 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 CompoundsGood
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
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined22019PoorCertain there is not a problem
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined32019PoorCertain 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
RNAGUnknown (pending investigation)Unknown (pending investigation)Sector under investigationFishDetails
RNAGFlowGroundwater abstractionWater IndustryHydrological RegimeDetails
RNAGSuspect dataNot applicableNo sector responsibleMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
RNAGNaturalNatural conditions - otherNo sector responsibleMacrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedDetails
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 management0000000
Industry0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Water Industry0001000
Local & central government0000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total0001000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Biological quality elementsGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
FishGood2015
InvertebratesGood2015
Macrophytes and Phytobenthos CombinedGood2021Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Physico-chemical quality elementsGood2015
Acid Neutralising CapacityGood2015
Ammonia (Phys-Chem)Good2015
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
PhosphateGood2015
TemperatureGood2015
pHGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeSupports good2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
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 CompoundsGood2015
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
North KentG65Nitrates 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
42126 4212620102016, 2015, 2019, 2014, 20132022, 2019
DARENT/DARENT - MAIN RIVER/HORTON KIRBY/ 25892013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 2010, 20092013, 2016, 2019, 2014, 20152019, 2022
43451 434512011, 2012, 2010, 2009
192551 19255120192019
DARENT/DARENT - MAIN RIVER/PRESTON FARM/ 71022013, 2011, 2014, 2012, 2010, 20092013, 2016, 2019, 2014, 20152019, 2022
DARENT/DARENT - MAIN RIVER/TWITTON BROOK/ 105842013, 2014, 200920142022
43540 435402013, 2011, 2014, 2010, 20122016, 2015, 2013, 2014, 20192022, 2019
DARENT/DARENT - MAIN RIVER/DARTFORD PARK/ 73512013, 2011, 2014, 20122013, 2016, 2019, 2014, 20152019, 2022
43534 435342010, 2011
FRANKS BRIDGE R DARENT E00047312011, 2012, 2010, 2009
42167 421672012, 2010, 2011
MILLPOND ROAD DARTFORD E00001232013, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2010, 20122013, 2015, 2016, 2014, 20192022, 2019
DARENT/DARENT - MAIN RIVER/LULLINGSTONE/ 276572013, 2011, 2012, 2010, 20092022
DARENT/DARENT - MAIN RIVER/HAWLEY HALL/ 342662013, 2011, 2012, 20102022
DARENT/DARENT - MAIN RIVER/ACACIA HALL/ 105822013, 2011, 2012, 2010, 2009
42607 426072013, 2016, 20192022, 2019

Upstream water bodies

Downstream water bodies