SWALE Water Body

Moderate ecological status

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Attributes

  • Water Body IDGB530604011500
  • Water Body TypeTransitional Water
  • Hydromorphological designationheavily modified
  • NGRTR0547567221
  • Surveillance Water BodyNo
  • Surface area29.687 km2
  • Surface area2968.737 ha

Classifications

Classification Item20192022
EcologicalModerateModerate
Biological quality elementsGoodGood
InvertebratesGoodGood
Infaunal Quality IndexGoodGood
MacroalgaeGoodGood
Opportunistic MacroalgaeGoodGood
PhytoplanktonHighGood
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerateModerate
Dissolved Inorganic NitrogenModerateModerate
Dissolved oxygenGoodHigh
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports goodSupports good
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support goodDoes not support good
Supporting elements (Surface Water)ModerateModerate
Mitigation Measures AssessmentModerate or lessModerate or less
Specific pollutantsHighHigh
ArsenicHighHigh
CopperHighHigh
DimethoateHighHigh
IronHighHigh
ZincHighHigh
ChemicalFailDoes not require assessment
Priority hazardous substancesFailDoes not require assessment
Benzo(a)pyreneGood
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good
HexachlorobenzeneGood
HexachlorobutadieneGood
HexachlorocyclohexaneGood
Mercury and Its CompoundsFail
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Fail
Tributyltin CompoundsGood
Priority substancesGoodDoes not require assessment
1,2-dichloroethaneGood
FluorantheneGood
Lead and Its CompoundsGood
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood
PentachlorophenolGood
TrichlorobenzenesGood
TrichloromethaneGood
Other PollutantsGoodDoes not require assessment
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood
Carbon TetrachlorideGood
TetrachloroethyleneGood
TrichloroethyleneGood
para - para DDTGood

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

Investigations into classification status

Classification ElementCycleYearStatusOutcome
Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen22016ModerateCertain 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
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsibleMercury and Its CompoundsDetails
RNAGPhysical modificationOther (not in list, must add details in comments)Local and Central GovernmentMitigation Measures AssessmentDetails
RNAGmeasures delivered to address reason, awaiting recoveryNot applicableNo sector responsiblePolybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Details
RFDHigh to Good deterioration, no action required (RFD only)Not applicableNo sector responsibleDissolved oxygenDetails
RNAGFlowSurface water abstractionWater IndustryHydrological RegimeDetails
RFDHigh to Good deterioration, no action required (RFD only)Not applicableNo sector responsibleInvertebratesDetails

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 government1000000
Domestic general public0000000
Recreation0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Other0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Total1001000

Objectives

Classification ItemStatusYearReasons
EcologicalModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens;
Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Biological quality elementsGood2015
InvertebratesGood2015
MacroalgaeGood2015
PhytoplanktonGood2015
Physico-chemical quality elementsModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Dissolved Inorganic NitrogenModerate2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Dissolved oxygenGood2015
Hydromorphological Supporting ElementsSupports good2015
Hydrological RegimeDoes not support good2015Disproportionately expensive: Unfavourable balance of costs and benefits
Supporting elements (Surface Water)Good2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Mitigation Measures AssessmentGood2027 - Low confidenceDisproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens
Specific pollutantsHigh2015
ArsenicHigh2015
CopperHigh2015
DimethoateHigh2015
IronHigh2015
ZincHigh2015
ChemicalGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Priority hazardous substancesGood2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Benzo(a)pyreneGood2015
Cadmium and Its CompoundsGood2015
Dioxins and dioxin-like compoundsGood2015
Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxideGood2021Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)Good2015
HexachlorobenzeneGood2015
HexachlorobutadieneGood2015
HexachlorocyclohexaneGood2015
Mercury and Its CompoundsGood2040Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS)Good2015
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)Good2063Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time
Tributyltin CompoundsGood2015
Priority substancesGood2015
1,2-dichloroethaneGood2015
FluorantheneGood2015
Lead and Its CompoundsGood2015
Nickel and Its CompoundsGood2015
PentachlorophenolGood2015
TrichlorobenzenesGood2015
TrichloromethaneGood2015
Other PollutantsGood2015
Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin & IsodrinGood2015
Carbon TetrachlorideGood2015
TetrachloroethyleneGood2015
TrichloroethyleneGood2015
para - para DDTGood2015

Protected areas

PA NameIdDirectiveMore information
Swale EastUKSW26Shellfish Water Directive
Outer Thames EstuaryUK9020309Special Protection AreaNatural England
Medway Estuary & MarshesUK11040Ramsar SiteNatural England
The SwaleUK9012011Special Protection AreaNatural England
The SwaleUK11071Ramsar SiteNatural England
Medway Estuary & MarshesUK9012031Special Protection AreaNatural England
Swale CentralUKSW25Shellfish Water 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
SWALE CENTRAL-SHELLFISH WATER E00174722012, 2010, 2011, 20132015
SWALE COAL JETTY HIGH WATER E00010572012, 201320192019
SWALE KINGSFERRY E00010732009, 2012, 2010, 2011, 201320192019
SWALE EAST-SHELLFISH WATER E00174712012, 2010, 2011, 20132015
MILTON CREEK CONFLUENCE SWALE E00011102019, 2015, 20162019
MILTON CREEK D/S SITTINGBOURNE E00011132012, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009
SWALE HORSE REACH HIGH WATER E00010782012, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009
SEVERN ESTUARY ADJ. PORTBURY O/F E84002202009
SWALE, KENT, CSEMP, MUSSEL SITE E00070192015, 2019, 20162019

Upstream water bodies

Downstream water bodies