Plymouth Sound Water Body
Moderate ecological status
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Attributes
- Water Body IDGB650806230000
- Water Body TypeCoastal Water
- Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
- NGRSX4637250973
- Surface area1792.064 ha
- Surface area17.921 km2
- Surveillance Water BodyYes
Classifications
| Classification Item | 2019 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Ecological | Moderate | Moderate |
| Biological quality elements | Good | Good |
| Invertebrates | Good | Good |
| Imposex | Good | Good |
| Infaunal Quality Index | Good | Good |
| Macroalgae | High | High |
| Rocky Shore Macroalgae | High | High |
| Phytoplankton | Good | High |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | Moderate | Moderate |
| Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Moderate | Moderate |
| Dissolved oxygen | High | High |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Supports good | Supports good |
| Morphology | Supports good | Supports good |
| Specific pollutants | High | High |
| Arsenic | High | High |
| Chromium (VI) | High | High |
| Copper | High | High |
| Iron | High | High |
| Un-ionised ammonia | High | High |
| Zinc | High | High |
| Chemical | Fail | Does not require assessment |
| Priority hazardous substances | Fail | Does not require assessment |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good | |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | Good | |
| Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Fail | |
| Benzo(k)fluoranthene | Good | |
| Cadmium and Its Compounds | Good | |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good | |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good | |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good | |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good | |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good | |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Fail | |
| Nonylphenol | Good | |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good | |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Fail | |
| Tributyltin Compounds | Good | |
| Priority substances | Good | Does not require assessment |
| Fluoranthene | Good | |
| Lead and Its Compounds | Good | |
| Nickel and Its Compounds | Good | |
| Octylphenol | Good | |
| Trichloromethane | Good | |
| Other Pollutants | Does not require assessment | Does not require assessment |
Investigations into classification status
| Classification Element | Cycle | Year | Status | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tributyltin Compounds | 2 | 2013 | Fail | Certain 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 Type | SWMI | Activity | Category | Classification Element | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RNAG | measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Mercury and Its Compounds | Details |
| RNAG | Point source | Sewage discharge (intermittent) | Water Industry | Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Details |
| RNAG | Point source | Sewage discharge (continuous) | Water Industry | Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Details |
| RNAG | Diffuse source | Poor nutrient management | Agriculture and rural land management | Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Details |
| RNAG | Unknown (pending investigation) | Unknown (pending investigation) | Sector under investigation | Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Details |
| RNAG | Diffuse source | Poor Livestock Management | Agriculture and rural land management | Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Details |
| RNAG | measures delivered to address reason, awaiting recovery | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Polybrominated 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 issue | Physical modifications | Pollution from waste water | Pollution from towns, cities and transport | Changes to the natural flow and level of water | Invasive non-native species | Pollution from rural areas | Pollution from abandoned mines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and rural land management | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Industry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mining and quarrying | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Navigation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Urban and transport | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Water Industry | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Local & central government | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic general public | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Recreation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Waste treatment and disposal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No sector responsible | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sector under investigation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Objectives
| Classification Item | Status | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecological | Good | 2027 - Low confidence | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Biological quality elements | Good | 2015 | |
| Invertebrates | Good | 2015 | |
| Macroalgae | Good | 2015 | |
| Phytoplankton | Good | 2015 | |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | Good | 2027 - Low confidence | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen | Good | 2027 - Low confidence | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Dissolved oxygen | Good | 2015 | |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Not assessed | 2015 | |
| Supporting elements (Surface Water) | Not assessed | 2015 | |
| Specific pollutants | High | 2015 | |
| Arsenic | High | 2015 | |
| Chromium (VI) | High | 2015 | |
| Copper | High | 2015 | |
| Iron | High | 2015 | |
| Un-ionised ammonia | High | 2015 | |
| Zinc | High | 2015 | |
| Chemical | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time; Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Priority hazardous substances | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time; Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo(b)fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Benzo(g-h-i)perylene | Good | 2033 | Technically infeasible: No known technical solution is available |
| Benzo(k)fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Cadmium and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good | 2021 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good | 2015 | |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Good | 2040 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Nonylphenol | Good | 2015 | |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good | 2015 | |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Tributyltin Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Priority substances | Good | 2015 | |
| Fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Lead and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Nickel and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Octylphenol | Good | 2015 | |
| Trichloromethane | Good | 2015 | |
| Other Pollutants | Does not require assessment | 2015 |
Protected areas
| PA Name | Id | Directive | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Sound & Estuaries | UK0013111 | Special Area of Conservation | Natural England |
| Kingsand | UK26520 | Bathing Water Directive | |
| Cawsand | UK26530 | Bathing Water Directive | |
| Bovisand | UK26300 | Bathing 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.