Summary data for England

Classifications data for England

Number of water bodies

The number of water bodies in the river basin district. It shows whether these are natural, artificial (such as canals and reservoirs) or have been modified ('heavily modified') for particular uses.

Water body categoriesNaturalArtificialHeavily modifiedTotal
River, canals and surface water transfers254626411183928
Lake99141324564
Coastal3422561
Estuarine25971105
Groundwater27100271
Total297541615384929

Ecological status for surface waters

Table summarises the current ecological status of surface water bodies. Water bodies are classified as being at high, good, moderate, poor or bad ecological status or potential.

Ecological status or potentialBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
Number of water bodies137794296275444651
Number of water body elements6372505501956502715040961

Chemical status for surface waters

Table summarises the current chemical status of water bodies. These are classified as being at good or fail.

Chemical statusFailGoodTotal
Number of water bodies464904649
Number of water body elements106685454065208

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

Quantitative status for groundwater

Table summarises the quantitative status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Quantitative statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies72199271
Number of water body elements939911084

Chemical status for groundwater

Table summarises the chemical status of groundwater water bodies. These are classified as being at good or poor.

Chemical statusPoorGoodTotal
Number of water bodies149122271
Number of water body elements23311221355

Challenges data for England

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 issueChanges to the natural flow and level of waterInvasive non-native speciesPhysical modificationsPollution from abandoned minesPollution from rural areasPollution from towns, cities and transportPollution from waste water
Agriculture and rural land management11608540512083
Domestic general public00120052949
Industry220990024427
Local & central government5082800110
Mining and quarrying0064220100
Navigation801000030
No sector responsible011850020
Other190249203710
Recreation2014900100
Sector under investigation703520010
Urban and transport008250089927
Waste treatment and disposal00000186
Water Industry2810408001243334
Total4601183887424512018863466

Objectives data for England

Ecological status or potential objectives for surface water bodies

Table summarises the ecological status and ecological potential objectives set for water bodies in the river basin management plan. Each water body is only counted once in this table. Each water body objective consists of a target status and a date when it was, or is expected to be, met.

StatusBadPoorModerateGoodHighTotal
By 2015135469773711502
By 2021022791910292
By 2027010126266202798
By 203300124025
By 203900228030
By 2060000404
Total1386905364614651

2735 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for surface water bodies

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusFailGoodTotal
By 2063046484648
Total046484648

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Quantitative status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
By 201526181207
By 202103131
By 202703232
By 2040011
Total26245271

25 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
By 201529122151
By 202102121
By 202707878
By 2033011
By 2040044
By 2050077
By 2060099
Total29242271

78 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Summary Statistics data for England

Ecological status and potential

Summary statisticRivers, Canals and SWTsLakesEstuariesCoastalSurface Waters Combined
% of water bodies at good or better ecological status/potential16%15%19%46%16%
% of biological elements, phys-chem elements and specific pollutants at good or better status79%68%83%90%79%
% of water bodies with an objective of good ecological status/potential or better79%78%60%80%78%
% of biological elements, phys-chem elements and Specific Pollutants with an objective of good status or better95%93%94%96%95%

Chemical

Summary statisticRivers, Canals and SWTsLakesEstuariesCoastalSurface Waters Combined
% of water bodies at good chemical status0%0%0%0%0%
% of chemical elements at good status84%81%86%84%84%
% of water bodies at good chemical status without uPBT93%100%91%100%94%
% of chemical elements at good status without uPBT99%100%Greater than 99%100%99%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical statusGreater than 99%99%100%100%Greater than 99%
% of chemical elements with an objective of good100%100%100%100%100%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical status without uPBT100%100%100%100%100%
% of chemical elements with an objective of good without uPBTs100%100%100%100%100%

Groundwater

Summary statisticGround water
% of water bodies at good chemical (GW) status45%
% of groundwater chemical elements at good status83%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical (GW) status89%
% of groundwater chemical elements with an objective of good97%
% of water bodies at good quantitative status73%
% of groundwater quantitative elements at good status91%
% of water bodies with an objective of good quantitative status90%
% of groundwater quantitative elements with an objective of good97%