Bela Operational Catchment

About

This small operational catchment is fed from Killington reservoir and flows through pastureland before entering Morecambe Bay downstream of Milnthorpe. With no large population centres, land use is dominated by sheep farming and some beef and dairy farms in the lower catchment. Water dependent industries include a paper mill and several small hydro-electric schemes. Although there are no specific conservation designations, there are healthy populations of Atlantic salmon, Sea trout and native White clawed crayfish and a flora dominated by ranunculus. Physical modification includes Killington reservoir and a water transfer for Lancaster canal, with some sections canalised and having levees.

River  Bela near Milnthorpe

Classifications data for Bela Operational Catchment

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 transfers3025
Lake0011
Coastal0000
Estuarine0000
Groundwater0000
Total3036

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 bodies003306
Number of water body elements013103852

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 bodies606
Number of water body elements136073

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 bodies000
Number of water body elements000

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 bodies000
Number of water body elements000

Challenges data for Bela Operational Catchment

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 management0000100
Domestic general public0000000
Industry0000000
Local & central government0000000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0000000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Urban and transport0000000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry0010000
Total0010100

Objectives data for Bela Operational Catchment

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 2015001203
By 2021000101
By 2027000202
Total001506

2 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 2063066
Total066

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
Total000

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Chemical status objectives for groundwater

Including those with less stringent objectives and extended deadlines

StatusPoor
GoodTotal
Total000

0 of the "by 2027" objectives are low confidence

Summary Statistics data for Bela Operational Catchment

Ecological status and potential

Summary statisticRivers, Canals and SWTsLakesEstuariesCoastalSurface Waters Combined
% of water bodies at good or better ecological status/potential60%0%50%
% of biological elements, phys-chem elements and specific pollutants at good or better status94%94%
% of water bodies with an objective of good ecological status/potential or better80%100%83%
% of biological elements, phys-chem elements and Specific Pollutants with an objective of good status or better98%98%

Chemical

Summary statisticRivers, Canals and SWTsLakesEstuariesCoastalSurface Waters Combined
% of water bodies at good chemical status0%0%0%
% of chemical elements at good status83%80%82%
% of water bodies at good chemical status without uPBT100%100%100%
% of chemical elements at good status without uPBT100%100%100%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical status100%100%100%
% of chemical elements with an objective of good100%100%100%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical status without uPBT100%100%100%
% of chemical elements with an objective of good without uPBTs100%100%100%