Foss Operational Catchment

About

The River Foss is a large tributary of the river Ouse, which starts as a spring near Oulston reservoir, and flows south, in a series of wide meanders, through the Vale of York to join the river Ouse in York, just downstream from Cliffords Tower. The catchment is largely rural and the mainly low lying land surrounding the river Foss is intensely farmed, until it becomes more urbanised as it flows through the City of York.

The embanked channel of the River Foss

Classifications data for Foss 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 transfers3036
Lake0000
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 bodies105006
Number of water body elements221072344

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 elements135467

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 Foss 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 management0040600
Domestic general public0000080
Industry0000001
Local & central government0010000
Mining and quarrying0000000
Navigation0000000
No sector responsible0000000
Other0000000
Recreation0000000
Sector under investigation0000000
Urban and transport0050000
Waste treatment and disposal0000000
Water Industry0000008
Total00100689

Objectives data for Foss 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 2015003003
By 2027000303
Total003306

3 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 Foss Operational Catchment

Ecological status and potential

Summary statisticRivers, Canals and SWTsLakesEstuariesCoastalSurface Waters Combined
% of water bodies at good or better ecological status/potential0%0%
% of biological elements, phys-chem elements and specific pollutants at good or better status65%65%
% of water bodies with an objective of good ecological status/potential or better50%50%
% of biological elements, phys-chem elements and Specific Pollutants with an objective of good status or better85%85%

Chemical

Summary statisticRivers, Canals and SWTsLakesEstuariesCoastalSurface Waters Combined
% of water bodies at good chemical status0%0%
% of chemical elements at good status81%81%
% of water bodies at good chemical status without uPBT100%100%
% of chemical elements at good status without uPBT100%100%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical status100%100%
% of chemical elements with an objective of good100%100%
% of water bodies with an objective of good chemical status without uPBT100%100%
% of chemical elements with an objective of good without uPBTs100%100%