Middle and Lower Darent Water Body
Poor ecological status
Get Middle and Lower Darent data
Attributes
- Water Body IDGB106040024222
- Water Body TypeRiver
- Hydromorphological designationnot designated artificial or heavily modified
- NGRTQ5623070718
- Catchment area153.503 km2
- Surveillance Water BodyNo
- Length23.652 km
- Catchment area15350.258 ha
Classifications
| Classification Item | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Ecological | Poor |
| Biological quality elements | Poor |
| Fish | Moderate |
| Invertebrates | High |
| Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | Poor |
| Macrophytes Sub Element | Poor |
| Phytobenthos Sub Element | Moderate |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | High |
| Acid Neutralising Capacity | High |
| Ammonia (Phys-Chem) | High |
| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | High |
| Dissolved oxygen | High |
| Phosphate | High |
| Temperature | High |
| pH | High |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Supports good |
| Hydrological Regime | Does not support good |
| Morphology | Supports good |
| Chemical | Fail |
| Priority hazardous substances | Fail |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Good |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Fail |
| Priority substances | Good |
| Cypermethrin (Priority) | Good |
| Fluoranthene | Good |
| Other Pollutants | Does not require assessment |
Investigations into classification status
| Classification Element | Cycle | Year | Status | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | 2 | 2019 | Poor | Certain there is not a problem |
| Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | 3 | 2019 | Poor | 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 | Unknown (pending investigation) | Unknown (pending investigation) | Sector under investigation | Fish | Details |
| RNAG | Flow | Groundwater abstraction | Water Industry | Hydrological Regime | Details |
| RNAG | Suspect data | Not applicable | No sector responsible | Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | Details |
| RNAG | Natural | Natural conditions - other | No sector responsible | Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | 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 | 0 | 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 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Objectives
| Classification Item | Status | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecological | Good | 2021 | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Biological quality elements | Good | 2021 | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Fish | Good | 2015 | |
| Invertebrates | Good | 2015 | |
| Macrophytes and Phytobenthos Combined | Good | 2021 | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Physico-chemical quality elements | Good | 2015 | |
| Acid Neutralising Capacity | Good | 2015 | |
| Ammonia (Phys-Chem) | Good | 2015 | |
| Dissolved oxygen | Good | 2015 | |
| Phosphate | Good | 2015 | |
| Temperature | Good | 2015 | |
| pH | Good | 2015 | |
| Hydromorphological Supporting Elements | Supports good | 2015 | |
| Hydrological Regime | Supports good | 2027 - Low confidence | Disproportionately expensive: Disproportionate burdens |
| Supporting elements (Surface Water) | Not assessed | 2015 | |
| Specific pollutants | Not assessed | 2015 | |
| Chemical | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Priority hazardous substances | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Benzo(a)pyrene | Good | 2015 | |
| Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Heptachlor and cis-Heptachlor epoxide | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobenzene | Good | 2015 | |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Good | 2015 | |
| Mercury and Its Compounds | Good | 2015 | |
| Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) | Good | 2015 | |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | Good | 2063 | Natural conditions: Chemical status recovery time |
| Priority substances | Good | 2015 | |
| Cypermethrin (Priority) | Good | 2015 | |
| Fluoranthene | Good | 2015 | |
| Other Pollutants | Does not require assessment | 2015 |
Protected areas
| PA Name | Id | Directive | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Kent | G65 | Nitrates 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.