The Environment Agency
today revealed
that it will be deploying state of the art
technology to help tackle diffuse pollution
from farms and urban areas.
This is part of a programme
of 8500 studies the Environment Agency will
carry out to help improve the quality of
rivers over the next two years.
Improvements in water
quality over the last two decades have primarily
been achieved through successful action
on pollution from sources such as factories
and sewage treatment works (‘point source
pollution’).
Last month, the Environment
Agency published its annual classification
of water quality in rivers in England –
revealing they are the cleanest they have
been since the industrial revolution. Recent
reports have shown that record numbers of
otters, salmon and trout are now being found
in rivers like the Thames and the Tyne.
The Thames, which in places was declared
biologically dead in the 1950s, was last
week crowned winner in the International
Theiss River prize, the world’s biggest
environmental award.
The Agency will increasingly
focus on pollution from agricultural land,
highways and urban areas, which is now the
main cause of failing water standards in
many areas, but is harder to identify. One
way of better understanding this issue is
the deployment of new technology in areas
of concern.
Tamar trial
A pilot study for the new technology will
take place on the River Tamar between Devon
and Cornwall. A variety of sensors will
be placed in the river to automatically
sample water quality and send the results
back electronically to a central location.
New software will allow the sensors to work
together as one, providing an instant snapshot
of the health of the river. If successful
and cost-effective, the Environment Agency
will look at using the technology in other
problematic areas around the country.
The trial on the Tamar
will start in November and last for an initial
five months. It will involve placing 11
sensors along a 20km stretch of river and
will help identify and tackle the problem
of agricultural pollution in the river -
one of England's most beautiful waterways.
Although the river is cleaner than 20 years
ago, the impact of diffuse pollution has
continued to create challenges in some stretches.
New standards
The trial comes as the Environment Agency
publishes its classification update of rivers
under new, tougher standards set out under
the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD).
The WFD assessment focuses
on the ecological health of waters. In total,
37 measures of water quality, including
the health of river insects and plants,
are assessed and the grading of each water
body is determined by the measure which
scores the lowest result.
Under this more stringent
system, 27.8 per cent of water bodies are
classed as ‘good’ or ‘high’, 57.2 per cent
‘moderate’, 13.1 per cent ‘poor’ and 1.8
per cent ‘bad’. However, more than a third
of water bodies missed out on the ‘good’
status by just one of the thirty-seven different
indicators. This means that by taking action
to improve a single measure, many more waters
will achieve ‘good’ status. These results
are an improvement on last year’s and indicate
that the actions already being taken are
improving water quality.
River modification,
including walled banks through towns and
cities, culverts, dams and weirs is a factor
in over a quarter of rivers failing to achieve
‘good’ WFD status.
Dr. Paul Leinster, Environment
Agency Chief Executive said:
“River quality in England
and Wales has steadily improved over the
last 20 years and newer, more stringent
EU standards will help ensure that they
continue to do so.”
“The return of wildlife
including otters and salmon to rivers demonstrates
the tangible benefit this provides for wildlife
and for people, but we are not complacent.
The Environment Agency is committed to tackling
diffuse pollution and will be working with
community groups, River Trusts and wildlife
and angling organisations who all have important
roles to play in improving waterways.”
More information
National media enquiries please contact
the press office on 020 7863 8744 or send
an email. Outside normal office hours, please
contact the National Duty Press Officer
on 07798 882 092.
+ More
Environment Agency appeals
for information on vandalism in Hampshire
The Environment Agency
has expressed concern at the increasing
damage caused to its river structures in
Hampshire following a recent spate of attacks
by vandals.
Levels in the River
Itchen recently plummeted when it was discovered
that materials used to reinforce the banks
of the river had been removed and placed
across the sluice gates at Tumbling Bay.
This caused the river level to fall rapidly
on Saturday (9 October) and swift action
was taken by the Environment Agency to deal
with the incident.
The following day it
was discovered further vandalism had occurred
at the same site when the sluice gates feeding
the main River Itchen had been deliberately
closed by breaking in to the lock and chain
securing the gates. This started to dry
out the channel downstream by starving the
river of its only source of water.
The River Itchen is
classified as a special conservation area
that supports a rich variety of wildlife.
Fortunately Environment Agency officers
were again on hand deal with the problem
so that no harm was caused to the local
environment.
There has also been
damage caused in the Shirley and Aldermoor
district to the Olive Road grill screen
that protects the community from flooding.
The screen catches debris from rivers to
allow the watercourse to flow freely and
parts of this important structure were stolen
last week.
Dawn Theaker, Area Environment
Manager, said: “It is very concerning that
our structures are being deliberately targeted
by vandals and we would welcome any information
from the public on those responsible.
“These highly irresponsible
acts not only put people and the environment
at risk, but it takes money and staff resources
to repair the damage at a time when we are
focussed on protecting communities from
flood risk.”
If members of the public
have any information relating to these incidents,
please contact the Environment Agency’s
Incident Hotline on 0800 807060 or Hampshire
Police.
+ More
Environment Agency clears
streams to prevent flooding
Staff from Environment
Agency Wales are clearing streams in the
rural Vale of Glamorgan in time for the
winter weather.
Teams of workers are
tackling vegetation more than two feet tall
that has built up over the summer in feeder
streams of the River Thaw in Cowbridge,
Llanblethian and Aberthin.
The blockages were made up of weeds, tree
limbs and grass and were so thick in places
that the stream was not visible.
The streams feed into the Cowbridge flood
scheme that protects the town, and tend
to get blocked by vegetation during the
summer months. This year the problem has
been particularly bad because of the alternatively
hot and wet weather.
The work will help to prevent flooding in
the area, which already benefits from a
flood scheme protecting several hundred
houses.
Operations Delivery Lead Team Member Kevin
Anderson said: “Before we started, the weeds
were so thick we couldn’t see the stream
itself. I’ve never seen weeds grow like
this before.
“By clearing these streams the Cowbridge
Flood Scheme is more likely to function
properly throughout the winter. This should
help protect the area from flooding.”
Environment Agency Wales' priority is to
protect people from the effects of flooding
from rivers and the sea. While the risk
of flooding can be reduced, the Agency cannot
eliminate all future flooding so it’s important
for communities to be prepared.
Flood Awareness Wales can help you find
out if your home or business is at risk
and provide advice on what you can do to
prepare for this, reduce the impact of flood
water on your property and ensure your own
personal safety in a flood . For further
information visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodwales
or call Floodline on 0845 988 1188.
By phoning Floodline
you can also find out if you are able to
sign up to receive free advance warning
of flooding from rivers and the sea, through
the Environment Agency's Floodline Warnings
Direct Service. Floodline Warnings Direct
is a free service that provides advance
warning of flooding direct by telephone,
mobile, email, SMS text message or fax.
