| Highlights
Pollution Concerns |
ART’s
Seminar in May, supported by WWF, HSBC & BOC Foundation for the
Environment hosted by the Wye & Usk Foundation in the beautiful
Upper Wye valley, focused on ‘Water Quality’. With the river,
a SSSI, candidate SAC, looking in good heart, presentations on the hidden
impacts of acidification and sheep dips affecting the river seemed all
the more poignant.
The
one hundred plus delegates generally agreed that the classic forms of
point pollution, typically associated with heavy industry and poor sewage
treatment which caused so much damage to rivers during the last century,
have hugely reduced. This improvement coming about as a result of industrial
decline, tightening legislation and the actions of those willing to
wield it like the ACA and Environment Agency, together with the not
inconsiderable efforts of the Water Companies and industry itself. However
at the same time as these improvements are rejuvenating urban river
systems up and down the country, many rural areas are suffering the
consequences of the more subtle effects of diffuse pollution, much of
it unseen.
Attendees
of the Seminar and the following day’s Field Visits saw for themselves
how the Wye & Usk Foundation have embarked on a remarkable localised
liming programme in an attempt to combat the legacy of acidification,
which affects a considerable area of the Wye’s headwaters. However,
as underlined by Bob Meriman of the EA in
his paper on ‘Sheep Dips’, the problems associated with
the miss-use and subsequent damaging presence of OP’s and SP’s
in the river are exposing gaps in the existing legislation and highlighting
the difficulties in identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators.
Picture 1
Philip Lord receiving a cheque for £5,000 on behalf
of the Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust from Barry Beecroft of
Boc Foundation for the Environment, Rob Oates of WWF who heads up
the WWF Freshwater Programme supported by HSBC and BOC looks on
Picture 2
Gathering kick samples
Picture 3
The invertebrate trays
Picture 4
Crowding round as the invertebrates are identified and
scored as WQ indicators
Presentations
highlighted how Rivers Trusts are working closely with the EA, Defra,
EN and CCW, on river restoration projects, the Water Framework Directive,
CAP reform, raising awareness and promoting ‘Best Farm Practice’
to reduce a range of current agricultural impacts. However it was widely
agreed that to bring many rivers into ‘good ecological status’
as required under the WFD more effort was required to combat effectively
the problems of siltation, pesticides and
eutrophication. These three issues were highlighted as being
a problem in many areas of the country both in terms of the impacts
on biodiversity and fisheries and significantly for water companies
where poor raw water quality increases treatment costs.
For
further information on the Spring Seminar and proceedings see the ART
website or contact Alan Hawken (Trust Secretary) for a CD pack on: alan@associationofriverstrusts.org.uk
It is estimated
that water consumers now pay an average of £7.00 each (source:
ADAS) to remove nitrate and pesticides from drinking water supplies;
with industry experts expecting charges to increase significantly
in the next few years. |
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