06/11/2024

CamEO Conference

SmartRivers

Monitoring the health of UK rivers

Freshwater Ecologist

Dr Sam Green

sam@wildfish.org

Invertebrates as indicators

Invertebrate species are quite particular about the water quality conditions they need to thrive.

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Because of this, they all have different tolerances to pollution.

High scoring species are usually mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies

More of these species usually means better water quality

Inverts give a more representative picture of long-term water quality impacts than spot water samples!

The information invertebrates can tell us depends on the resolution they are identified

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We need species-level analysis to get a true assessment of the state of freshwater invertebrates

Monthly quick and easy health check for gross pollution

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Bankside ID at family-level

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Twice a year detailed analysis for high resolution outputs on biodiversity and chronic water quality pressures

Invertebrate citizen science ‘levels’

Lab based ID to species-level where possible

River Lark

2016-2019

5

4

3

2

1

Sites

1. Fornham Wharf
2. Duck Sluice
3. Hengrave Mill Bridge
4. West Stow Country Park
5. Lackford Road Bridge

• Increased pressure from urban development in the catchment.

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“Thorough assessment of headwaters needed prior to proposed housing and road building.”

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• Upgrading of rural sewage works.

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• A need to address main issues, abstraction and point pollution, at their source.

River Wensum

2015-2019, 2021

Sites

1. Doughton Bridge
2. Fakenham Common
3. Pensthorpe Nature Park
4. Sennowe Bridge
5. Bintry Mill

• Consistently the worst performing river across all years of census monitoring.

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• Invertebrate community was below what is expected from a chalk stream.

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• Heaviest impacts from phosphorus and fine sediments.

Autumn 2024

353

Different invertebrate species found

The 2023 national SmartRivers breakdown

The greatest impact indicated by the invertebrate communities across all sites in 2023 was

chemical pollution

Considerable stress from sediment pollution was also evident, with 35% and 53% of sites exhibiting concerning impact in spring and autumn respectively

55% of sites showed concerning chemical impact in autumn

SmartRivers

Case Studies

Wiltshire Fisheries Association hub covers the Rivers Avon, Wylye and Nadder.

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On all three rivers, biodiversity is declining and poor water quality from chemical, organic and sediment pollution is evident.

4+ years of data

30+ sites

Environment Agency

With the help of WildFish, SmartRivers evidence gives us the ability to challenge statements like this

Autumn EPT (riverfly) and total invertebrate diversity/abundances from 2019-2023

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…Clearly there is deterioration!

Water quality stress scores

Example:

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Autumn chemical stress on the River Avon sites

Chalk streams like the Itchen and Avon have the highest form of environmental protection (designation as a Special Area of Conservation and Site of Special Scientific Interest).

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If we can't look after our most protected of rivers, what hope is there for those that have no designation?

Photo: Charles Rangeley-Wilson

Welsh Dee Trust hub covers the Alyn, Ceiriog and smaller rivers in the Aldford Brook catchment.

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�“The projects taking place on the Alyn, in conjunction with the SmartRivers data we are collecting, can only benefit the long-term improvement of the river.” 

Mark Pierce – Welsh Dee Trust

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17 sites

3+ years of data

We have made formal referrals to the Information Commissioner on access to pesticide use records in England and Wales in catchments where SmartRivers volunteers have picked up chemical pollution signatures.

Formaldehyde in the Welsh Dee, Spring 2024

Windermere legal

challenge

• Cunsey Beck SSI.

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• Fish kill incident 2022. WildFish information request identified investigation failings as seen in BBC Panorama’s ‘The Water Pollution Cover-up’.

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• WFD status for invertebrates based on a 2014 survey.

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• More recent SmartRivers data used to fill the gaps.

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• WildFish has written to the EA notifying of ecological deterioration.

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Thank you!

Any questions?

sam@wildfish.org

smartrivers@wildfish.org