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The Loddon Management Catchment

Figure 1 - The River Loddon

A summary of information about the water environment in the Loddon management catchment

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We are the Environment Agency. We protect and improve the environment and make it a better place for people and wildlife. We operate at the place where environmental change has its greatest impact on people’s lives. We reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; make sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protect and improve air, land and water quality and apply the environmental standards within which industry can operate. Acting to reduce climate change and helping people and wildlife adapt to its consequences are at the heart of all that we do. We cannot do this alone. We work closely with a wide range of partners including government, business, local councils, other agencies, civil society groups and the communities we serve.

Published by:

Environment Agency Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AH Email: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk www.gov.uk/environment-agency © Environment Agency 2014 All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency.

Further copies of this report are available on the e-consultation tool: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/update-to-the-draft-river-basin-management-plans and via our National Customer Contact Centre: T: 03708 506506 Email: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk.

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Contents The Loddon Management Catchment ........................................................................ 1

Contents ..................................................................................................................... 3

1 Your views count ......................................................................................... 4

2 The Loddon Management Catchment ......................................................... 6

2.1 Protected areas ............................................................................................ 7

2.2 Status of waters ........................................................................................... 8

2.3 Improvements to how water bodies are assessed ..................................... 10

2.4 Investigating the water environment in the Loddon management catchment .................................................................................................................. 10

2.5 Challenges and choices consultation 2013 ................................................ 11

2.6 Taking action in partnership ....................................................................... 12

2.7 Measures that could improve the water environment ................................. 14

2.8 Economic appraisal and environmental assessment of measures to improve the water environment ............................................................................... 15

2.9 Proposed long term objectives ................................................................... 16

2.10 Links to other management plans .............................................................. 17

3 Operational catchments ............................................................................. 18

3.1 Loddon operational catchment ....................................................................... 18

3.2 Basingstoke Chalk operational catchment ..................................................... 29

4 What do you think? .................................................................................... 36

4.1 How to respond .......................................................................................... 36

4.2 What the Environment Agency will use the responses for ......................... 37

4.3 How the Environment Agency will use your information ............................ 37

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1 Your views count Water is essential for life. It allows the natural environment to flourish, and businesses, agriculture and the economy to grow and prosper. The water environment provides many different benefits to society - from supplying drinking water and supporting fisheries to providing an essential resource for business and agriculture, transport routes and a source of recreation that promotes wellbeing. It is critical that this precious resource is managed properly to ensure that the needs of society, the economy and wildlife can be met and maintained in the long-term. Building on years of progress, the Environment Agency has worked with a range of partners over the past two years to agree what the main problems are, that are stopping there being a healthy water environment in the Loddon management catchment, and how it should work with others to address them. The consultations, Working Together and Challenges and choices, have helped inform this final step in updating the river basin management plan for the Thames River Basin District. The ‘Challenges and choices’ consultation set out what the Environment Agency had identified as the significant issues facing the water environment. The significant issues were identified using a broad range of information, including the results of investigations, the agreed “reasons for not achieving good status” (previously called reasons for failure) across each catchment and more. We asked if you agreed with these significant issues. The majority of you did but you also raised additional local issues, which will take time to work through with catchment partnerships, to help shape the final river basin management plan. This catchment summary is a support document for the consultation on the draft update to the river basin management plan and for the Catchment Partnerships. It will help you to understand progress with the river basin management planning process so far, at a more local scale. This includes some initial economic appraisal to identify what actions are most cost beneficial. By understanding this information and letting the Environment Agency know what you think, you have an opportunity to influence the decisions about what actions will be taken over the next six years, to improve the health of your water environment. The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) is a Government policy framework that empowers local action to improve the water environment through community partnerships. A renewed focus on the catchment based approach has led to new Catchment Partnerships being set up to drive local delivery. More information is available in the “Taking action in partnership” section or you can contact the CaBA National Support Group:

• www.catchmentbasedapproach.org • Email: info@catchmentbasedapproach.org

The partnerships are working on a wide range of issues, including the water environment but also address other concerns that are not directly related to river basin management planning. The information in this document will inform the work of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Catchment Partnership in developing

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their vision, aims and priorities; it is not intended to duplicate or overarch the important local work. To view the consultation on the update to the Thames River Basin Management Plan, please visit https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/wfd/draft_plans/consult?pointId=s1405418030714#section-s1405418030714.This is a public consultation and we, the Environment Agency, welcome everyone's views. Figure 2 shows the location of the Loddon management catchment within the Thames River Basin District. To help you get the most out of the information provided within this catchment summary, we have provided a glossary to explain some of the terms that are used. The glossary can be found on the e-consultation web pages. There are many ways to respond to this consultation (see How to respond for more details), but if you have any difficulties please call our National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506 or email ThamesRBD@environment-agency.gov.uk. This consultation runs from October 2014 to April 2015. We will issue a response document in summer 2015. This will summarise the comments we received and what will happen as a result. The updated Thames River Basin Management Plan will be published in December 2015, following approval by the Secretary of State.

Figure 2 - Map of the Thames river basin district and the management catchments within it

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2 The Loddon Management Catchment

Figure 3 - Map of the Loddon management catchment

The Loddon catchment covers an area of 680 square kilometres and is in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. In the upper reaches of the Loddon, and some of its tributaries, the rivers are wide and shallow, typical of chalk fed streams. However, broad lowland river valleys, through which the rivers Loddon, Whitewater, Hart, Blackwater and Bow Brook meander, dominate much of the catchment.

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The River Loddon rises from the chalk fed springs at West Ham Farm, Basingstoke, and flows north easterly over chalk and clay, joining the Thames just west of Wargrave. The Blackwater rises to the south of Aldershot and flows over sands and gravels, joining the Loddon near Swallowfield. The Loddon catchment is predominantly suburban, agricultural and semi-natural grasslands. Urban and suburban development accounts for 39% of the land area; the main urban centres are Basingstoke, the East of Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham and the Camberley-Farnborough-Aldershot conurbation. Water is vital to the economy, vital for health and used to generate power, run industries and grow food. In addition, rivers and the river corridors themselves provide essential habitat for the ecology both on land and in the water. They also provide benefits for people, business and the economy, supporting recreation activities such as angling and walking. The Loddon management catchment has been divided into 2 operational catchments; the Loddon and the Basingstoke Chalk. The operational catchments have distinct characteristics and pressures, and require a different mix of measures to achieve long-term objectives for the water environment and reduce the risks of flooding.

2.1 Protected areas There are areas in the catchment where the water environment is recognised as being of particular importance because of the benefits they provide to society. These benefits include rare wildlife habitats, bathing waters or areas around drinking water sources. These areas are known collectively as ‘Protected areas’. Protected areas are a priority for action and protection to make sure we can all continue to enjoy the benefits they provide into the future, and that the investment that has already been made in protecting them is not wasted. Whether a particular part of the water environment is protected or not, we still assess its status every year to understand whether it is healthy or not and whether it’s getting better or worse. Some areas require special protection under European legislation. These designations are designed to manage water, nutrients, chemicals, economically significant species, and wildlife. The management of these areas has been integrated into the overall framework of river basin planning. The table below shows the number of the different types of Protected Areas in the Loddon catchment, and whether they are complying with the standards that are set out for their protection.

Protected area type Number Number compliant Bathing Waters - - Drinking Waters - - Shellfish Waters - - Urban Wastewater Treatment (i.e. no of wastewater treatment works included) 5 5

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Although there are no Drinking Waters within the Loddon catchment it has been designated as a surface water safeguard zone to protect the Drinking Water Protected Area on the Lower Thames. Other protected areas located in the Loddon catchment include the Thames Basin Heaths SPA, the Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham SAC and the entire catchment is designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone. More information can be found about protected areas, including how compliance is assessed, in the river basin management planning annex: http://ea.objective.co.uk/file/3078877. Natural England is responsible for assessing the status of Natura 2000 protected areas (N2KPAs). Information is not gathered at the catchment level, instead they collate information about the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) that make up all N2KPAs. Information about the status of SSSIs in this catchment can be accessed via http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/sssi/search.cfm and through http://www.magic.gov.uk

2.2 Status of waters In 2009 this catchment was divided up into 19 river water bodies, 2 lakes and 1 surface water transfer. The catchment also includes or, overlaps with a portion of, 12 groundwater bodies (2009 water bodies are also referred to as cycle 1 water bodies or old building blocks). For cycle 2 we are proposing some changes to the way the catchment is divided up, which are described in more detail later. Additional classification information by water body type can be found here: http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/. Surface waters Figure 4 shows the classification for the catchment’s surface waters in 2009, when the first river basin management plan was published, and the most recent (2013) status. In 2009 12% of water bodies were classified at Good Ecological Status or Potential (GES\GEP). Additional classification information by water body type can be found here: http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/. There has been environmental monitoring over the last 4 years which has, in places, included changes to the monitoring network. For some water bodies this has changed the classification although not necessarily the need for action.

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Figure 4 - Chart showing the classification of all water bodies in the Loddon catchment in cycle 1

Groundwater This consultation is concerned with the health of all the water in the Loddon catchment, both surface water and groundwater. Three Groundwater Bodies (GWBs) are assigned to this catchment; the Farnborough Bagshot Beds, Basingstoke Chalk and the Old Basing Tertiaries. Approximately 35% of the catchment is underlain by unproductive strata (clay). The Basingstoke Chalk is a principal aquifer as it supports important public water supplies (PWS). The Basingstoke Chalk GWB has poor chemical status due to elevated nitrates. High and rising nitrates at a PWS west of Basingstoke has led to it being designated as a Safeguard Zone to protect supplies. No protecting overlying strata are present in many areas, so GWB is susceptible to vertical migration of chemicals in fertilisers or slurry. The Basingstoke Chalk is poor for quantitative status due to Chalk PWS abstractions. Licence reductions are anticipated to achieve good status for impacts on river flows, but GWB water balances will remain at poor status. The Farnborough Bagshot Beds remains at good quantitative status. Due to the similarities in pressures and measures required a proxy cost benefit assessment for the Basingstoke Chalk was been carried out on the Berkshire Downs Chalk. The results are shown in the operational Basingstoke Chalk catchment section later.

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2.3 Improvements to how water bodies are assessed Since the cycle 1 plans were published in 2009 changes have been made to the way water bodies are defined and classified. Subject to consultation, the changes will be adopted when the updated plans are published in 2015. You can find more information about these improvements in the ‘River Basin Management Planning Annex’ at http://ea.objective.co.uk/file/3078877. The table below shows the status of the different kinds of water bodies in the management catchment based on these new approaches (also referred to as cycle 2 water bodies or new building blocks). Management Catchment

Number of water bodies at each status or potential in 2013 (using new building blocks)

Water body type High Good Moderate Poor Bad Rivers & Canals (including Surface Water Transfers)

0 1 12 7 0

Lakes 0 1 1 0 1 Estuaries and Coastal waters - - - - -

Ground waters 0 7 0 7 0

For more information on the changes since cycle 1, please see section 4.3 ‘Changes since first cycle (new building blocks)’ within Part 2 (technical annex) of the RBMPs. (http://ea.objective.co.uk/file/3078877).

2.4 Investigating the water environment in the Loddon management catchment Since the initial assessment of status was made, the Environment Agency and its partners have been working to understand the reasons for not achieving good status. The Environment Agency has carried out over 80 investigations in the Loddon catchment since 2009. These have helped to determine the reasons why water bodies are failing and the likely causes. Figure 5 shows the total list of problems that have been identified so far and sectors responsible. Pollution from waste water accounts for the majority of the reasons for failing elements in the Loddon catchment. The main source is sewage discharges that contain phosphate and ammonia and adversely affect the waters' oxygen levels and their ability to support life (Figure 5). Issues stopping fish from migrating and physical changes to rivers account for a large proportion of the failures. It is possible to overcome these but it can be expensive. Over-engineering of the channel and artificial structures have also contributed to problems with flow and, in some places, resulted in siltation problems (Figure 5).

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Pollution from rural areas is also a significant pressure in the catchment. Many of the failures caused by this pressure are due to field runoff but there are also failings due to general rural land management (Figure 5).

Figure 5 - Chart showing the reasons for not achieving good status of water bodies in the Loddon catchment by type and source sector

All reasons for not achieving good status data are available on the catchment data explorer.

2.5 Challenges and choices consultation 2013 In 2013, through the ‘Challenges and choices’ consultation, the Environment Agency asked for your views on:

• the significant issues that are limiting the benefits society obtains from the water environment (the challenges) and

• the best way to address these issues and what should be done first (the choices).

The ‘Challenges and choices’ consultation for the Thames River Basin District received responses from 83 people and organisations. There was broad agreement with the issues raised by the consultation. The responses received reflected the significance of habitats, low flows and water quality in this catchment. Most notably damaged, lost and fragmented habitat and a decline in natural wetlands, fish stocks and biodiversity were highlighted. There was also concern that future planned new housing is likely to place further stress on a groundwater supply already impacted by abstraction. The responses also stated the need for collaboration, education and for decisions to be made based on evidence. As well as protecting the watercourses for recreational use such as canoeing.

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For further information on the responses submitted during the ‘Challenges and choices’ consultation, please see the consultation response document here:https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/wfd/water/choices

2.6 Taking action in partnership In June 2013, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published a policy framework. It incorporated findings from the pilot phase. It also encouraged the wider adoption of an integrated catchment based approach to improving the quality of the water environment. The objectives for the catchment based approach are:

• to deliver positive and sustained outcomes for the water environment by promoting a better understanding of the environment at a local level; and

• to encourage local collaboration and more transparent decision-making when both planning and delivering activities to improve the water environment.

Adopting the approach will promote the development of more appropriate river basin management plans (which underpin the delivery of the objectives of the Water Framework Directive). It will also provide a platform for engagement, discussion and decisions of much wider benefits. These include tackling diffuse agricultural and urban pollution, and widespread, historical alterations to the natural form of channels. The Environment Agency is a member of the catchment partnership within the Loddon management catchment, hosted by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. They are currently developing a plan to enhance the water environment. This summary has been informed in 2 ways by the partnership:

• formally through the ‘Challenges and choices’ consultation; • through the ongoing work to develop measures to protect and improve the

water environment. The results of this consultation will not only feed into the work of the partnership; they will also shape the updates to the river basin management plan. The Loddon catchment has a strong history of collaborative working to take action for our rivers and wetlands. Organisations active in the catchment have championed taking a catchment based approach, undertaking extensive programmes of habitat management, restoration & awareness-raising. In April 2014 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT) took on the role of hosting the Loddon catchment. Together with the emerging Loddon catchment partnership they are in the process of developing a catchment plan that will help achieve Good Ecological Status under the Water Framework Directive and secure added benefits for biodiversity and local communities. Through the existing work of HIWWT and other groups in the catchment including the Loddon Fisheries and Conservation Consultative, Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, the Whitewater Valley Preservation Society, local flood groups and local conservation groups, a number of successful projects have already been implemented that help progress the water bodies in the catchment towards good ecological status or potential. For information on the Loddon catchment partnership

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or any of the projects that have been undertaken so far please contact Amanda Ingham on 01256 381186 or email amanda.ingham@hiwwt.org.uk. Along with the setting up of the catchment partnerships, since 2009 a range of partners have been working to improve and protect the water environment. Figures 6 and 7 show some types of projects, the overall expenditure and organisations involved. Where projects cover multiple water bodies, whole project costs within each catchment have been assessed. The information shown is based on who received direct funding from Defra. As such this is only part of the picture of what work is and has been done in the catchments. We are keen that you respond to this consultation. However, if you are working to improve your local watercourse please also contact the catchment partnership host. You can also email the Environment Agency catchment coordinators (WTh_CatchmentCoordinators@Environment-Agency.Gov.UK). Although projects have already been undertaken please note that it can take 2 to 10 years for positive benefits or actions to be reflected in improvements to ecological status. So the outcomes from these projects may not yet be represented in the classifications shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 - Chart showing the money spent on Environment Programme projects in water bodies in the Loddon catchment by project type

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Figure 7 - Chart showing the money spent on Environment Programme projects in water bodies in the Loddon catchment by organisation type

2.7 Measures that could improve the water environment Where a failure has been identified, a range of measures have been assessed that would be needed to improve the status of water bodies. The Environment Agency and, where possible, its partners, have made an assessment of the measures needed to achieve positive benefits for the water environment and society. The measures have been grouped together to ensure the cummulative ‘catchment’ effect is considered. Where possible, climate resilient measures have been chosen. However it is considered unlikely that the measures will be sufficient to address all impacts of climate change and we will be assessing the likely gaps before the publication of the final river basin management plans: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/update-to-the-draft-river-basin-management-plans As well as the measures needed to improve the status of water bodies, other measures are needed to:

• protect or improve ‘Protected Areas’ within the operational catchment • prevent water bodies deteriorating from their current status.

More information on measures can be found in section 4.3 of the main river basin management plan consultation document. Some of the measures that have been assessed will benefit more than one water body or catchment and some are very specific. The cumulative effect and benefits of measures for the catchment have been considered. The measures noted below are based on the problems in the catchment that are shown in figure 5. The types of

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measures proposed for this catchment are in the table below. Requests for more detailed information, where available, such as for proposals about specific locations and actions, can be submitted to ThamesRBD@Environment-Agency.Gov.UK or WTh_CatchmentCoordinators@Environment-Agency.Gov.UK. Some investigations and work with partners is still ongoing so this is not a complete list.

2.8 Economic appraisal and environmental assessment of measures to improve the water environment The benefits that measures will bring to society, along with the cost and any disbenefits (negative impacts) of implementing them, have been assessed in economic appraisals. The appraisals aim to identify whether the measures needed to improve the water environment are cost beneficial, in other words, the benefits are greater than the costs. The effects of the measures on the wider environment are also considered, which helps to inform the environmental assessment. The results of the appraisals will help to decide if it is economically, environmentally and socially worthwhile to implement the measures. Environmental and socio-economic benefits and disbenefits are considered in the economic appraisals. A monetary value has been assigned to some benefits. For surface waters, this is based on society’s willingness to pay for improvements in the

Improve modified physical habitats • Removal or easement of barriers to fish migration

• Removal or modification of engineering structure

• Improvement to condition of channel/bed and/or banks/shoreline

• Improvement to condition of riparian zone and /or wetland habitats

• Changes to operation and maintenance

Managing pollution from waste water • Reduce diffuse pollution at source

• Reduce point source pollution pathways (i.e. control entry to the water environment)

Manage pollution from towns, cities and transport

• Reduce diffuse pollution pathways (i.e. control entry to the water environment)

Improve the natural flow and level of water • Water demand management

• Improvement to condition of channel/bed and/or banks/shoreline

Manage invasive non-native species • Building awareness and understanding (to slow the spread)

Manage pollution from rural areas • Reduce diffuse pollution at source

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water environment1. For groundwaters, values used have been ‘transferred’ from other detailed economic studies2. Other benefits and disbenefits which have not been monetised have been identified and form part of the overall appraisal results. The majority of costs, assessed in the economic appraisals carried out, are estimates. Costs are from local and national sources, and are based on previous experience of implementing similar measures. Where more accurate, local cost information is available, this has been used in place of estimates. The economic appraisals have been carried out at the operational catchment scale. If the group of measures to improve all water bodies in the catchment to good status is not considered to be cost beneficial (cost outweighs the benefits), or would have significant adverse effects on the wider environment, an alternative group of measures to achieve the most for the water environment has been appraised. Assessing the costs and benefits of improving our water environment is an ongoing process and economic appraisals will need to be updated as new and better information becomes available. Your responses to this consultation will help us gather more and better information about the costs and benefits of the measures needed. The economic appraisals we’ve carried out will be refined before the updated Thames river basin management plan is published. For more information on the approach taken for catchment economic appraisals and environmental assessment, please see the draft update to the Thames River Basin Management Plan https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/wfd/draft_plans/consult?pointId=s1405418030714#section-s1405418030714.

2.9 Proposed long term objectives In the consultation, we ask for your views on the proposed long term objectives for the water environment, based on preventing a drop in status and delivering all improvements which are technically feasible and worthwhile, based on economic appraisal. In the following operational catchment sections, we look at the possible scale of improvement which could happen in cycle 2, based on current knowledge of plans and actions. The long-term objectives represent a baseline of potential improvements and through the catchment partnerships we expect to deliver more improvements than noted in this summary. As such the scale of improvements which may be possible across all pressures in a catchment have not been fully assessed at this time.

1Willingness to pay values used are from The Environment Agency’s National Water Environment Benefits Survey (2007, updated 2012). 2 ‘Benefits transfer’ is a recognised way of using benefit values from existing academic studies and surveys. Other benefits which have not been monetised have been identified and form part of the overall economic appraisal results.

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2.10 Links to other management plans Achieving the long-term objectives for the water environment will require a coordinated approach to making improvements across a number of different planning processes. The Strategic Environmental Assessment Environment Report considers a range of plans that are relevant to the Thames River Basin District and its catchments. To see this report go to: http://ea.objective.co.uk/file/3078981. One of the most important links relates to the way flood risks are managed in the catchment. Over the next year, the Environment Agency will be undertaking considerable planning work, culminating in the publication of the draft river basin management plans and the flood risk management plans. Together, these plans will shape important decisions, direct considerable investment and action, and deliver significant benefits to society and the environment. The two planning processes are working to common river basin district boundaries and many key stakeholders have an interest in both. As the plans themselves and the supporting documents/data-sets are complex, we have decided not to integrate them into a single set of consultation documents. Instead we will coordinate the engagement around the planning processes, promoting them together, cross-referencing, and explaining how they relate to each other. We believe this is the best way to make it easy for you to participate in either, or both, consultations. The flood risk management plan consultation coincides with the launch of this consultation. It includes the measures proposed to manage flood risk, and can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-flood-risk-management-plans The Thames Flood Risk Management Plan considers flood and coastal erosion risk across the Thames River Basin District and set out how we and others manage flood risk. Actions are set out within the flood risk management plan and include using planning policy to minimise flood related risks to the population and ensuring flood warning and emergency planning is appropriate in various locations. On the Cove Brook the existing flood storage area will be maintained and measures are proposes for flood modelling at various locations in the Loddon catchment to understand the risk of flooding in more detail.

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3 Operational catchments The following sections give an overview of the current state of the water environment in each of the operational catchments; the reasons for failure; and the measures being proposed to protect and improve the health of the water.

3.1 Loddon operational catchment

Figure 8 - Riffles at Arborfield

The Loddon operational catchment has the same boundary as the management catchment. Please see the previous section for a description of the catchment.

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Figure 9 - Map of the Loddon operational catchment

In 2009 this catchment was split into 19 river and 3 lake water bodies. The status (health) of the water environment in 2009 was assessed as being generally poor. In 2014, the status of the water environment had not deteriorated. Although new data, mainly for biology, collected since 2009 has shown that the some water bodies have a different classification than originally assessed. The changes in status between 2009 and 2013 can be seen in Figure 10.

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Figure 10 - Chart showing the classification of all water bodies in the Loddon catchment in cycle 1

As mentioned earlier, for cycle 2 there was a review of water body boundaries and monitoring. For the Loddon catchment this has led to a change from there being 22 water bodies to 23 water bodies. Figure 11 shows the classifications for cycle 2 water bodies in 2013. The results show only a slight difference to those reported for the cycle 1 water bodies. The differences have not affected the investigations required or the need for action. However, evidence indicates that there was a true deterioration in the health of the water environment in the River Blackwater. This will be investigated and if feasible reversed before the publication of the final plan in December 2015. It can take 2 to 10 years for the positive benefits of actions to be reflected in the ecological status. Our current analysis suggests that 39% of the water bodies in the Loddon catchment should have a long-term objective of achieving good status, as shown in Figure 11. The long-term objectives are based on the predictions for element level improvements currently used in the cycle 2 water bodies. As such it may not represent the full scale of issues or improvements that have been identified and targeted in the previous sections. There are also issues with the numbers of water bodies shown in the Figure11. The reason for this is that we are still in cycle 1 of WFD, we are currently working on a new water body network for cycle 2. This new network has been used to create the consultation documents, however we are still reviewing these relationships and expect these to change between now and the final updated river basin management plan for cycle 2.

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Figure 11 - Classification and long term objectives of all water bodies in the Loddon catchment in cycle 2

Since 2009, investigations in this catchment have helped to determine the reasons why water bodies are not achieving good status. Figure 12 below shows the full list of problems that have been identified as affecting the health of the water environment in this catchment. More details can be found at http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/. Pollution from waste water causing high phosphate concentrations in rivers and physical modifications to the channels have been identified as the most important issues in the Loddon catchment. The problems shown may include those tackled by projects noted in section 2. However, until an improvement is seen in the classifications we will keep recording the existence of the problem.

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Figure 12 - Chart showing the reasons for not achieving good status of water bodies in the Loddon catchment by type and source sector

Bundle of measures to achieve good status Measures to improve the water environment have been assessed based on the problems shown previously. Some of these measures will benefit more than one water body or catchment and some are very specific. The cumulative effect and benefits of measures for the operational catchment have been considered. The measures proposed for this catchment are shown in the table below

Improve modified physical habitats • Removal or easement of barriers to fish migration

• Removal or modification of engineering structure

• Improvement to condition of channel/bed and/or banks/shoreline

• Improvement to condition of riparian zone and /or wetland habitats

• Changes to operation and maintenance

Managing pollution from waste water • Reduce diffuse pollution at source

• Reduce point source pollution pathways (i.e. control entry to the water environment)

Manage pollution from towns, cities and transport • Reduce diffuse pollution pathways (i.e. control entry to the water environment)

Improve the natural flow and level of water • Water demand management

• Improvement to condition of channel/bed and/or banks/shoreline

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Manage invasive non-native species • Building awareness and understanding (to slow the spread)

Manage pollution from rural areas • Reduce diffuse pollution at source

All of these measures are considered to be needed to improve the water environment to as near to good status as practicable. The costs and benefits of the measures have been considered in the economic appraisal, results of which are shown in the next section. The bundle of measures for the Loddon catchment includes 125 individual actions aimed at improving 18 water bodies towards Good Ecological Status or Potential. This primarily includes measures to tackle agricultural diffuse pollution, point source pollution, physical modifications to watercourses and installing fish passages. The bundle of measures was created based on identifying the most cost effective measures to get to GES\GEP. Measures were also identified or refined through work with catchment partners and also 2 workshops we ran for local groups in 2013. However, engagement may not have been undertaken yet with all relevant parties (for example land owners), so at this time the bundle represents a preferred package not a confirmed one. This work with Environment Agency staff and partners led to a very extensive list of potential options which ranged from site specific actions (such as a fish pass at a specific weir) to more general options (such as increasing in-channel morphology). To create a cost effective bundle of measures this extensive list was refined to the final 125 measures. This was achieved by:

- Only keeping options that were required to address the reasons for failures - Removing general options if there was a more specific one already listed in

the water body - removing duplicates (for example for some water bodies there were several

different options to tackle agricultural diffuse but on one was put into the final bundle),

- where feasible grouping options within a water body All the options which weren’t included in the bundle of measures but could deliver wider catchment improvements and benefits will be given to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust for use with the catchment partnership. Other issues to consider with measures Measures have been chosen primarily to address the impacts of significant water management issues causing failures under the Water Framework Directive. Where possible, climate resilient measures have been chosen. However it is considered unlikely that the measures will be sufficient to address all impacts of climate change and we will be assessing the likely gaps before the publication of the final river basin management plans. Significant pressures from future developments, particularly around Basingstoke, need to be addressed. We and our partners must work to ensure that any new developments that could impact on the water environment include the potential for

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environmental protection and enhancements. This can include using tools such as the community infrastructure levy to deliver projects (currently being looked into by Hart District Council on the Whitewater). We will also use the Planning Advice for Integrated Water Management document created by Cambridge University with local authorities. Through delivering actions with multiple benefits that improve the environment and reduce flood risk we can deliver more for people, the environment and the economy. Projects delivered at Farnham Quarry on the river Blackwater and Arborfield on the river Loddon have already provided environmental enhancements at the same time as helping to mitigate against flooding and provide recreational benefits. However, support from all sectors and levels of society will be required to do more i.e. members of the public up to government. There is a need to tackle issues such as Non-native Invasive Species as well. Some are present and in some cases widespread throughout the catchment such as Himalayan Balsam, Signal Crayfish, American Mink. You can find out more detail on the status and long term objectives by using the Catchment Data Explorer tool at: http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/.

3.1.1 Loddon catchment economic appraisal and environmental assessment

The benefits that measures will bring to society, along with the cost and any disbenefits (negative impacts) of implementing them, have been assessed in economic appraisals. The results of the economic appraisal are shown below.

3.1.2 Results and recommendation An initial assessment of the measures proposed to improve the water environment to good status in this catchment indicated that the measures were marginally non-cost beneficial i.e. the costs were slightly greater than the benefits. However, a further evaluation of the measures and costs which took into account some non-monetised benefits showed that the bundle was cost beneficial.

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Net present value

£3.5 million

Benefit cost ratio

1.1

Present value benefits

£69.9 million

Present value costs

£66.5 million

3.1.3 Monetised costs and benefits of implementing the measures proposed for this catchment3

This means that for every pound that is spent towards improving the water environment in this catchment, you could expect to receive £1.10 of benefits. As the initial assessment indicated that the measures were not cost beneficial some additional benefits have been valued and monetised as part of this economic appraisal to provide further justification that the benefits of implementing the measures are greater than the costs. These are biodiversity benefits from agricultural schemes which are included in the results above.

3.1.4 Benefits and costs of implementing the measures proposed for this catchment4

Ecosystem Service Benefits and disbenefits to society

Description

Positive or negative impact ˄˄: very positive ˄: positive 0: neutral ˅: negative ˅˅: very negative

Fresh water

Implementing options to reduce diffuse and point source nutrient and sediment pollution will have a long-term and significant positive impact on this service. There will also be cumulative effects which will also benefit multiple ecosystem services. Water efficiency measures through development opportunities and reductions in current abstractions will minimise pressure on water demand and have a significant positive impact on the services in the

˄˄

3 The benefits and costs are shown in ‘Present Value’ terms, which is a way of expressing the value of costs and benefits that will happen in the future in today’s money. We apply a ‘discount’ rate and benefits to reflect people’s preference for receiving goods and services now rather than later.

4Improving the water environment has wider benefits than those we have been able to monetise in the appraisals. We have

identified these using ecosystem services. An ecosystem service is a ‘service’ that the natural environment provides that improves our quality of life.

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Ecosystem Service Benefits and disbenefits to society

Description

Positive or negative impact ˄˄: very positive ˄: positive 0: neutral ˅: negative ˅˅: very negative

Loddon catchment.

Climate regulation (local temperature/ precipitation, greenhouse gas sequestration)

Restoration and preservation of habitats within the Loddon as well the other habitat creation options will have a positive impact on this service.

˄˄

Water regulation (timing and scale of run-off, flooding, etc.)

Implementing options to reduce diffuse pollution, reconnecting the floodplain and habitat creation will have a positive impact on this service in the Loddon catchment by helping to reducing the risk to properties.

˄

Erosion regulation

Implementing options to reduce diffuse and sediment pollution will have a long-term and significant positive impact on this service. There will also be cumulative effects which will also benefit multiple ecosystem services. Implementation of options such as buffer strips will help retain sediments and prevent erosion from land and habitat preservation and creation will help prevent in-stream erosion.

˄˄

Water purification and waste treatment

Options to reduce nutrient inputs from point source and diffuse inputs will have a positive impact on this service. If all point source inputs were tackled it would be a significantly positive impact. Water efficiency measures through development opportunities and reductions in current abstractions will minimise pressure on water demand and have a significant positive impact on the services in the Loddon catchment.

˄

Recreation and tourism

Implementing all habitat restoration, water resource, diffuse and point source measures will have a significantly positive impact on this service. Better water quality and quantity will help improve fish communities which will help with angling and fish passes designed to allow canoe passage will help increase use for water sports (see Arborfield example).

˄˄

Social relations (e.g. fishing, grazing or cropping communities)

See Recreation and Tourism comments. Also options will have a positive impact on reducing flood risk to local communities.

˄

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Ecosystem Service Benefits and disbenefits to society

Description

Positive or negative impact ˄˄: very positive ˄: positive 0: neutral ˅: negative ˅˅: very negative

Cultural heritage

The options to install fish pass or remove weirs could have a neutral to negative impact on this service depending on which option is pursued. It is expected that most weirs will have fish passages installed and so there will not be a significant impact on this service. Cumulative impact with water efficiency measures and abstraction reduction measures could potentially mitigate against any potential negative impacts.

˅

Provision of habitat

Positive impacts expected. In channel enhancements would improve hydromorphology, create a self cleaning system and reduce weed growth. This would anglers, canoeists, multiple fish species from predation and high flows, farmers and land owners could benefit from reduced flooding. Altogether, long term benefits for the economy.

˄˄

The measures give many benefits to society over a range of services from and tourism to climate regulation. These benefits have not been monetised as part of this economic appraisal. There are significant negative impacts on the cultural heritage ecosystem service and appropriate mitigation is required with implementation of the measures proposed, such as installing fish passes around some weirs rather than physically removing them. The Strategic Environmental Assessment Environment Report for the Thames River Basin District provides more information about these wider environmental effects and any mitigation requirements. The Final Appraisal Report and associated documents provide a more detailed summary of these results. This can be requested at ThamesRBD@environment-agency.gov.uk.

3.1.5 Possible scale of improvement for the Loddon operational catchment

The information presented so far has focused on the proposed long term objectives for the water environment, based on preventing deterioration and delivering all improvements which are technically feasible and worthwhile. This section focuses on the confirmed actions and mechanisms which will happen in the period 2014 to 2021, based on current knowledge of plans and actions.

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The table below indicates what is currently known about the availability of some key mechanisms to deliver improvements by 2021. In this operational catchment: Yes or No Have measures been implemented (or are secured for 2014-15) that will deliver improvements that have not yet been reflected in classification results? E.g. Catchment Sensitive Farming, Catchment Restoration Fund Projects

Yes

We are currently working with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (H&IoWWT) on the Bow Brook and Byne stream to reduce rural diffuse pollution. Are there measures planned to deliver Protected Area objectives that will also contribute to improvements in water body status?

No

The work with the H&IoWWT on reducing rural diffuse pollution will also help deliver Protected Area objectives. Has this operational catchment been identified in water company draft business plans as an area for improvement?

Yes

The catchment has been identified as a safeguard zone to protect the Drinking Water Protected Area on the Lower Thames Has this operational catchment been identified as a priority for action under the new environmental land management schemes (NELMS)?

Yes

The upper half of the catchment is currently identified as a priority for NELMS. Have the local catchment partnership identified measures they are likely to secure funding for, which will bring about improvement within the 2nd cycle?

Yes

Are any additional improvement measures included in Environment Agency or other statutory plans?

Yes

See the Flood Risk Management Plan for more details. Based on our understanding of the information above, and our catchment knowledge, we have medium confidence that this operational catchment will see an improvement towards the proposed long term objectives by 2021.

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3.2 Basingstoke Chalk operational catchment

Figure 13 - A generic groundwater image

The Basingstoke Chalk Groundwater Body (GWB) is part of the wider chalk strata that stretches across southern and eastern England. It has the capacity to store and transmit large quantities of groundwater as a result of its porous and fractured nature. Since the chalk supports regionally important drinking water supplies it is classified as a principal aquifer and is a Drinking Water Protected Area. The Basingstoke Chalk GWB covers both unconfined chalk aquifer and areas that dip beneath the Lambeth Group and London Clay. In areas without protective strata the GWB is susceptible to chemicals in fertiliser or slurry.

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Figure 14 - Map of the Basingstoke Chalk operational catchment

This summary accounts for 1 groundwater body in the Loddon management catchment. The status (health) of the groundwater in 2009 was assessed as being generally poor. In 2014, the status of the water body had not deteriorated (Figure 15). For more information on the changes since cycle 1, please see section 4.3 ‘Changes since first cycle (new building blocks)’ within Part 2 (technical annex) of the RBMPs. (http://ea.objective.co.uk/file/3078877)

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Figure 15 - Chart showing the classification of all water bodies in the Basingstoke Chalk catchment in cycle 1

Figure 16 - Classification and long term objectives of all water bodies in the Basingstoke Chalk catchment in cycle 2

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It can take several years for the positive benefits of actions to be reflected in the status. Our current analysis suggests that Basingstoke Chalk catchment should not have a long term objective of achieving good status, as shown in Figure 16. Since 2009, investigations in this catchment have helped to determine the reasons why water bodies are not achieving good status, and the likely causes. These are shown in Figure 17 below

Figure 17 - Chart showing the reasons for not achieving good status of water bodies in the Basingstoke Chalk catchment by type and source sector

Measures to improve the water environment have been assessed. The cumulative effect and benefits of measures for the operational catchments have been considered. The type of measures proposed for this catchment are shown in the table below

Manage pollution from rural areas • Reduce diffuse pollution at source

Measures of this type are considered to be needed to improve the groundwater to as near to good status as practicable. The costs and benefits of the measures have been considered in the catchment economic appraisal, results of which are shown on page 34. We believe that the bundle of measures we propose for improving groundwater quality could potentially result in the Basingstoke Chalk GWB reaching good quality status by 2027, although there is low confidence in this.

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Whilst the legacy source is the reason for the long time frame set for achieving good status, the measures we have suggested to address the current sources of nitrate will result in a reduction in nitrate concentration in groundwater. In parallel to agri-environment schemes we anticipate that by educating farmers to the sensitivity of the geology and getting cooperation from sewerage providers and those dwellings with private sewerage treatment facilities that we will continue to reduce the nitrate loading within the aquifer and by 2027 there will be a measurable decline in the nitrate concentration. The sensitivity of the Basingstoke Chalk aquifer to nitrate impact is also due to the properties of the geology. Water infiltrates the chalk aquifer in two ways a) via fissures or solution features (rapid movement) or b) through the pore spaces of the geological matrix (slow movement). Some of the nitrogenous material applied to fields is transported rapidly via fissures directly to the water table and indeed spikes of nitrate measured in the groundwater might in part be due to fissure flow. Therefore there will be short term benefits to groundwater quality by making farmers and sewerage providers aware of the fissure flow pathways. Reducing agricultural nitrate application at the surface (and sewerage management) with a resultant removal of nitrate concentration peaks and a slowing of the upward trend in nitrate concentration in groundwater. With immediate implementation of actions it is possible that there will be improved qualitative status within safeguard zone and the wider GWB risk within a 5 year period. You can find out more detail on the status and long term objectives by using the Catchment Data Explorer tool at: http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/.

3.2.1 Basingstoke Chalk groundwater catchment economic appraisal and environmental assessment

The benefits that measures will bring to society, along with the cost and any disbenefits (negative impacts) of implementing them, have been assessed in economic appraisals. The results of the economic appraisal are shown below.

3.2.2 Results and recommendation Measures proposed to improve this groundwater towards good status are cost beneficial; the benefits are greater than the costs. The results of the economic appraisal are shown below. The results are based on the results of an economic appraisal carried out for Berkshire Downs Chalk groundwater. The pressures and measures are similar for both groundwaters and therefore, it is appropriate to transfer the result. Please see the Kennet catchment summary for that groundwater.

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Net present value

£124.1 million

Benefit cost ratio

1.99

Present value benefits

£249.7 million

Present value costs

£125.6 million

3.2.3 Monetised costs and benefits of implementing the measures proposed for this catchment5

This means that for every pound that is spent towards improving the water environment in this catchment, you could expect to receive £1.99 of benefits. 5.2.4 Benefits and costs of implementing the measures proposed for this catchment6 Ecosystem Service Benefits and disbenefits to society

Description

Positive or negative impact ˄˄: very positive ˄: positive 0: neutral ˅: negative ˅˅: very negative

Fresh water

The Basingstoke Chalk aquifer is used for potable water supply. The groundwater body also contributes to several key rivers. There are issues with nitrates at Safeguard Zones (SgZs). Implementation of measures in this catchment will have a significant positive effect on the freshwater service.

˄˄

Food (e.g. crops, fruit, fish etc.)

The predominant land use is arable and grassland. Groundwater is impacted by nitrates due to historic application of nitrogen rich fertilisers; current application of fertilisers; plus nitrogenous wastes from livestock in rural areas. The use of cover crops is one of the measures proposed to prevent nitrates leaching from soils. This measure has been adopted by farmers in the past but has fallen out of favour because some nitrate (albeit reduced application) has to be added

˄˄

5 The benefits and costs are shown in ‘Present Value’ terms, which is a way of expressing the value of costs and benefits that will happen in the future in today’s money. We apply a ‘discount’ rate and benefits to reflect people’s preference for receiving goods and services now rather than later.

6Improving the water environment has wider benefits than those we have been able to monetise in the appraisals. We have

identified these using ecosystem services. An ecosystem service is a ‘service’ that the natural environment provides that improves our quality of life.

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to the soil to get crops started.

Water purification and waste treatment

Poor soil structure may allow increased infiltration of nitrates into the aquifer. ˄˄

This groundwater economic appraisal summary report and the Final Appraisal Report for the groundwater economic appraisal provide more detail for these results. This can be requested at ThamesRBD@environment-agency.gov.uk. Other associated documents are also available upon request.

3.2.5 Possible scale of improvement for the Basingstoke Chalk operational catchment

The information presented so far has focused on the proposed long-term objectives for the water environment, based on preventing deterioration and delivering all improvements which are technically feasible and worthwhile. This section focuses on the confirmed actions and mechanisms which will happen in the period 2014 to 2021, based on current knowledge of plans and actions. The table below indicates what is currently known about the availability of some key mechanisms to deliver improvements by 2021. In this operational catchment: Yes or No Have measures been implemented (or are secured for 2014-15) that will deliver improvements that have not yet been reflected in classification results? E.g. Catchment Sensitive Farming, Catchment Restoration Fund Projects

No

Are there measures planned to deliver Protected Area objectives that will also contribute to improvements in water body status?

Yes

Has this operational catchment been identified in water company draft business plans as an area for improvement?

Yes

Has this operational catchment been identified as a priority for action under the new environmental land management schemes (NELMS)?

Yes

Have the local catchment partnership identified measures they are likely to secure funding for, which will bring about improvement within the 2nd cycle?

Not Applicable

Are any additional improvement measures included in Environment Agency or other statutory plans?

Yes

Based on our understanding of the information above, and our catchment knowledge, we have medium confidence that this operational catchment will see an improvement towards the proposed long term objectives by 2021.

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4 What do you think? In order to produce a river basin management plan and a flood risk management plan, it is important that the people who understand the local area are able to contribute to these plans. The draft update to the river basin management plan provides information on the river basin district and then asks you to consider a number of questions. To help you provide feedback at the level that is most relevant to you, the catchment summaries summarise the river basin planning information at a more local scale.

• To see the full set of questions, please go to https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/wfd/draft_plans/consult?pointId=s1405418030714#section-s1405418030714

• To see the flood risk management plan questions, please go www.gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-flood-risk-management-plans

Your answers to the questions above will help inform the final plans and ensure that the objectives they contain will help drive the protection, enhancement and improvement of the water environment for all its users. For further information on how to provide your answers to these questions, please go to the “How to respond” section below.

4.1 How to respond The Environment Agency would prefer you to respond online at: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/wfd/draft_plans/consult?pointId=s1405418030714#section-s1405418030714. This will allow you to manage your comments more effectively, while helping us to gather and summarise responses quickly and accurately. Alternatively, there is a Word response form available for each river basin district which you can download and use to write your response before you submit it online, or you can email it to ThamesRBD@Environment-Agency.Gov.UK.

Finding out more

• Proposed update to the Thames river basin management plan • Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust partnerships • Strategic Environmental Assessment report • River Basin Management plan - Annex

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You can view the consultation documents and consultation questions online. But, if you would prefer a printed version of the document, please call the Environment Agency's National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506(local rate). Please return written responses by 10 April 2015.

4.2 What the Environment Agency will use the responses for The Environment Agency will use the responses from this consultation to update the Thames River Basin Management Plan. Environment Agency staff dealing with this consultation will see all responses in full. Other Environment Agency staff may also see the responses to help them plan future consultations. A full summary of the responses will be published on the Environment Agency website.

4.3 How the Environment Agency will use your information The Environment Agency will make all comments (apart from personal information) publicly available on the Environment Agency website. This includes comments received online, by email, post and by fax, unless you have specifically requested that your response be kept confidential. Only names of organisations that respond and not individuals will be published. If you respond online or provide an email address, you will receive an acknowledgement of your response. After the consultation has closed a summary of the responses will be published on the Environment Agency website. You will be contacted to let you know when this is available. You will also be notified of any forthcoming river basin consultations unless you request otherwise. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Agency may be required to publish your response to this consultation, but will not include any personal information. If you have requested your response be kept confidential, it may still be required to provide a summary. If you have any questions or complaints about the way this consultation has been carried out, please contact: Cath Beaver, Consultation Co-ordinator Environment Agency, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH Cath.beaver@environment-agency.gov.uk.

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