Appendix J: Ecology Risks & opportunities Protected sites Feature habitat & Importance: Related Policies & Sensitivity to Water resources (water associated Distribution International, Flood risk management Waste water treatment Sewer capacity Development footprint (direct) Risk Opportunities Legislation WCS hazards abstraction) species Site name European, National, Local * Existing public water supply from Increased rates & volumes of run-off will be 9 WwTWs (Biggleswade, Clifton, Bedford, New sewer from Marston Vale to groundwater, except Clapham attenuated within development areas except: Clophill, Flitwick, Marston Moritaine, Poppyhill, Bedford WwTW instead of new supplied from River Great Ouse. - North of Fields Road, Wootton (creation of Potton, Sandy) are most likely to be affected by WwTW in the vicinity of Stewartby Additional resource from Grafham offsite Van Dieman’s Land lake & watercourse the proposed growth. Increases in wastewater & Marston Moretaine. water as needed. improvement) discharges has the potential to increase river - Wixams (Watercourse improvements & channel flows & levels. Minor sewer network & No new abstractions proposed; diversions) recommendations for pipe existing licences will be used - Land off Cambridge Road (In-channel storage However, waste water discharges will still meet improvements & new pipes not supplemented from Grafham Water. upstream of Cardington Cross & compensation consented water quality standards - therefore considered during this within river corridor for land raising in floodplain) no decrease in water quality. assessment as these will be Pulloxhill reservoir consent is - Kempston Harwick (use of Kempston Harwick considered at a local level by dormant but will be used to support Pits for flood attenuation) There are problems with accommodating Anglian Water. increased demand. - Land North of Wixams beside B530 (use of additional flows at Marston Mortaine WwTW as Context Elstow South Lakes for flood attenuation) a result of the proposed Marston Vale Marston Vale: Preliminary Water Development. Options include: replacement of Cycle Strategy (2008) suggests Marston Vale: Preliminary Water Cycle Strategy Stewartby WwTW, construction of a new abstraction of non-potable water (2008) suggested use of lakes within footprint of WwTW in vicinity of Marston Moretaine & from lakes within footprint of Eco- Eco-town for flood alleviation purposes. Stewartby, or upgrade Bedford WwTW & town. construct new sewer. Information on flood alleviation options for key service centres, some development areas & effect of releasing water from long term storage not available for this assessment. Standing open Gravel pits along River N UK BAP habitat; LBAP Change in Increased abstraction from Pulloxhill Floods that have the potential to displace small fish Waste water from Marston Moretaine WwTW The route of proposed Sewer Open water habitats within the Water resources Flood risk management: water - lakes & Great Ouse, Elstow habitat hydrology e.g. Reservoir likely to lower water levels. downstream, especially where there is little refuge & discharges to Marston Brook, which flows from Marston Vale to Bedford footprint of the East Ampthill, Broom, Increased abstraction has the potential to Flood attenuation as part of the proposed margins habitat Brook & River Ivel. reduction in However, this abstraction is shelter for fish to escape the flows. almost immediately into Stewartby Lake. The WwTW was not known at the time Wixham & Henlow development lower water levels, creating a risk to fish, development areas has the potential to provide Scattered distribution of ground water & consented by the Environment lake is a designated Cyprinid Fishery under the of this ecological risk assessment areas. Potential risk of direct habitat aquatic invertebrates and plants, loss of habitat creation opportunities, including ponds, other lakes within study surface levels Agency, & is therefore not considered Flooding along Ouse Valley displaces fish, including Freshwater Fish Directive, but is known to although the approximate footprint loss & resulting impacts to associated locally important and UK BAP Priority lakes, wet woodland, ditches, wet grassland, and area. from to be a risk to the water & wetland large carp, from gravel pits into the main river. Carp suffer from algal blooms. Any change in water does run in close proximity to species such as breeding bird & marginal habitats such as marshy reedbeds. abstraction features within the reservoir. mayout-compete the natural riverine species. quality, may pose a risk of increased algal locally important water bodies waterbird assemblages, wintering grassland and reedbed habitat. Fish Stewartby Lake is a Barford Gravel Pit CWS; Brogborough Lake I / N Bern Convention; activities. blooms & associated risks for aquatic species (Stewartby Lake & Priory Country waterbird species, & fish. Bank vole Depending on flooding extent, duration, and designated Cyprinid CWS; Bromham Lake LNR; Coronation Pit Habitats Directive; Decrease in Increased abstraction from Marston Utilising Elstow South Lakes, Marston Pit, & their predators. Park lakes) creating a potential population in Broom Lake. Flood risk management: frequency there may be habitat creation Fishery under the CWS; Felmersham Gravel Pits SSSI; Great Priority UK BAP Species water quality Pit, Brogborough Lake, Kempston Brogborough Lake, Kempston Hardwick Pits, risk of habitat loss. opportunities at Kempston Pits and Elstow Pits Freshwater Fish Directive Barford Gravel Pit CWS; Harrold Country (eel & spined loach e.g. if link Hardwick Pits, Stewartby Lake & Stewartby Lake & Coronation Pit for flood Open water habitat within the footprint Floods have the potential to displace which are proposed to be used for flood alleviation. (pike, trout, eel, chub, Park CWS; Lidlington Pit CWS; Radwell Pits only); LBAP (spined Coronation Pit has the potential to attenuation would lead to the increased flooding of of the proposed Eco town at Maston small fish downstream, especially where perch, roach, tench) CWS; Poppyhill Pits CWS; Southill Lake; loach) exists between river & lake lower water levels, creating a risk to these waterbodies. Increased flooding has the Vale includes Brogborough Lake, there is little refuge and shelter for fish to Waste water treatment: Stewartby Lake CWS; Stockgrove Country fish (such as trout in Stewartby Lake), potential to impact associated bird species on the Marston Pit, Stewartby Lake, escape the flows. Improvements in water quality could improve Harold County Park Park CWS; Wrest Park CWS; Wyboston Pits during a flood event. aquatic invertebrates & plants. margins of the water should the flood event coincide Kempston Harwich Pit, Hanson Lake, numbers and distribution of species (WFD CWS (pike, carp, bream, CWS with the breeding season, & there is a risk of loss of & Coronation Pit. This creates a Flooding along the Ouse Valley displaces requirements will set more stringent water quality roach, tench, perch) Physical loss of habitat e.g. marginal habitats. potential risk of direct habitat loss & fish, inc large carp, from gravel pits standards). from resulting impacts to associated adjacent to the Bedford Ouse into the Radwell & Sharnbrook species such as breeding bird & main river. The loss of carp into running Development footprint: Complex (carp, bream, development footprint. waterbird assemblages, wintering water is of particular concern, where they Open water and grazing marsh habitats are tench, perch) waterbird species, & fish. have the ability to out-compete the natural located within the footprints of the East Ampthill, Disturbance to riverine species. Broom, Wixham, Henlow, Bromham, east of fauna e.g bird Kempston, Biggleswade, Sandy and the Eco-town populations. Utilising Elstow South Lakes, Marston Pit, development areas. Careful design of Brogborough Lake, Kempston Hardwick the development areas and the management of Flora (whorled Felmersham Gravel pits SSSI R UK BAP species Pits, Stewartby Lake and Coronation Pit water could be used to water milfoil) for flood attenuation would lead to the increase the quality and extent of these habitats. Standing open water - lakes & margins Birds Brogborough Lake CWS; Coronation Pit N / R / L Wildlife & Countryside increased flooding of these waterbodies, CWS; Felmersham Gravel pits SSSI; Flitwick Act 1981 (as amended); potentially impacting associated bird Moor CWS; Begwary Brook Pits CWS; Elstow Priority UK BAP species species on the margins of the water pit CWS; River Flit CWS; South Mills Pits (reed bunting & should the flood event coincide with the CWS;Stewartby Lake CWS; Warren Villas lapwing); IUCN Red List breeding season, and marginal habitats. CWS; Wrest park Grounds CWS; Great species (reed bunting Barford Gravel Pits CWS; Cityfield Farm Pits only); IUCN Amber List Sewer capacity: CWS; Stewartby Lakes CWS; Zwetsloots Pits (mute swan, pochard, Risk of habitat loss. CWS; Marsh Vale County Park. water rail, willow warbler, bearded tit, Development footprint: lapwing) Risk of habitat loss, and associated species e.g. breeding breeding bird and waterbird assemblages, wintering waterbird species, and fish. Protected sites Feature habitat & Importance: Related Policies & Sensitivity to Water resources (water associated Distribution International, Flood risk management Waste water treatment Sewer capacity Development footprint (direct) Risk Opportunities Legislation WCS hazards abstraction) species Site name European, National, Local * Existing