National Rivers Authority Thames Region November 1994 CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING

NRA Thamet 2 NRA National Rivers Authority Thames Region November 1994 CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING THE CONCEPT WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES The rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters of The Water Resources Act (1991) allows the England and Wales have never before been subject to Government to set Statutory Water Quality Objectives such extensive and rapidly increasing demands. The (SWQOs). These will replace the non-statutory River National Rivers Authority is the statutory regulator of Quality Objectives (RQOs) set in the 1970s. The the water environment and has a significant direct objectives set will be related to the uses of the water. management role. As such, the important responsibility Five such uses have been proposed. Detailed of safeguarding the water environment includes regulations have been published for one, the “Rivers reconciling conflicts between water users. Ecosystem” use, based on the suitability to support Fish populations. Implementation of these regulations by The Mission Statement of the National Rivers Authority Government is awaited. expresses the following principles: We will protect and Improve the water environment by the effective management of water resources and by substantial reductions in pollution. We will aim to provide effective defence for people and property against flooding from rivers and sea. In discharging our duties we will operate openly and balance the interests of all who benefit from and use rivers, groundwaters, estuaries and coastal waters. We will be businesslike, efficient and caring towards our em ployees. Catchment Management Plans translate these principles into action. The plans describe the vision for each catchment, identify problems and issues and propose actions that may be taken to resolve them. The plans also provide the means of promoting two key aspects of environmental management - land use planning and water quality objectives. BLACKWATER CATCHMENT GENERAL FEATURES KEY * o Catchment Area --------- Local Authority Boundary Basingstoke Canal SCALE (approx) 0 5 Ion -I 1 VISION FOR THE CATCHMENT The impact of human activities, ranging from The proposed actions set out in this Final Plan intensive development to agriculture, has been represent a firm commitment to embark upon detrimental in varying degrees to the environment of securing the comprehensive protection and the Blackwater and its tributaries. enhancement of the natural water environment of the catchment. These proposed actions alone will The National Rivers Authority’s vision for the not achieve the vision. However, they will form a Blackwater catchment comprises the following: sound basis for further actions in the future and • Reverse the decline of the water contribute towards the realization of the vision. environment and seek to restore the river corridor to a more natural state Catchment plans are dynamic documents. The in which it will become a valued asset actions will be monitored and reviewed regularly. for the whole of the community; The Blackwater Catchment Management Plan will, in any case, be subsumed within the Loddon • Secure protection and enhancement Catchment Management Plan to be prepared in of the water environment through its 1997/8. This will provide the opportunity for any own actions, in partnership with necessary revision. others and, increasingly, through the process of land use planning, implement the principles of sustainable development; • Facilitate activities by various water users in appropriate locations and balance them so as to avoid conflict, through strong links and involvement 4114th lr\r-/i / r-r\vnvY\HYlitit>S E n v ir o n m e n t Ag e n c y NATIONAL LIBRARY & INFORMATION SERVICE HEAD OFFICE Rio House, Waterside Drive, Aztec West, Almondsbury. Bristol BS32 4UD ENVIRONMENT AGENCY 006246III REVIEW OF THE CONSULTATION PROCESS A fundamental objective of Catchment Management The Consultation Document and the summary were Planning is to involve the public and all interested published in November 1992 and sent to a total of 119 parties in the planning for the future well-being of the interested parties. The consultation period extended to catchment. To meet this objective the consultation 29th January 1993 and written comments were process included a press release, a Consultation requested to be submitted by that date. Responses were Document, a summary leaflet, displays in local libraries received from 45% of those consulted. and meetings. On twelve days (between 29th November 1992 and 5th The press release, which was issued on 12th November January 1993) a display was set up in the public libraries 1992, read as follows: at Aldershot, Camberley, Farnborough, Fleet, Odiham BLACKWATER RIVER CATCHMENT and Sandhurst. Copies of the summary document were MANAGEMENT PLAN available at the display for members of the public. Planning for tbe future of the water Following detailed analysis o f the comments received, a environment in the Blackwater River Draft Action Plan to address the issues was prepared. Catchment is the main objective for tbe NRA’s This was sent for comment to 81 key participants of latest catchment management plan. whom 57 attended a forum meeting on 17th November 1993- As a result o f representations at the meeting, the A consultation report has been sent to a wide period of consultation was extended by a month to 17th range of organisations, groups and January 1994. However, in recognition of the individuals including Parish, District and importance of such comments, responses received after County Councils. The purpose of the report is that date have been taken into consideration. to raise awareness of the way we currently use our water heritage and to plan for its The consultation exercise was helpful and productive. future use. A number of displays in libraries Not only did it afford the National Rivers Authority the and other public areas are to be organised opportunity to become more aware of the concerns of over the next two months. others but it also resulted in the Blackwaier catchment and its issues being given a higher profile. The issues Areas covered in the report include tbe and actions were confirmed as being correct and Basingstoke Canal, Blackwater Valley, Fleet appropriate. Pond and the Rivers Whitewater and Hart. 1 OVERVIEW OF THE CATCHMENT BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CATCHMENT During the period between the late 1950s and mid 1980s considerable urbanisation took place, resulting in The Blackwater River catchment comprises all land the crescent of intense development which now exists draining surface water run-off to the Blackwater River along the Blackwater Valley. At present approximately and its tributaries which include the River Whitewater, 250,000 people reside in the catchment and the good River Hart, Fleet Brook and Cove Brook. The length of road and rail communications with Central London Main River (over which the NRA has statutory powers continue to maintain pressure for further development. for flood defence) is 87 kilometres; the length of Controlled Water (monitored by the NRA for water Major variations in river water quality occur within the quality purposes) is 125 kilometres. catchment. The River Whitewater is of “high” quality and supports a natural population of brown trout. In The area covered by the catchment, which is 356 contrast, the Blackwater River is in part of “poor” square kilometres in extent, falls within the quality, although its downstream reaches are administrative boundaries of the following Local considered to be of “fair” quality. Authorities: Water bearing strata underlie the catchment and act as a County Coundls District & Borough Coundls source both of drinking water supplies and of several Hampshire Hart DC springs which feed the Whitewater and Hart Rivers. The Rushmoor BC Blackwater River is also spring fed. However, sewage Basingstoke & Deane BC effluent is the major component o f flow in the river. East Hampshire DC The Basingstoke Canal runs through the catchment from west to east close to the 75 metre ground contour. Surrey Surrey Heath BC The canal, which has been restored and reopened, now Guildford BC supports a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest Waverley BC and is regarded by many to be of national ecological Berkshire Wokingham DC importance. Bracknell Forest BC Within the catchment there are other water dependent habitats which are designated as Sites of Special The catchment is one of contrasts. On the western side Scientific Interest. These include fens, lakes, bogs and the Rivers Whitewater and Hart drain a largely open water meadows, making this a particularly diverse and area (apart from the towns of Fleet, Hartley Wintney rich area in ecological terms. Fleet Pond, the largest and Hook), whilst on the eastern side the Blackwater freshwater lake in Hampshire, was designated as a Site River and Cove Brook drain a heavily urbanised area of Special Scientific Interest in 1951. comprising the towns of Aldershot, Camberley, Famborough, Sandhurst and Yateley. 2 SUMMARY OF CATCHMENT USES AN ACTIVITIES ECOLOGY: FISHERIES: This refers to aquatic flora and fauna along w'ith This relates specifically to the maintenance of breeding dependent organisms. Dependent organisms are plants populations of salmonid (i.e. game) and cyprinid (i.e. and animals which rely, at some stage of their life cycle, coarse) fish. The European Commission (EC) on the aquatic environment or associated land. A Freshwater Fisheries Directive, on the quality of waters healthy river corridor will be characterised by a diverse needing protection or improvement in order to support and abundant plant and animal community and a fish life, provides a statutory basis for the protection of variety of habitat types. water quality in certain rivers. The upper sections of the Blackwater River and Cove The Blackwater River, which is an EC designated Brook are extensively urbanised and the river therefore cyprinid fishery, has several sites with good fish provides an essential ecological corridor. The populations and tributaries that support wild brown Whitewater and Hart valleys are much less developed trout.

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