River Tamar Catchment Management Plan Draft Consultation Report
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NRA-Sotxbh W e . i t 4 2 . 2. loi RIVER TAMAR CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN DRAFT CONSULTATION REPORT 1ST DRAFT INTERN AL CO NS ULTATI0 N Cornwall Area Catchment Planning 17 March 1995 * "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 riven; and the sea. In discharging our duties we will operate openly and balance the interests of all who benefit from and use riven, groundwaters, estuaries, and coastal waters. We will be businesslike, efficient and caring towards our employees'*. Our aims are to: * Achieve a continuing overall improvement in the quality of rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters, through the control of pollution. * Manage water resources to achieve the right balance between the needs of the environment and those of the abstractors. * Provide effective defence for people and property against flooding from rivers and the sea. * Provide adequate arrangements for flood forecasting and warning. * Maintain, improve and develop fisheries. * Develop the amenity and recreational potential of inland and coastal waters and associated lands., * Conserve and enhance wildlife, landscape, and archaeological features associated with inland and coastal waters of England and Wales. * Improve and maintain inland waters and their facilities for use by the public where the NRA is the navigation authority. * Ensure that dischargers pay the costs of the consequences of their discharges, and as far as possible, to recover the costs of water environment improvements from those who benefit. * Improve public understanding of the water environment and the NRA's work. * Improve efficiency in the exercise of the NRA's functions and to provide challenge - * -and opportunity for employees and'show concern for their welfare: ------ ENVIRONMENT AGENCY CATCHMENT VISION - * most societies want to achieve economic development to secure a better quality of life, now and in the future. * they also seek to protect their environment now and for their children. Sustainable development tries to reconcile these two objectives - meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. To achieve this judgements have to be made about the weight to be put on different factors in particular cases. Sometimes environmental costs have to be accepted as the price of economic development but on other occasions a site, or an ecosystem, or some other aspect of the environment has to be regarded as so valuable that it should be protected from exploitation. As Guardians of The Water Environment of the Freshwater Tamar catchment it is the role of the National Rivers Authority to present the case to protect the water environment from damage; sustaining and extending its environmental value and interest whilst commercial,' industrial and recreational use continues to be made of it. In an area of such high amenity and ecological value as the Freshwater Tamar the NRA's vision of the future is towards a catchment where: * The aquatic biodiversity of the catchment is maintained and extended. * improvements continue to be made to existing discharges, meeting the most stringent appropriate standards. * the risk to the water environment from abandoned mine workings is eliminated. * an agricultural and forestry system develops which reduces the risk of diffuse pollution and improves the physical habitat of the river system and wetlands for wildlife. * The publics' enjoyment and appreciation of the river system continues to grow. * There is minimal risk to people and property from flooding. 3.0 INTRODUCTION This Catchment Management Plan Consultation Report * describes how the catchment is used * explains what we are doing to protect or restore the water environment. Economic and political constraints will influence what we are able to do. The amount of money that the water service companies spend on pollution control will make a difference to the extent of water quality improvements. 3.1 Catchment Management Plans and Development Plans While we can control some of the things which influence the quality of the water- environment we have very little control over the way that land is developed. This is the responsibility of local planning authorities. Local Authorities prepare statutory development plans. The policies in these plans will guide the way that land is developed in the future. We have published guidance for local planning authorities to encourage them to adopt policies which protect the water environment from harmful development. Where we can we will reinforce these policies when we comment on planning matters or if we aire making our own decisions. This Report will highlight where we are concerned about development. 3.2 Hie‘Consultation Report This Consultation Report includes the following sections: Catchment Characteristies Provides a brief and general introduction to the catchment describing its key characteristics. Catchment Uses In the catchment there are activities which use the water environment. They may either have an impact on, or have certain requirements of the water environment. These various activities are discussed under "use" headings. We include notes on our role and objectives in managing or promoting this use and comments on the local (catchment) perspective. Taigets and State of the Catchment We assess the state of the catchment by looking at four aspects of the water environment: * Water quality * Water quantity * Physical features * Flood defence. We identify environmental quality targets where we can. Our success at reaching these targets is one way that we can comment on the state of the catchment.. Issues and Actions Where we are not reaching targets or fulfilling our objectives we identify issues. Where possible we identify actions to resolve issues. This section summarizes these issues and proposed actions. 3.3 Your views We hope that this report will be read by everyone who has an interest in the quality of the water environment. Your views will help us finalise the Action Plan. Have we identified all the problems in the catchment? Are there any issues which you want to highlight? Please send your comments to:***** by ****** 3.4 Hie Action Plan We will collate responses to this report and publish an Action Plan. Progress with the actions identified will be checked annually and a progress report published. Within 5 years of publishing the action plan we will do a inajor review of the progress we have made. FRESHWATER TAMAR CATCHMENT Base Map © Crown Copyright NRA South Western Region CATCHMENT STATISTICS Area drained: 927.75 km2 Population: 32,900 (1991 Census) Length of Main River: 167.05 km Length of Controlled Water: 447.90 km Annual Rainfall 998 iiim (Davies) Long Term Average (1940-70): 1460 mm (Altamun) Principal Towns: Launceston Holsworthy District Councils: North Cornwall District Council Torridge District Council West Devon Borough Council Caradon District Council Table I: Drainage areas River Area drained Area drained (km2) Length of river upstream of; Tamar Gunnislake Weir 927.75 78.0 Carey Tamar Confluence 68.0 21.5 Thrushel Lyd Confluence 116.5 21.4 Lyd Tamar Confluence 105.0 25.2 Ottery Tamar Confluence 124.5 33.0 Kensey Tamar Confluence 38.5 16.8 Inny Tamar Confluence 108.25 32.5 Deer } Tamar Confluence } 81.75 16.8 Claw } } 12.1 FRESHWATER TAMAR CATCHMENT River Profiles River Tainar Height otxvo OO (metres) S50 *1140 500 ........T....... 450 I Ottery 400 ........ T....... 350 Deer I Carey 300 ... T....... 2S0 Claw Kensey 200 , Upper Tamar lake T..... 150 , Lower Tamar Lake I 100 50 0 30 35 40 45 50 Distance tram Source (Km) Height above OO (metres) River Ottery HeJgftt above OO (metres) River Lyd 550 30 35 40 45 50 Distance hem Source (tan) Key i i4o Annual Rainfall — — Long Term Average (1940-1970) O Crown Copyright NRA South Western Region CATCHMENT DESCRIPTION INTRODUCTION The River Tamar catchment extends from the south coast of the peninsula to within 10 km of the north coast. The River Tamar itself forms a natural boundary between the counties . of Devon and Cornwall. The catchment drains 927.75 km2 and is roughly rectangular in shape. The River Tamar rises in the north of the catchment approximately 10 km north east of Bude and flows south through a broadening flood plain to a point south east of Launceston. This part of the catchment consists of broad areas of gently undulating or relatively levet land with a fairly wide level valley floor. The river then flows through a steep sided valley in a series of incised meanders which become more pronounced towards the tidal limit at Gunnislake, 78 km from its source. The flood plain is usually flat throughout the catchment and prone to flooding. Population The population of the catchment is approximately 32,900 (1991 Census) and is mainly rural in character. Major settlements within the catchment are Launceston, Holsworthy and Gunnislake at the tidal limit of the River Tamar. Population Statistics Population census % Change 1981 1991 12J Upper Tamar 5853 6605 +13% 12F Lyd 2175 2350 +8% 12G Thrushel & Wolf 1844 1952 +6% 12H Carey 2007 2475 +23% 12M Ottery 2140 2450 • +14% 12N Kensey 7045 7680 +9% 12P Inny 2190 2505 +14% 12E Lower Tamar 5577 6860 +23% Total - 28831 32877 +14% Source: Cornwall County Council/Devon County Council The largest population increases between the 1981 and 1991 Census occurred in those parishes that include the larger settlements or rural parishes that have close links.with larger towns. The sparsely populated rural parishes showed either a small increase or a decrease in population. The population growth in West Devon parishes is considered by the Borough Council to be solely through in-migration. FRESHWATER TAMAR CATCHMENT Geology £> Crown Copyright NRA South Western Region \ Soils _ . The most widespread soil types in the upper catchment are Hal stow soils.