LOWER LEE CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN CONSULTATION REPORT NATIONAL RIVERS AUTHORITY MISSION STATEMENT 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 the 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 employees. HOW YOU CAN HELP US This Consultation Report is the first stage of the catchment management planning process for the Lower Lee and we would appreciate hearing your views. Have we identified all the major issues ? Have we identified all the practical solutions ? Have you any comments on the appearance and content If you have any comments please write to: E n v ir o n m e n t Ag e n c y M r K Reid Lower Lee Catchment Management Plan NATIONAL LIBRARY & National Rivers Authority Thames Region INFORMATION SERVICE The G range HEAD OFFICE 97 Crossbrook Street .: • Waltham Cross -v..*-’ - Rio House. Waterside Drive, Aztec West, Almondsbury. Herts EN8 8HE Bristol BS32 4UD \ Further copies of the report are available. -----menls must be with us by Friday 16 June 1995 ENVIRONMENT AGENCY 055619 LOWER LEE CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN CONSULTATION REPORT 1 I I Jl ■■■ Ml , III I " 2 2 2 2 Rtvers Authorlt " "Orrrxrtlon Centre Head Office NRA Class N o______ National Rivers Authority . No . ''XJX/H Thames Region M arch 1995 NATIONAL RIVERS AUTHORITY MISSION STATEMENT 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 the 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 employees. HOW YOU CAN HELP US This Consultation Report is the first stage of the catchment management planning process for the Lower Lee and we would appreciate hearing your views. Have we identified all the major issues ? Have we identified all the practical solutions ? Have you any comments on the appearance and contents of the report ? If you have any comments please write to: Mr K Reid Lower Lee Catchment Management Plan National Rivers Authority Thames Region The Grange 97 Crossbrook Street Waltham Cross Herts EN8 8HE Further copies of the report are available. All comments must be with us bv Friday 16 June 1995 LOWER LEE CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN CONSULTATION REPORT CONTENTS LIST Section Page CONTENTS LIST 1 LIST OF MAPS 3 LIST OF TABLES 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 1 MANAGING TIIE WATER ENVIRONMENT 5 1.1 Our Water Environment 6 1.2 The NRA Role 6 1.3 Catchment Management Plans 6 1.4 The Context of this Plan 8 1.5 The Consultation Report 10 1.6 The Consultation Process 10 2 DESCRIPTION OF RESOURCES, USES AND ACTIVITIES 13 2.1 Overview of the Catchment 14 2.2 Local Management ~ ” 16 2.3 - - Topography ~ 22 2.4 Geology and Soils 24 2.5 Hydrology 26 2.6 Ecology 28 2.7 Fisheries and Angling 34 2.8 Landscape and Heritage 38 2.9 Navigation and Boating 40 2.10 Amenity and Recreation 43 2.11 Water Abstraction 46 2.12 Effluent Disposal 48 2.13 Land Use 50 2.14 Mineral Extraction and Solid Waste Disposal 56 2.15 Flood Defence 58 3 STATUS OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT 63 3.1 Water Quality 64 Introduction 64 Surface Waters 64 - Water Quality Objectives and General Quality Assessment 64 - EC Directives 69 - Biological River Quality Monitoring 70 - Pollution Incidents 74 - Bacteriological Status 76 Groundwater 76 NRA Thames Rcgjon 1 Lower Lee CMP Cooaullatioc Report LOWER LEE CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN - CONSULTATION REPORT CONTENTS LIST (Continued) Section Pape 3 STATUS OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT ctd 3.2 Water Resources 80 Introduction 80 Abstraction Licensing Policy 80 Public Water Supplies 80 Rising Groundwater Levels 82 Water Resources Development 82 3.3 Physical Features 84 Landscape 84 Geomorphology 84 Land Use Planning 84 Flood Defence 86 4 CATCHMENT ISSUES 89 4.1 Introduction to the Issues 90 4.2 Draft Catchment Vision 93 4.3 Communication Between Groups 94 4.4 Water Quality Downstream of Tottenham 96 4.5 Water Quality Between Feildes Weir and Tottenham Lock 100 4.6 Contaminated Land in the Lower Lee 101 4.7 Water Levels 104 4.8 Recreation and Amenity Facilities 109 4.9 Invasive Plant Species 113 4.10 Landscape of the Lower Lee 114 4.11 Management of Flood Risk 115 4.12 Poor Physical Environment 117 4.13 Planning for Major Development 119 4.14 Nutrient Enrichment of Rivers 122 4.15 Litter and Debris 123 4.16 Tributary Issues 124 4.17 Action in the Lee Valley 132 4.18 Summary 136 APPENDICES 139 APPENDIX I - ORGANISATION RESPONSIBILITIES AND 140 NRA AIMS AND STRATEGIES APPENDIX II - REPORT ON INFORMAL LIAISON 148 APPENDIX III - SUPPORTING INFORMATION 150 APPENDIX IV - GLOSSARY 157 APPENDIX V - BODIES BEING CONSULTED OVER THIS PLAN 159 NRA Tham es 2 Lower Lee CMP Codsultation Report LOWER LEE CATCHMENTJVIANAGEMENT PLAN--______ CONSULTATION REPORT LIST OF MAPS Map Page 1 Catchment Overview 15 2 Local Authorities 19 3 Topography 23 4 Solid Geology 25 5 Hydrology 27 6 Ecology 29 7 Nature Conservation Sites Current Situation 31 8 Nature Conservation Sites Future Situation 33 9 Fisheries and Angling 35 10 Landscape and Heritage 39 11 Navigation and Boating 41 12 Amenity and Recreation 44 13 Water Abstraction Licences 47 14 Effluent Disposal 49 15 Urban Development Current Situation 51 16 Urban Development Future Situation 53 17 Land Cover 55 18 Mineral Extraction and Solid Waste Disposal 57 19 Flood Defence 59 -20 - - Flood Alleviation~Schemes~ — — - . 21 Water Quality: General Quality Assessment (GQA) 65 22 Water Quality: Compliance with Short-Term RQOs 67 23 Water Quality: EC Directives 71 24 Water Quality: Biological Status 73 25 Water Quality: Pollution Incidents (1993/4) 75 26 Water Quality: Bacteriological Status 77 27 Water Quality: Groundwater Protection - - 79 28 Water Supply Infrastructure 81 29 Lee Valley Corridor (large scale) Inside back cover NRA Th*inrs Region 3 Lowrr Lrr CMP Consultation Rrpoil LOWER LEE CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN - CONSULTATION REPORT LIST OF TABLES Table Pape 1 Key Statistics for the Catchment 16 2 Distribution of Catchment Aea and Population within the Catchment 17 3 Distribution of Water Abstraction Licences 46 4 Sewage Treatment Works’ Discharges 48 5 Description of the River Ecosystem Classes 66 6 Water Quality Objectives 68 7 Pollution Incidents in the Lower Lee 74 8 Actionsin the Lee Valley 132 9 How the Issues meet the Management Themes of the Vision 136 10 Responses to Informal Consultation 148 11 Biological Monitoring Results 150 12 Bacteriological Data 152 13 River Ecosystem Classification : Water Quality Criteria 153 14 General Quality Assessment: Chemical Grading for Rivers and Canals 153 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (1) All those organisations, groups and individuals who responded to the NRA during the period of informal liaison. A detailed review ol this process is given in Appendix II. (2) Ordnance Survey on whose maps some of the information shown on the synoptic maps is based. (Crown Copyright Reserved Licencc No. WU29859X). (3) Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in this report, it may contain errors or omissions which we will be pleased to correct. (4) Information from this report may be freely used provided it is acknowledged. NRA Thames Rrgioo 4 Lcm-Er Lfe CMP Com elution Rrporl SECTION 1 MANAGING THE WATER ENVIRONMENT This section highlights the importance of integrated management of the water environment and outlines the key role of the National Rivers Authority. It describes the Catchment Management Planning process and the purpose of this Consultation Report. NRA Thames Region 5 Lower I-ee CMP Consultation Report 1 MANAGING THE WATER ENVIRONMENT 1.1 Our Water Environment The quality of our water environment and the way in which it is managed matters to all of us. Our health depends on the availability and purity of water supplies and the way we dispose of waste water. Thames Region is highly populated and sees the greatest use and reuse of water of any part of the country. These pressures call for the strict control of water abstraction and effluent disposal. Many householders and businesses rely on Hood alleviation works and llood warning schemes to reduce the risk of Hooding. Visitors as well as local communities benefit from the amenity and recreational opportunities offered by the Region’s rivers, canals and lakes. The water environment also supports a wide variety of habitats which are home to a range of plants and animals. Conservation and enhancement of these is fundamental to the well being of the Region’s natural resources. This document is the first step in a process called catchment management planning initiated by the National Rivers Authority (NRA). It provides a focus for those concerned with the future health of the Lower Lee catchment’s water environment. (A catchment is a discrete geographical unit based on natural surface water drainage areas. See Section 2.3 for further details.) 1.2 The NRA Role Established in 1989, the NRA is the principal agency responsible for safeguarding and improving the water environment in England and Wales. Our role is defined in our Mission statement (shown on the inside of the front cover) and embraces statutory responsibilities for: • water resources • water quality and pollution control • Hood defences • fisheries, recreation, conservation and navigation.