A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements TR010044 Volume 6 6.3 Environmental Statement Appendix 8.17: Aquatic Invertebrates Planning Act 2008 Regulation 5(2)(a) Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 26 February 2021 PCF XXX PRODUCT NAME | VERSION 1.0 | 25 SEPTEMBER 2013 | 5124654 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Environmental Statement – Appendix 8.17: Aquatic Invertebrates Infrastructure Planning Planning Act 2008 The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet Improvements Development Consent Order 202[ ] Appendix 8.17: Aquatic Invertebrates Regulation Number Regulation 5(2)(a) Planning Inspectorate Scheme TR010044 Reference Application Document Reference TR010044/APP/6.3 Author A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Project Team, Highways England Version Date Status of Version Rev 1 26 February 2021 DCO Application Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010044 Application Document Ref: TR010044/APP/6.3 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Environmental Statement – Appendix 8.17: Aquatic Invertebrates Table of contents Chapter Pages 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background and scope of works 1 2 Legislation and policy 3 2.1 Legislation 3 2.2 Policy framework 3 3 Methods 6 3.1 Survey Area 6 3.2 Desk study 6 3.3 Field survey: watercourses 7 3.4 Field survey: ponds 7 3.5 Biodiversity value 10 3.6 Competence of surveyors 12 3.7 Limitations 13 4 Results 14 4.1 Desk study 14 4.2 Field survey 14 5 Summary and conclusion 43 6 References 45 7 Figure 1 47 Table of Tables Table 1.1: Summary of relevant legislation for aquatic invertebrates ................................... 3 Table 1.2: Summary of planning policies relevant to aquatic habitats ................................. 3 Table 1.3: Summary of ponds surveyed (Pond numbers are the same as those used in Appendix 8.4 Aquatic Habitats and Appendix 14 Great Crested Newt) ............................... 8 Table 1.4: Importance of Ecological Features.................................................................... 10 Table 1.5: PSYM sampling macroinvertebrate results ....................................................... 15 Table 1.6: Macroinvertebrate taxa list from samples collected in Pond 83 ........................ 18 Table 1.7: Macroinvertebrate taxa list from samples collected in Pond 67 ........................ 23 Table 1.8: Macroinvertebrate taxa list from samples collected in Pond 9 .......................... 25 Table 1.9: Macroinvertebrate taxa list from samples collected in Pond 1 .......................... 30 Table 1.10: Macroinvertebrate taxa list from samples collected in Pond 11 ...................... 34 Table 1.11: Macroinvertebrate taxa list from samples collected in Hen Brook ................... 39 Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010044 Application Document Ref: TR010044/APP/6.3 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Environmental Statement – Appendix 8.17: Aquatic Invertebrates 1 Introduction 1.1 Background and scope of works As part of the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Scheme (the Scheme), surveys of aquatic invertebrates were undertaken to inform the biodiversity assessment reported in Chapter 8, Biodiversity of the Environmental Statement [TR010044/APP/6.1]. This appendix reports the results of the aquatic invertebrate survey, which was recommended in the agreed scope of work for Stage 3 (Ref 1-1). A Phase 1 Habitat survey (Ref 1-2) and a thorough desk study exercise undertaken in April 2018 identified habitats of principal importance (listed under Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006) (Ref 1-4) which could be potential constraints to the works or influence the design and implementation of the Scheme. The study area lies within the southern part of National Character Area (NCA) 88: Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands, which support a range of habitats for aquatic invertebrates (Ref 1-3). These include the River Great Ouse and its tributaries meandering slowly across the landscape, riparian and wetland habitats, the ditches associated with grazing marsh and lowland meadow and reedbed. This appendix includes: a. Relevant legislation. b. Methods for desk and field-based assessments undertaken between 2018 and 2019 to determine presence or absence of aquatic invertebrates across the Survey Area (defined in 1.3) based on desk study and field survey visits. c. Competencies of the ecologists involved in undertaking the above surveys. d. Limitations to the surveys undertaken and any assumptions made as a result of incomplete data. e. Survey results. f. The approach for determining the nature conservation importance of aquatic invertebrates’ populations recorded during the assessment. The information described in this appendix provides a complete baseline for aquatic invertebrates which has been used to inform the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Scheme. Chapter 2, The Scheme of the Environmental Statement [TR010044/APP/6.1] provides the background and a description of the Scheme. Aquatic invertebrate ecology Aquatic invertebrates are excellent indicators of watershed health because they live in the water for all or most of their life, stay in areas suitable for their survival, are easy to collect, differ in their tolerance to amount and types of pollution, often live for more than one year and are important components of a streams nutrient and energy system. Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010044 1 Application Document Ref: TR010044/APP/6.3 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Environmental Statement – Appendix 8.17: Aquatic Invertebrates They are vital links in the aquatic food chain, conveying nutrients from plants and algae to larger organisms such as fish, frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. Those that live in streams differ from those found in lakes and ponds. This is because the environmental conditions are very different. Most types of ponds offer low velocities (or even stagnant water), great fertility from rotting natural materials that collect on the bottom, microscopic floating diatoms and crustaceans, large amounts of algae and other plants, often warm temperatures, and occasionally low light (because of depth, algae, and plants). In contrast, streams are fast, cold, and often clear. Although plant material decays and diatoms cling to rocks to provide food, this food is only available to animals that can eat from the bottom (the benthos). Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010044 2 Application Document Ref: TR010044/APP/6.3 A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements Environmental Statement – Appendix 8.17: Aquatic Invertebrates 2 Legislation and policy 2.1 Legislation The legislation in Table 2-1 is potentially relevant to the aquatic invertebrates covered in this report. Table 2-1: Summary of relevant legislation for aquatic invertebrates Legislation Summary of Key Aspects Wildlife and Part 1 of the Act affords specific protection to flora listed on Schedule 8 (flora, fungi Countryside and lichens). In certain circumstances, licences can be granted to permit some actions Act 1981 (as prohibited under the Act. amended) (WCA) Natural Section 41 of the NERC Act provides a list of habitats and plant species of principal Environment importance for nature conservation in England which is to be used by decision-makers and Rural to guide the implementation of their duties under section 40 of the Act. This list Communities includes a number of freshwater habitats and species. Decision-makers are required to (NERC) Act have regard to the section 41 list when fulfilling their wider responsibility under the 2006 NERC Act to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in England. Water Proposed developments or activities that have the potential to affect the water Framework environment require a WFD Assessment. Compliance with the WFD means attainment Directive of good ecological status, prevention of deterioration in status, and prevention of (WFD) 2000 failure to achieve future attainment of good status where it is not already achieved within waterbodies. However, Article 4.7 provides legislation for exemption conditions that could allow implementation of schemes that cause deterioration in ecological status, for example for reasons of overriding public interest 2.2 Policy framework National and local planning policies relevant to biodiversity are evaluated in the Environmental Statement, Volume 1 [TR010044/APP/6.1]. Table 2-2 provide a summary of planning policies related to aquatic invertebrates. Table 2-2: Summary of planning policies relevant to aquatic habitats Document Planning Purpose policy ‘Shaping where Policy EE1: High quality, multifunctional green infrastructure will be integrated you live 2035’ Green within developments to incorporate sustainable urban drainage Central Infrastructure systems, enhance biodiversity, landscape character and the rights of Bedfordshire way network. Local Plan 2015 – 2035’ Policy EE2: Development proposals should provide a net gain in biodiversity (January 2018)1 Enhancing through enhancement and creation of ecological networks by: biodiversity a) incorporating and enhancing existing and creating new biodiversity features within their design; b) maximising opportunities to enhance and create links between ecological networks and habitats of principal importance; and Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010044 3 Application Document Ref: TR010044/APP/6.3 A428 Black Cat to Caxton