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Environmental information systems
%
of surface waters
are under pressure from changes to natural flow and physical features
Under the Water Framework Directive, if a water body is assessed as failing good status, the pressures causing failure should be identified. This enables measures to be taken to reduce or remove pressures which are harming water quality and ecosystems, and to ensure that groundwater remains clean and available for sustainable use.
Water bodies can be affected by more than one pressure.
Main pressures on surface water in the 3rd River Basin Management Plan
The chart shows the most frequent pressures on surface waters, by the % of the total number of surface water bodies reported. These include:
- Diffuse pollution, such as from agriculture, burning of coal and other organic matter;
- Point source pollution, such as discharges from urban waste water treatment plants, industry;
- Changes to natural flow and physical features, such as river dams, land drainage, dredging (called “hydromorphology” in the Water Framework Directive)
; - Changes to natural flow and physical features, called “hydromorphology” in the WFD, such as river dams, land drainage, dredging;
- Water abstraction, such irrigation, industrial use, drinking water.
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Main pressures on groundwater in the 3rd River Basin Management Plan
The chart shows the most frequent pressures on groundwaters, by proportion of total groundwater body area reported. These include:
- Diffuse pollution, such as from agriculture, urban runoff;
- Point source pollution, such as from contaminated land;
- Abstraction, such as removal of water for drinking water, irrigation, industrial use.
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