A program involving citizen participation has uncovered the deterioration of a prominent chalk stream in the country, despite previous statements from Environment Agency representatives claiming otherwise. The SmartRivers program, managed by the organization WildFish and focused on studying freshwater creatures, has reported significant decreases in response to chemical pollution in the River Avon in Wiltshire. Their data suggests that the river’s overall condition has worsened in the past five years.

The charity released a report detailing their discoveries after conservation groups were informed at a meeting by the Environment Agency in August that the water quality in the Avon had not worsened in the past five years. David Holroyd, from the Wiltshire Fishery Association, stated that the amount of invertebrates collected from 11 locations along the upper Avon in both spring and autumn of 2019 and 2023 had decreased.

According to him, the invertebrates were like a warning sign in the coal mine, and evidence indicated that they were being harmed by chemicals in the river.

According to a recent report by the WildFish charity, the SmartRivers programme in England, Wales, and Scotland now includes 95 rivers, indicating the vital contribution of citizen scientists in tracking river health. This comes after a decline in the number of tests conducted by regulators in the past decade.

Freshwater invertebrates underpin the aquatic food ecosystem, ranging from riverflies and beetles to molluscs, worms and crustaceans. In the most recent results for all monitored rivers in 2022, volunteers found 268 different invertebrate species and counted 343,077 specimens. Invertebrate species have different tolerances to pollution. An analysis of the species present, along with their numbers, helps identify pressures on water quality from farming, sewage discharges and run-off from roads and residential areas.

Janina Gray, the leader of science and environmental policy at WildFish, stated that the state of a river’s ecosystem is evaluated according to the guidelines outlined in the water framework directive. This directive, originally from the European Union, has been adopted into law in England and Wales following Brexit. Gray also stated that the current assessments do not meet satisfactory standards.

According to Gray, the Avon has not shown any decline under the water framework directive classification, as stated by the Environment Agency during the August meeting. This is disheartening because the river’s condition continues to worsen each year and the legislation is not effectively safeguarding it. The Avon is a highly protected river in our country and boasts a diverse range of fish species. If we are unable to preserve the Avon, it does not bode well for other rivers. It is crucial to have a thorough monitoring system in place, which is why the SmartRivers program holds significant importance.

Gray stated that WildFish was collaborating with the Environment Agency and other organizations to determine the factors affecting the river. A spokesperson from the Environment Agency confirmed, “Our team is currently working with local partners to investigate ways in which we can combine citizen science data with our own monitoring data to gain a better understanding of water quality on the River Avon.”

According to a recent study from WildFish, all river samples in the Windermere catchment area involved in the SmartRivers program were impacted by the United Utilities wastewater treatment facilities. The research revealed that the presence of pollution-sensitive riverfly species decreased by as much as 76% compared to similar areas upstream.

According to United Utilities, the plants were in compliance with their environmental permits.

Source: theguardian.com