cg74
Well-known member
The Water Framework Directive is widely seen as a major breakthrough in the fight to improve our rivers. Trouble is there appears to be no set criteria as to where the EA have to undertake biodiversity surveys or how representative of a rivers characteristics these sites should be.
This may seem pretty innocuous, but on the Cherwell this freedom has been abused to an extreme. The length from Clifton to Islip (Ray confluence) has its status graded on a streamy riffle back stream, where weed growth is optimal, so insect life is good, good marginal cover, so offering fish sanctuary.
But this is not a true representation of the river, as at most it only represents 10% of the river along that length. Pushing 60% is made up of deep heavily dredged sections and the remainder is a mixture of pools and glides.
Surprise, surprise, despite the EA not being able to show up a single fish in 3yrs of electro fishing on a 2 mile stretch within this 15 mile(ish) length of river - So the river is graded as of "moderate ecological" status, when it patently is poor.
So if anyone else has experience of this type of 'cherry picking' can you please let me know the details either by PM or post, it'd be helpful.
This may seem pretty innocuous, but on the Cherwell this freedom has been abused to an extreme. The length from Clifton to Islip (Ray confluence) has its status graded on a streamy riffle back stream, where weed growth is optimal, so insect life is good, good marginal cover, so offering fish sanctuary.
But this is not a true representation of the river, as at most it only represents 10% of the river along that length. Pushing 60% is made up of deep heavily dredged sections and the remainder is a mixture of pools and glides.
Surprise, surprise, despite the EA not being able to show up a single fish in 3yrs of electro fishing on a 2 mile stretch within this 15 mile(ish) length of river - So the river is graded as of "moderate ecological" status, when it patently is poor.
So if anyone else has experience of this type of 'cherry picking' can you please let me know the details either by PM or post, it'd be helpful.
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