Case Study: The River Little Stour

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Case Study The River Little Stour By Gemma Parker
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Introduction

• The little river Stour is a low flow river in
  England.
• It runs for 19 miles, it later joins the great
  Stour at Ashford.
• It has two main sources, the first lower
  Greensand and the second chalk.
• The little Stour river enters the sea at Pegwell
  Bay.
• The Stour is 8 metres wide, but reduced to 1
  metre wide in the summer.

Water is extremely important as we require it for
survival. Pollution and therefore water quality
may have a number effects on biodiversity the
food supply, oxygen levels and suitability as
drinking water.
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Quick reference to where the river passes through

• Upstream of the little river Stour is in Ashford.
  
• On reaching West Stourmouth there are two river
  courses.
• One goes to Nicholas at Wade, and then to Hunters
  Forstal.
• The main river flow goes to East Stourmouth,
  which then goes down
• Stream to Pegwell Bay where it meets the sea.

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Environmental Impacts down the river
Every river has environmental issues, some are
easier to be resolved than others.

• Water abstraction for public use.
• Demands of the domestic public
• Toilet flushing 35
• Baths, showers and wash basins 28
• Kitchen sinks 15
• Washing machine 12
• Outdoor tap 6
• Dishwashers 4
• (Taken from anon, 2002 (Ashford Council))

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More impacts

• Other human caused impacts
• The little river Stour has been manually changed
  course. It is prone to droughts.
• In the change of course it has been made to power
  4 water mills.
• Leading to loss of biodiversity, habitats and
  water leakages into chalk aquifers.
• Upstream of the river it is in good state, but
  downstream fair state. This is because Pfizers
  pharmaceutical company releases their waste water
  effluent here.
• Agriculture mainly surrounds the river Stour. It
  will be subject to leaching
• of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.
• Metals can leak and contaminate organisms, and
  cause bioaccumulation build up which may lead to
  death.

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Environmental Impacts Continued

• Natural Causes
• In summer the river is just 1 meter wide, this
  causes less habitat in water
• but reed beds flourish around water edge. This
  caters for example dragonflies
• and birds.
• Siltation and drought is a common impact on
  little Stour and is thought
• to be why the brown trout fish is declining.

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What can be done?

• Hydrology was investigated by Environmental
  Stimulations International Ltd
• for Southern water company. A agreed benchmark
  of abstraction would be sought.
• Channel re-lining and re-profiling.
• Dredging keep river flowing freely.
• River management plan and careful monitoring.
• Environmentally friendly farming e.g. organic.
• Fines for companies who dump their waste.

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Eutrophication

• Eutrophication is the leeching of fertilizer
  (nitrates, phosphates and potassium)
• into the river.
• Algae blooms form and block sunlight.
• Death of macro plants no photosynthesis
• Aerobic bacteria break down dead matter
• Increase in biological oxygen of demand -
  depletion of oxygen
• All organisms die accept anaerobic bacteria the
  death of a river.

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Conclusion

• Water should be protected as a valuable source
• Recreation
• Drinking
• Habitat and biodiversity
• Water pollution must be prevented or dealt with.
  By monitoring and
• taking the necessary actions to resolve any
  contamination or natural object.
• The environmental agency takes care of this in
  the UK.
• Fines are given to the pollutants but are not big
  enough to prevent them
• doing it again.
• The UK however seem to be on track of having
  clean waters by2015 as outlined in
• the water directive.
• All river must be sustainable for the coming
  generations.

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References
Anon, unknown,Kent and medway structure
accessed at http//216.239.59.104/search?qcache
bz76moGMhMAJwww.kmsp.org.uk/pdfs/KMSP-WP13.pdfLi
ttlestourpollutionimpactshlen Anon, 2002,
Ashford borough Council and partners Halcrow
group limited accessed at http//216.239.59.104/
search?qcache5ruGn3wi9IsJwww.southeast-ra.gov.u
k/our_work/planning/area_studies/ashford/environme
ntal_background_paper_(final_ed).pdfLittlestour
pollutionimpactshlen Ebbs, M., Anon,
'Environmental resources, accessed at
http//www.dover.gov.uk/local-plan/chapter06.asp F
razer, J, 2005, Little Stour, accessed
at http//www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/
waters/564321/309477/ 309483/31017/?lang_ethemr
regionsubjectsearchforriverstour