STAFFORDSHIRE TRENT VALLEY CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN FINAL VERSION 1 – JUNE 2015 CONTENTS 1.
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Introduction Catchment Background Key Issues Partnership Aims and Objectives Action Plan Project Appendices CURRENT PARTNERS Canal & Rivers Trust Cannock Chase AONB Campaign for the Farmed Environment Country Land and Business Association
Environment Agency Forestry Commission Groundwork West Midlands Natural England
National Farmers Union Newcastle Borough Council Severn Trent Water South Staffordshire Water Stafford Borough Council Staffordshire County Council Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Stoke City Council
Trent Rivers Trust
Wild Trout Trust
Front Cover Photo Credits: Nick Mott, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust 1. INTRODUCTION The Water Framework Directive (WFD) introduces a holistic approach to the management of the water environment and establishes a system for the protection and improvement of all aspects of the water environment including rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater. The WFD objective is for all inland and coastal waters to reach a more natural state or “good status” by 2027. This is an ambitious target and it has been recognised that local organisations and communities have an essential role to deliver the requirements of the Directive. This will be done through the Catchment Based Approach and the setting up of Catchment Partnerships bringing local knowledge and expertise to deliver collaborative working and improvements to our water environments at a river catchment scale. 2. STAFFORDSHIRE TRENT VALLEY CATCHMENT BACKGROUND The catchment covers the River Trent and its tributaries from it’s source north of Stoke‐on‐
Trent to the Trent’s confluence with the River Tame near Alrewas. The headwaters of the Trent flow through the urban conurbations of Stoke‐on‐Trent and Newcastle‐under‐Lyme, joined by a number of smaller urban tributaries. The rural Trent’s main tributaries are the Rivers Sow and Blithe. The River Sow rises in the north‐west of the catchment, flows south‐
west through Stafford joining the Trent near Shugborough. The Penk rises to the north‐
west of Wolverhampton and joins the Sow at Stafford. The Blithe rises to the East of Stoke‐
on‐Trent and flows south‐east joining the Trent at Nethertown. The catchment also includes the Trent and Mersey Canal that follows the course of the Trent through the catchment joining the river for a short section at Alrewas and sections of Map of Staffordshire Trent Valley other canals most notably the Staffs and Worcester and Shropshire Union Historically, poor water quality and poor habitat in the River Trent downstream of Stoke‐on‐ Trent have impacted upon fisheries. Water quality has improved over the last twenty years, particularly with improvements to sewage treatments works and storm discharges to the River Trent in Stoke‐
on‐Trent and associated tributaries. The catchment supports abstraction for public water supply, for spray irrigation and industrial purposes. Abstraction for public water supply takes place from the sandstone aquifers and Blithfield Reservoir on the River Blithe. There are a number of Special Areas of Conservation and Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the Staffordshire Trent Valley catchment including Cannock Chase, Chartley Moss and Pasturefields Saltmarsh. 3. KEY ISSUES The Staffordshire Trent Valley catchment is affected by many different issues, some small‐scale and local, others long term and covering the whole area. The main challenges facing the catchment can be summarised under the following three headings; pollution from waste water; diffuse pollution from urban and rural areas and physical modifications to rivers. Pollution from waste water: Discharges from the sewage network that contain phosphate and ammonia can adversely affect the ability of rivers to support fish and invertebrates. This is issue is being addressed through Severn Trent Water’s Business Plan. Diffuse pollution – Rural: Land management activities that result in the loss of phosphate, pesticides and sediments to the water environment. Diffuse pollution – Urban: Impacts from towns and cities through surface water drainage from roads, misconnections (see ConnectRight website for more details), industrial discharges and misuse of the sewer networks. Physical Modifications: Man‐made changes to the shape and flow of rivers are also a major pressure in the catchment. These include the engineering of river channels, abstraction of water for public water supply, the introduction of barriers to fish and changes to riparian habitats. 4. PARTNERSHIP AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Our Aim is to identify the key issues relating to the water environment within the STV Catchment, co‐ordinate project teams and regularly review project progress, to ensure that water quality and biodiversity is improved and where possible deliver wider benefits to local communities. OBJECTIVES The partnership has identified a number of shared objectives which will be used to achieve its aim:  Water Quality – Using engagement with stakeholders throughout the catchment to reduce levels of nutrients and pesticides.  Natural Rivers – creating a sustainable water environment as a result of improving river geomorphology, reducing flood risk and developing resilience to climate change.  Biodiversity ‐ Enhancing the biodiversity of our rivers and waterways through restoring them to a more natural state and improving habitats.  Access – Increase the sustainable use of the water environment by improving access and amenity value as part of the catchments planned green infrastructure.  Community ‐ Encourage people to connect with their local water environment through citizen science and volunteering opportunities.  Natural Capital ‐ Maximise the use of existing resources, through linking to other plans and initiatives throughout the catchment, to recognise the value the water environment contributes towards society and the economy. CATCHMENT ACTION PLAN 
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+++ indicates the main rational behind a project, it does not mean that the project will deliver big improvements. ++ indicates secondary benefits from the project. + indicates minor benefits from the project. PROJECT STATUS LOCATION PROJECT BIODIVERSITY WATER NATURAL COMMUNITY REDUCE FLOOD LEAD QUALITY RIVERS BENEFITS * RISK Love Your River Funded by Stoke & EA EIP Newcastle Trent Headwaters CPAF Funding applied for Lyme Brook & Trentham Groundwork West Midlands ++
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Blithfield Reservoir Pesticides Funded by Blithfield EA EIP Reservoir and Tributaries EA/South Staffs Water +
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Staffordshire Trent Valley Washlands For Stoke to Discussion Alrewas SWT +++
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*Community Benefits include education and economics. ++
ACCESS & NATURAL AMENITY CAPITAL ++
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