A number of group stakeholders have volunteered to take monthly water samples from various locations across the River Wriggle and Beer Hackett Stream Catchments to help monitor levels of phosphate. We started in February 2024 and now have a data set from 20 locations. Sadly, the results show that Phosphate levels are high across the catchments with only two samples out of over 100 showing healthy levels (< 0.05 mg/l). The rest range between 0.06 and 1.45 mg/l and levels this high have significant adverse environmental impacts.
This data is essential for many reasons and the results are used to help design and implement a range of interventions, e.g. ponds, buffer strips, bunds, wetlands, wet meadow, herb rich leys, wet woodland, hedgerows and swales, at the locations identified as being in the most need and where measures will potentially offer the greatest benefits.
Why is Phosphate monitoring so important? Well, Phosphate is an important nutrient for plant growth which works effectively when it is present at low levels. At higher levels it becomes incredibly damaging to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Just a few of the problems include:
- Eutrophication (high – very high levels of Phosphate fuels excessive algae/bacterial growth) – just a few negative impacts of excessive levels of nutrients include plant and animal species loss, reduced habitat quality, promotion of algal blooms which are hazardous for animals and humans and reduced amenity value, increased water treatment costs
- Algae dominated watercourses – true aquatic and marginal plants cannot establish in watercourses with high phosphate levels, i.e. above 0.05 mg/l, because they are out competed by algae, bacteria, duckweed and phyto-planktons. The resulting absence of stabilising vegetation in the channel leads to increased erosion of banks, establishment of non-native invasive plant species, and biodiversity loss and enhances flood risk
- Eutrophication makes habitats, especially aquatic habitats, less resilient and adaptable to the impacts of climate change as the species and habitat diversity is impoverished, the ecosystem is already highly stressed and has no capacity to respond to the additional stresses incurred
The data is intended to inform stakeholders and help them to work together to agree, design and implement interventions which will provide collective benefits through reducing phosphate levels in ways which they can control. In true WRIG fashion, these interventions are also designed to provide other benefits, e.g. natural flood management, habitat creation, increased biodiversity, and climate change adaptation.
If you would like to join the project or have any queries, please do get in touch with the WRIG.