Anglers Against Pollution Water Quality Monitoring Network

In North Yorkshire, Harrogate Fly Fishers’ Club (HFFC) experienced sewage discharge events in 2021 associated with the Darley Sewage Treatment Works (STW) on their stretch of the river Nidd.

The club did a water sampling survey on its waters and established that there were high concentrations of E. coli, especially below the STW. Their interest in the ecological health of the river led to a group of Nidd fly fishing clubs getting together and deciding to take monthly samples as part of the WQMN. The results were discussed with club members, knowledgeable individual experts and with the EA raising concerns about nutrient chemistry levels and their likely sources. The group of local fly-fishing clubs started a broader community group, the Nidd Action Group (NAG), concerned with the Nidd’s Water Quality, and is sharing results with local citizens, the EA, and others.

“I have learnt a lot about water quality over the last couple of years and believe that unnecessary pollution should be avoided like the plague that it is. I now know just how many excellent knowledgeable citizens there are locally – not just fly fishers! - who intend to get the water quality of our river into the state that it, and we, deserve.” ~ David Clayden, Secretary of Harrogate Flyfishers Club and Chair of Nidd Action Group

The NAG organised a community collaborative project - working with the Yorkshire Dales River Trust, the University of Leeds, the Bilton Conservation group and the EA - to undertake a ‘tip to toe’ survey of the river Nidd and some major tributaries in August 2023.

45 locations were tested for E. coli, nutrient chemistry, and heavy metal concentrations in accredited laboratories. HFFC anticipate that the results of this, and other activities will raise community awareness and involvement in the water quality of our local river, will influence local regulators and Yorkshire Water to address pollution causes; contribute to an acceleration of involvement with the Nidd community and local investment; and inform the development of a Nidd Catchment plan, led by the Dales to Vale River Network.

In Kent, the Royal Tunbridge Wells Angling Society felt it the WQMN was the ideal opportunity to really understand the quality of their waters and joined immediately.

"We at Royal Tunbridge Wells Angling Society have long suspected problems with water quality on our stretches of the Upper Medway but, aside from testing dissolved oxygen and water temperature on an ad hoc basis, we were never going to pinpoint any issues to the satisfaction of scientific analysis. WQMN, along with the database being built, has allowed our excellent band of dedicated volunteers to do just that through their diligence and hard work.” ~ Derek Reader, RTWAS Secretary

Clive Meers Rainger, RTWAS chairman, added “RTWAS has been trying to improve the nine miles of the upper Medway which is under the club’s control. We have been working with the EA who have given us advice and funding. Our remit was to improve our river by putting in 180 tons of gravel to enhance the spawning gravels, and to reintroducing plants, both sub aquatic and marginal, to help invertebrates and provide refugees for fry and younger year groups of fish. Unfortunately, the plants have slowly died off. So, when the Angling Trust launched the WQMN and started supplying water quality monitoring kits we immediately purchased five, as we felt it was water quality that was the problem.”

As a result of the WQMN data and additional E. coli testing, the club has …

• Produced a detailed plan to ensure volunteers sample and test regularly at two locations each over the 9 miles of catchment RTWAS control. As and when issues are noted RTWAS then try to pinpoint the source and take appropriate action.
• Raised to date a total of 19 EA emergency incident reports for the following issues-
o Extremely high Phosphate levels >2.5ppm (maximum calculated at 4.3ppm)
o Extremely high Nitrate levels of >20ppm
o High Ammonia levels of >1.5ppm
o Off the scale E. coli counts of >300cfu/1ml
o Herbicide misuse
• Cultivated good working relationships with the EA, South East Rivers Trust, Angling Trust, Medway Catchment Partnership, Local MP Greg Clark, local ecology groups, riparian owners and of late with Southern Water

All the above has resulted in:

• Early successes including repairing old sewage culverts, surveying, and cleaning of a once private sewage networks by Southern Water.
• Southern Water admitting that they had a serious process issue (Ferric Dosing failure) lasting for many days at the South Tunbridge Wells WWTW.
• EA funding a project to improve habitat and water quality for the upper Medway catchment.
• Heightened awareness of issues with residents and businesses including presentations to local community groups in meeting places.
• EA and Hadlow College Fisheries Dept performing physical fish surveys at various points along the upper Medway.
• South East Rivers Trust is looking to perform eDNA surveys within the upper Medway.

“Joining the Angling Trust WQMN it has given our small band of dedicated volunteers the confidence, understanding, equipment, training, focus and support needed to try, with some success, to make a real difference.” ~ WQMN Coordinator and ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Award winner, Ian Tucker

In Warwickshire, in November 2021 the Girling Angling Society were alerted to a water quality issue when several matches on the Warwickshire Avon blanked. When the WQMN was launched in May 2022, the club joined at the outset.

Frank Bagley, Girling Angling Society Secretary, said “When we began reporting poor water quality at Fladbury we feared that it would affect membership however the opposite has occurred, and membership is at record levels. We believe this is due to the high level of awareness that has been generated, anglers now accept the issue is nationwide and totally out of control. I understand that household wastewater, and run off from roads and motorways etc, has increased enormously in the last 30 or 40 years and the infrastructure cannot cope, yes, the issue is huge and complex.

Nevertheless, regulators have failed to hold the water companies and farmers to account, citing lack of investment while water companies make huge profits. Clearly The government’s plan to improve water quality by 2035 will result in rivers reaching the point of no return, becoming open sewers.

Fladbury weir pool is a breeding area for barbel and currently there are shoals of big roach throughout the stretch, but dace have been seen spewing slime. The fish are obviously struggling being regularly forced downstream to find clean water. The Warwickshire Avon is currently becoming choked with weed caused by water clarity and high levels of nutrients entering the river unchecked. The weed itself has become choked with filthy black slime and the Avon has never looked so unhealthy; we believe the ecology of the river is on the edge.”

Andy Hammerton, Girling Angling Society Head Bailiff, added “As a member, and former bailiff, of the Birmingham Anglers’ Association (who control several miles of the Warwickshire Avon in this area), I have learned the many moods of the river and the favoured pegs along its length. When I first moved to the area in 1990 the ecology of the river was excellent, the fishing was brilliant and early season fry would be visible in all areas. Unfortunately, there has been a noticeable decline over the years with the most significant being in the last decade. During the last few year’s fish have disappeared from known hot spots. Fry are only visible in limited locations. Excessive weed growth and algal blooms have been visible in some areas and when wading putrid smelling black sediment is evident when the riverbed is disturbed.

The Angling Trust appeared to be the only voice highlighting this growing problem. They were instrumental in maintaining participation in our sport during the COVID pandemic and genuinely have the anglers’ interest at heart, however this issue goes much further than angling.”

In early 2022 swimmers became ill and local resident Louise Bugg, inspired by the results shown on the club website, started the Avonvale River Action Group supported by Girling Angling Society. The group began measuring water quality above and below Fladbury reporting results to the WQMN Epicollect project and published on the group’s website.

“Special thanks must go to Louise Bugg for her tireless work on raising wider awareness through the recently formed Avonvale River Action Group. Louise chairs the group and has secured local newspaper and television exposure taking awareness to new levels.” ~ Andy Hammerton, Girling Angling Society Head Bailiff

Louise Bugg, Avonvale River Action Group Chair and local resident, tells us of how she got involved: “As a local resident of Fladbury and regular swimmer in the river Avon I am passionate about ensuring that our river is healthy and a safe environment for us all to enjoy.

I was contacted by a friend in the summer of 2022 as they were concerned that some children had become ill after swimming in the river. I made some contacts with local councillors, and they helped me to get in touch with the EA and Severn Trent Water to discuss the issue. I was also made aware of Girling Angling and their work with the Angling Trust WQMN. I offered to join and purchased a kit to start sampling further up the river in Fladbury and Evesham.

Since then, I have set up Avonvale River Action Group to extend the monthly sampling of the river water quality along the river Avon from Evesham to Pershore working closely with Girling Angling Society. The group will gather local data to use to raise awareness in the area but will also contribute to the Angling Trust’s WQMN national database. We are also working to raise awareness in the local community of the health of the river Avon and its importance to our environment.

We recently arranged a paddle from Evesham to Pershore to celebrate World Rivers Day gaining local and regional media coverage highlighting the issue of poor water quality of the river Avon.

In the future, we want to work together with individuals and organisations who have a responsibility for the health of the river or who have a direct impact on river water quality. We want to see positive change in the water quality of the river Avon.”