UK river quality continues to improve

The official figures for UK rivers have shown a significant improvement in overall quality with many famously polluted rivers now of good quality. There is no doubt that the new Water Framework Directive has given that extra impetus for the improvement with all agencies, landowners and other stakeholders working closely together to achieve good quality status or higher in all surface waters by 2015. Link In contrast, Irish rivers struggle to meet EU targets with EPA figures not revealing the true extent of the problem.

Otter populations in England make a comeback

The Otter (Lutra lutra)  almost become extinct in England from the mid 1950’s through to the early 1970’s due to river pollution and in particular organochlorine pesticides.  This month Environment Agency announced that the otter is now to once again to be found throughout England with 59% of traditional otter sites surveyed (2,940) now colonized compared to just 6% in 1979. Rivers in England are now the cleanest they have been for the past 20 years and with fish stocks improving recolonization of rivers by otters and salmon has been seen as the last step in the restoration of England’s rivers.  Link Otters are also very common on many Irish rivers, but as numbers of otters increase there are concerns from many fishing clubs that their restocking and restoration work is simply filling the otter’s larder!  This has led to some conflict between conservation and angling organizations.

MSc Environmental Sciences

The MSc Environmental Sciences students are spending three weeks with me doing a crash course in hydrobiology.  The 13 students are currently doing freshwater monitoring and are shown here on their third freshwater site visit.

Weil’s Disease (Leptospirosis)

Olympic rowing champion Andy Holmes died last week after contracting Weil’s disease (leptospirosis).  This tragic news highlights the risk to all those working with water and sewage, and of course those who use inland water for recreation, from this waterborne bacterial disease.  Globally up to 10 million people contract the disease each year, although the number of reported cases of the disease in the British Isles is around 100-150 people annually, with farmers, sewage workers, freshwater ecologists and water sport participants (i.e. canoeists, wind surfers and rowers) all in the high risk category.  Advice on safe working practices for those engaged in freshwater monitoring and research can be found in sections 9.2.3 and 13.6 in Water Technology.  The primary infection route for leptospirosis is through damaged skin. So no matter how minor the damage may be (e.g. scratches, rashes etc.) ensure that the area is covered by an effective waterproof barrier if there is a possibility that the skin will come into contact with water potentially contaminated with rat urine (i.e. almost all surface waters). For more information Link.