Agenda item

We received a report regarding an update on the River Wye.

In doing so, the following information was noted:

·          Natural England recently updated the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) condition assessment for the River Wye Special Area of Conservation (SAC) from ‘unfavourable recovering’ to ‘unfavourable declining’ due to a decline in key wildlife species.

·          There remains widespread concern about high nutrient and pollution levels in the Wye catchment. The main excess nutrient that is causing concern is phosphate.

·          With the recent hot weather, Environment Agency (EA) monitoring equipment (sondes) located along the river Wye have shown water temperatures that can be injurious and potentially lethal to salmon.

·          There has recently been a bloom of brown algae in the River Wye in Herefordshire.

·          Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey met local farmers, councillors, environmental groups, MPs and Welsh Government Members in Hereford in late May 2023 to discuss actions to improve the state of the River Wye.

·          The Wye Catchment Partnership is meeting on 4^th July 2023 and will investigate opportunities for a Landscape Recovery bid for the River Wye.

·          A Swansea University PhD student will be on placement with the AONB Unit for five weeks in late summer researching their thesis ‘Water as a contested space - Improving the quality of our rivers’.

·          The AONB Unit continues to manage partnership projects and collaborative initiatives including through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme and the Wye Invasive Species Programme, to support farmers and land-managers in and around the AONB.

Having received the report, the following points were noted:

• In response to a question raised regarding whether the National Government is providing emergency funding to address the decline in the river Wye, it was noted that this matter would be raised at the Wye Catchment Partnership meeting on 4^th July 2023.

• Local people are concerned at the lack of action being undertaken by National Government to improve the condition of the river Wye.  A committed programme of work is required over the next ten years to address this matter.

• Parish Councils are concerned regarding the quality of the drinking water coming from the river Wye following treatment. It was considered that the Environment Agency and Ofwat should be ensuring that Severn Trent Water is providing high quality drinking water from the river Wye.

• Forest of Dean District Council Cabinet will contact Severn Trent Water regarding the quality of the drinking water from the river Wye.

• In response to a question raised, it was noted that two Herefordshire Council representatives will be attending the Wye Catchment Partnership meeting on 4^th July 2023.

• The Committee was aware of the limitations in the Landscape Recovery bid. However, this year’s bid will focus on a workable area within the catchment.

• The PHD student will be on placement with the AONB unit for five weeks in the summer. The Committee looks forward to seeing the outcome of the study in due course.

We resolved:

(i)            to support a proposed Landscape Recovery bid for the River Wye by the Wye Catchment Partnership.

(ii)          to welcome the PhD placement with the AONB Unit on ‘Water as a contested space - Improving the quality of our rivers’.