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Biological Monitoring Working Party
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| Introduction |
BMWP scores for the locations sampled by S.O.C.S. can be viewed below: |
| River Ouse |
| East Mascalls |
| Scaynes Hill - Main river |
| Scaynes Hill - Canal Cut |
| Sheffield Park |
| Barcombe Mills |
| River Uck |
| Hempstead Mill - Uckfield |
| Bevern Stream |
| Stoneywish Country Park |
| Spatham Lane |
| Streat Lane |
| Swansyard Farm |
| Holmans railway bridge |
| Clapper's Bridge |
| North End Stream |
| Cooksbridge |
| Hamsey Road |
| Plumpton Mill Stream |
| Plumpton Mill |
| Ferrings Bridge |
| Longford Stream |
| Cinder Hill, Chailey |
| Ridgelands Lane - Newick |
| Longford Bridge |
| Pellingford Brook |
| Near Scaynes Hill |
| Scrase Stream |
| Lindfield |
| Great Bentley Stream |
| Brook Street, Cuckfield |
| Shortbridge Stream |
| Maresfield, Underhill |
| Shortbridge |
| Norlington Stream |
| Wellingham Lane |
| Lewes Winterbourne |
| Lewes Railwaylands |
| Bevern Stream, Stoneywish, Ditchling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This sample was taken a short distance downstream from where we perform chemical tests each month on the quality of the water. We intend to carry out biological tests at this site on a regular basis to monitor the long term effects that water quality has on invertebrate life in the stream. See the latest water quality test results for this location... February 2010Very low score reflects the fact that the stream dried up during the 2009 drought.
This result is worse than the recent poor sample from upstream at Shirleys. The abundance of Tubifex worms must be indicative of pollution in what should be a chalk stream. The flow rate, despite a summer of rain is also cause for concern. |
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| Location | Bevern Stream –Stoneywish Country Park, nr Ditchling. | |
| Date | 20th October 2008 | |
| Grid Reference | TQ33401537 | |
| Notes | Extremely low flow with a faint film on the water. Mainly stony riffle but with silt. Shaded. |
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| Also netted in this sample. | Empty Planorbis shell & dead Glossiphoniidae leech | |
| Biological quality rating | D. Poor biological quality | |
| Water quality rating | Poor | |
| Species | Group | BMWP Score |
| Gammaridae | Shrimp | 6 |
| Hydropsychidae | Caseless caddis | 5 |
| Elminthidae | Riffle Beetle | 5 |
| Dytiscidae | Diving beetle | 5 |
| Planariidae | Flatworm | 5 |
| Baetidae | Mayfly nymph | 4 |
| Sphaeriidae | Mussels | 3 |
| Asellidae | Hog louse | 3 |
Erpobdellidae |
Leech | 3 |
| Chironomidae | Midge larvae | 2 |
|
Oligochaeta |
Segmented worm (Tubifex) | 1 |
| Total Score | 42 | |
| ASPT (Average Score Per Taxon) | 3.8 | |
April 2008
This is a poor result for the upper reaches of a chalk stream although slightly better than the January sample when the scores were 36 & 3. Gammaridae infected with the Spiny-headed worm Echinorrhyncus. | Location | Bevern Stream –Stoneywish Country Park, nr Ditchling. | |
| Date | 22nd April 2008 | |
| Grid Reference | TQ33401537 | |
| Notes | Three minute kick sample in moderate flow of slightly turbid water over stony substrate. Shaded. Thick scum on water behind a partial log jam upstream of the sampling site. |
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| Also netted in this sample. | - | |
| Biological quality rating | D. Poor biological quality | |
| Water quality rating | Fair | |
| Species | Group | BMWP Score |
|
Polycentropidae |
Caseless caddis | 7 |
| Gammaridae | Shrimp | 6 |
| Hydropsychidae | Caseless caddis | 5 |
| Elminthidae | Riffle Beetle | 5 |
| Tipulidae | Cranefly (pupa) | 5 |
| Baetidae | Mayfly nymph | 4 |
Erpobdellidae |
Leech | 3 |
| Chironomidae | Midge larvae | 2 |
|
Tubificidae |
Segmented worm (Tubifex) | 1 |
| Total Score | 38 | |
| ASPT (Average Score Per Taxon) | 4.2 | |
January 2008
A BMWP Score of 36 is rated as poor biological quality and the ASPT as very poor. This result is difficult to explain as the site is near the headwaters of the Bevern and above the sewage outfall at Spatham Lane . The chemical tests at this site done only three days earlier were good except for an unexpectedly low dissolved oxygen concentration. | Location | Bevern Stream –Stoneywish Country Park, nr Ditchling. | |
| Date | 9th January 2008 | |
| Grid Reference | TQ33401537 | |
| Notes | Three minute kick sample in strong flow over gravel riffle. |
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| Also netted in this sample. | - | |
| Biological quality rating | D. Poor biological quality | |
| Water quality rating | Poor | |
| Species | Group | BMWP Score |
| Limnephilidae |
Caddis Fly | 7 |
| Gammaridae | Shrimp | 6 |
| Hydropsychidae | Caseless caddis | 5 |
| Haliplidae | Water Beetle larva | 5 |
| Baetidae | Mayfly nymph | 4 |
Sphaeriidae |
Mussels | 3 |
| Asellidae |
Hog Louse | 3 |
| Chironomidae | Midge larvae | 2 |
| Oligochaetae |
Round worm | 1 |
| Total Score | 36 | |
| ASPT (Average Score Per Taxon) | 4 | |
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