LOWER parts of the River Teifi have failed to achieve stricter targets for phosphate levels which have been set for Wales’ rivers. A report has been published by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) outlining phosphate levels for all river Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) across Wales. There are nine river SACs in Wales – Cleddau, Eden, Gwyrfai, Teifi, Tywi, Glaslyn, Dee, Usk and Wye – which support some of Wales’ most special wildlife like Atlantic salmon, freshwater pearl mussel, white-clawed crayfish and floating water-plantain. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) recommended that UK nature conservation organisations adopt tighter targets after considering new evidence about the environmental impacts of phosphate.
PARTS of the River Wye and Usk have failed to reach phosphate testing standards, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has said. For the first time since stricter targets for phosphate levels were set for Wales’ rivers, NRW on Thursday published an evidence package outlining phosphate levels for all river Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) across Wales. There are nine river SACs in Wales – Cleddau, Eden, Gwyrfai, Teifi, Tywi, Glaslyn, Dee, Usk and Wye. These rivers support some of Wales’ most special wildlife like Atlantic salmon, freshwater pearl mussel, white-clawed crayfish and floating water-plantain. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) recommended that UK nature conservation organisations adopt tighter targets after considering new evidence about the environmental impacts of phosphate. In addition, the predicted warmer and drier weather resulting from climate change could reduce river flows during the summer, and so increase phosphate concentrations.
INTENSIVE poultry units being built in Powys are just one of many reasons that could be contributing to failing phosphate levels in the River Wye, Natural Resources Wales has said. Phosphorus pollution is known to cause the process of eutrophication in rivers, a highly problematic issue that causes excessive growth of algae, which smothers and blocks out light for other aquatic plants and animals. The data shows that, because of stretching new targets, over 60 per cent of the River Wye and its catchments fail against new targets set. But the review has not found evidence that chicken farms are directly responsible for the change.