The 7 km stretch of the River Ribble - Literature review Example

?Land Use Effects on Water Quality at Different Sites along the River Ribble “A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving, living part of the very earth itself” Laura Gilpin A river is a lifeline of the land surrounding it. Rivers made the land fertile and paved way for civilizations to appear on their banks. In turn, the cities established on the banks of the great rivers polluted them and changed their course. But the river remains the same, still washing along all the obstacles thrown in its way. All over the world, many organizations and NGOs try their best to protect the rivers in their natural form. Several scholars have released many notable works regarding river preservation. This literature review will explore the important points stated by some of them and discover how various methods suggested by them will be useful to protect the unique nature of the river Ribble in England. River Ribble situated on the North Western part of England is an important river in the UK. River Ribble originates in the Yorkshire Dales region and flows east draining into the Irish Sea. River Ribble covers nearly 110 Km from its starting point to the joint where it merges with the Irish Sea. Five rivers - Darwen, Douglas, Calder, Hodder and Ribble - drain into the Ribble estuary. The Ribble River is home to thousands of different birds and fishes. The Ribble estuary is one of the biggest in the UK. The 7 km stretch of the River Ribble starting from Settle and lasting till Cow Bridge is considered as a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)’. The area is home to nearly 34,000 birds and numerous fishes like Atlantic salmon, crayfish and unique organisms like Eurasian otter. River Ribble is considered as one of the important wetland sites in the UK, as it is teeming with high biodiversity. The latest research conducted in 2011 suggests a large part of this 7 km stretch is rendered ‘unfavourable’ because of constant flooding and high pollution levels. As a result a fully fledged Long Preston Deeps SSSI River Restoration Plan was launched in 2010 (Natural England, 2011). Several organizations, like the EU Water Framework Directive, work with the aim of restoring the natural features of the Ribble basin as it is being polluted severely in the recent years owing to various reasons. All over the world, there are four main reasons for river basins getting polluted drastically. 1. The first major reason is sewage discharge. Human faecal discharges are a major form of water pollutant even in developed Western countries. Sewage disposal is usually released into the river in from of outfall pipes, by dumping the sewage sludge in the rivers or through the wash water which brings with it an enormous amount of animal waste and fertilizers used in the adjoining lands. Converting the marshlands close to the river into agricultural lands will increase this problem by many folds. Domestic waste, organic wastes, industrial wastes everything forms a part of this sewage. The same water is purified using chlorine in the drinking water treatment plants. Excess chlorine addition to water increases the rate of bladder and colon cancer in people drinking them for many years (Perera & Boffetta, 1988). 2. Water discharges released from cooling plants in power stations and fertilizer producing companies can alter the natural temperature of the river disturbing its habitat enormously. 3. Industrial and toxic wastes like organocholrines and radioactive wastes are dumped into the river. They make the river water poisonous reducing its quantity and aqua life severely. 4. Agriculture and horticulture use fertilizers extensively. When they are washed into the river, the natural nutrient content in the river is increased leading to the growth of harmful plants like phytoplanktons. Algal blooms also occur. They will absorb too much water for their growth killing the river eventually. Controlling intensive farming in areas very close to the river is a must to save it (Falconer et al, 2005). It is a well known fact that the effluent from the sewage treatment plants in the urban areas affects the chemistry of water in the areas close to it (Neal et al, 2008, pp 154-165). River Ribble is affected in the North West region by the agricultural fertilizers washed into it, and in the coastal regions by the horticulture industries. River Ribble is affected by three of the above four reasons along with extensive flooding during high rainfall. The river Ribble catchment has a population of nearly 1.25 million. Agriculture, horticulture and cattle rearing are quite common in the area, especially in the upland regions like Settle. Sheep farming and dairy products production are the main source of income in the rural areas. Small villages here are famous for quiet recreation providing resorts. Thousands of tourists visit the region every year to get a glimpse of rural living and enjoy a peaceful country holiday. Cattle’s rearing serves as a major business, the base of dairy industries. But, it takes its toll directly on the Ribble River. The huge number of livestock drinking water from the river pollutes it profusely with their excreta. Further, they eat everything in the upland paving way for severe soil erosion. The wastes they discharge on the land are also washed into the river because there aren't any major trees to stop them and use them as manures. The main pollutants from the rural areas in these upland farms are the limestone spillages, plastic wastes and vehicle discharges. The groundwater in the region is getting deployed quickly due to over consumption. With very few measures for rainwater harvesting, the clay soil of the Ribble area gets washed down into the river affecting the quality of the Ribble river water significantly. The people living in these areas are lately instructed to keep their cattle within fences and guard the rivers through various NGOs. They seek the cooperation of the cattle owners to plant certain trees in the widespread pasture lands as an effort to prevent the minerals from the soil being washed down completely. The public support for such measures to save River Ribble has been very positive. The Ribble River is joined by Hodder and Calder tributaries near Clitheroe. The Blackburn area depends upon the Stocks Reservoir for water largely. The Hodder River is hailed to have very good quality water so far. River Calder is the exact opposite of Hodder as it runs through urban regions and comes with extremely polluted waters from the mines and dyeing factories in the Burley and Nelson towns. Both the tributaries drain into river Ribble increasing its water quantity and decreasing its quality at the same time. Ribble was used for navigation extensively in the previous centuries. But, the construction of the Preston Dock has altered its course and made it narrower and deeper. The surrounding marshlands are now agricultural areas. They are always at higher risk of being flooded easily. The Douglas and the Crossens tributaries are also present at a relatively low altitude risking floods. Numerous birds and fishes which inhabit these areas are the risk of losing their life during such floods. Only limited measures to control the floods have been taken in all these years. The 6km region stretching up to Cow Bridge on the southern side of Settle is a flat floodplain which will get immersed when there is too much water in the river during heavy rainfall. The farmers suffered because of this but, they also gained a lot through the refreshed pastures after the flood has drained. A huge drainage ditch called the Back cut was formed in 1815 and its embankments were raised to prevent the floods in 1858. But the results were very limited (Long Preston wet Grassland Project, n.d). The susceptibility for a river to get polluted depends upon its water quantity and quality. The effect is 'bidirectional'. If there is good quality water available in large quantity, cities get established on its banks easily and, hence, the pollution rate of the river is also quite high. Farm discharges serve as the major form of pollutants in rivers like Ribble where most of its banks are surrounded by rural areas (U.S. EPA, 2012). Link between Land Usage and Water Quality in the Ribble River Water quality testing has been done on the river Ribble basin many times. A study named ‘Predicting faecal indicator fluxes using digital land use data in the UK's sentinel Water Framework Directive catchment: The Ribble study’ was done about the sewage and drainage systems on River Ribble. It suggests there is a substantially high amount of faecal indicator organisms in the river in urban areas. The study observed the 'catchment-derived' indications of the faecal indicators directly at the sewage diffusing sources. This water research checked the direct relationship between the land usage and the pollution level by measuring the faecal indicator organism levels in various areas along the Ribble River. It checked for the occurrence of such organisms on the surface waters of large drainage basins linked to many urban cities, surface waters in rural areas and deep waters in horticulture oriented areas. They compared it with the source water and the water in deep jungle areas with very little pollution. The study observed nearly 41 different areas along the river course measuring the availability of bacteria like Coliforms, Escherichia coli and Enterococci. They observed the selected locations over a 44 day period and reported there is a significant relationship between the land usage and the water quality (Kay et al, 2005). The quality of the water in the River Ribble changes with season. It is brown in summer because it passes through peat moss. The water is much clearer during the winter season (Loudon et al, 1834). The tests done take into account such seasonal verifications and selected a particular period of time, where there are no such natural alterations. Faecal indicator organisms like Escherichia Coli and thermotolerant coliform do not grow on natural free flowing waters. They are present only in human faeces (WHO, 2001). They enter the river through sewage discharges. If their number is found beyond the permissible level in any river, proper water treatment methods should be implemented immediately to save the natural habitat of the river. Another study entitled 'Predicting River Water Quality across North West England using Catchment Characteristics' covering nearly 19 regions in the UK exploring the link between the land usage and the quality of water in the rivers was published in the Journal of Hydrology. It checked the level of Calcium, Magnesium, Nitrate, Orthophosphate and suspended solid (SS) concentrations in the river beds and the nature of effluents discharged into them from the land (Rothwell et al, 2009). Their report on the Ribble River is as shown below. The study indicates that the SS level in the Ribble River is linked directly with the urbanization on its banks. The 'anthropogenic' items are responsible for washing out the clay soil on the banks of the river into the water body. The pH level in various rivers across the UK varied considerably in link to its urbanization. The study suggests the high calcium and magnesium level present in the rivers are linked directly to the weathering of soil (Robson and Neal, 1997, pp 15- 37). Weathering of soil is the process through which the small rocks and minerals in the area are broken down due to pressure. When a city is built around a river, weathering occurs in massive scale because new buildings are built and the infrastructure of the place is changed completely. Improved grasslands and the concentration of calcium also have a direct link. Leaching of calcium from huge pastures using fertilizers extensively leads to soil acidification (Price, 2003). As a result, the minerals and clay deposited by the river for centuries in the land get washed down easily during rainfall back into the river water. This is not good for the river as well the land. The earth loses its essential mineral contents making it barren and incapable of growing plants or supporting life forms. On the other hand, the river is affected by too much minerals as its nutrition content is increased giving way for algal bloom, affecting the natural biodiversity of the river. Some of the species found in the River Ribble like the white clawed crayfish and Otter are capable of surviving only in very clean water. The increased weathering of soil from the nearby and the change in the chemical compositions of River Ribble prove drastic for them. Imagine living in an atmosphere filled with anthrax germs. How fearful and weak it will render humans pushing us towards slow death. The Otters face the same plight because of humans altering the natural course of the land. Similar studies have been conducted in other North West regions like Scotland. Ferrier's experiments observed the Scottish as well as England and Wales rivers from 1974 to 1995. It proved the ammonium and orthophosphate levels in the soil were directly linked to urbanization of the catchment area (Ferrier et al, 2001, pp 327 - 342). They also proved there is a strong link between urbanization and the suspended soils in the Scottish rivers. A study named ‘Predicting sediment inputs to aquatic ecosystems across England and Wales under current environmental conditions’ was conducted in England and Wales. The study used the PSYCHIC method to predict the loss of diffuse agricultural sediments (Collins et al, 2008, pp 281 - 295). It concluded urban sediment suspension takes place as a mix of sewage and industrial wastes, and diffusions from harmful industries. Nearly all the rivers which serve as a source in providing fresh water to the Irish Sea are affected by the changing lifestyles and the increased use of chemicals in our day to day life. River Ribble is no exclusion. Other Problems Linked To Land Usage Urbanization is not the only issue. Extensive use of agriculture on the adjoining marshlands of the river is also a great area of concern. It is a known fact that the course of the river had been altered due to various reasons in the past centuries. Some areas which were linked closely to the river got drained in such processes. Houses were built on them and many such hectares of land are used for agriculture and rearing fish. These areas constitute a very sensitive ecological area. Using too many fertilizers on them affects the groundwater level drastically. Draining them fully also alters the pressure on the adjacent rivers. The river will naturally take its old path when there is excess water or heavy rainfall, by overflowing into these areas. Efficient and sustainable means to curb flooding during such situations without harming the course of the river drastically should be discovered. Discovering uncontrolled development in such areas is also a must (Falconer et al, 2005). Various Projects Undertaken To Improve the River Ribble There is ample proof for linking land usage and the quality of water in the River Ribble. Various researches express concern over the fact that the studies do little to eliminate the problem effectively. Hence, the government and the environmental agencies in the region started to undertake various measures to safeguard their river. There has been a significant increase in the public awareness about the issues concerned with the Ribble River basin and the hydro environmental issues in general. The UK government aims at making the best use of this awareness to create public responsibility and gather funds for supportive activities to improve the Ribble river basin. The Water Framework Directive, is considered as a landmark legislation drafted by the European Commission. It aims at making all the inland water bodies reach a 'good status' with permissible levels of pollution by 2015. The framework clearly defines achievable targets to do the same. They plan to do the same by reducing the pollutants entering the rivers, creating sustainable means of water usage for rearing cattle and agriculture, controlling floods and educating people whenever the pollution level rises to such an extent it can affect the ecosystems of the public directly (Environmental Agency, 2007). The Ribble is one among the nineteen basins selected to carry out the process. Ribble river basin is observed with lots of interest because many scholars believe it can be converted into a 'buffer zone' where the public can enjoy recreation without harming the natural environment. “Protecting these areas usually has a disproportionately large effect on water quality and should be a priority in any development planning” (Frankenberger, 2005). The site serves as an ideal location for many different projects. Most of the areas along the Ribble are rural areas, with a few urban cities like Preston and Blackburn and Blackpool (Merry Basin Campaign, n.d). The National Waterways Renaissance Award was presented to the team working to improve the Ribble over 1 Km area near Settle at Long Preston Deeps (Environment Agency, 2012). Several organizations including the RSPB, Ribble rivers Trust and local landowners in the area worked together to improve 1 Km area of the river. They created a natural environment and prevented pollutants from the land entering the river effectively. They removed the various embankments which were built breaching the EPA laws and build new ones which connected river Ribble to its natural flood plain. The project had restored the river to its natural format by preventing cattle using the river through fencing, planting numerous trees along the bank and deepening the river wherever necessary allowing more rain water to flow rather than flooding. The Civil engineers society suggested using boulders in the upland areas to harvest the rainwater and prevent the wash water entering the rivers directly (ICE, 2001). The idea is under concern still. Various sustainable methods used by the indigenous people and the societies in other part of the world are being studied closely to select a good practice suitable for the Ribble area and follow the same. The industrial estates in the areas are advised to use modern methods to clean their polluted water, recycle and use them within the campus instead of discharging them directly on the river. An organization called the Ribble Life Project Team aims at educating the locals and the future generation regarding the problems that might occur due to sewage draining from the urban areas into the river. They arrange field trips for school children to visit the river. They educate them regarding the various issues in the river starting from the occurrence of invasive species to increase of faecal indicator organisms in the river. They release monthly newsletters which serve as a valuable guide for river preservation organizations. They also take up regular river cleaning activities with the help of local villagers (Ribble Life, 2012). The damage done to the river in accordance to the urbanization has been proved with empirical data. The measures listed above are certainly not enough to tackle the problem fully. Extensive research should be done on river preservation and the conservation of River Ribble in particular. A balanced program which safeguards the rivers with the use of latest technologies like they do in Germany should be introduced in the area. Preserving a river is preserving one’s own life source. Letting it go dry or killing it is similar to digging our own grave. References Collins, A.L., & Anthony, S.G., 2008, 'Predicting sediment inputs to aquatic ecosystems across England and Wales due to current environmental conditions’, Elsevier Ltd, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://pubget.com/paper/pgtmp_2dbb06cf-dc7b-e113-5dd9-e6e72134b633/Predicting_sediment_inputs_to_aquatic_ecosystems_across_England_and_Wales_under_current_environmental_conditionsv Environmental Agency, 2007, Managing the Water Environment Together, Integrated Catchment Management Plan for the Ribble. Environmental Agency 2012, National recognition for the River Ribble, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/140054.aspx Ferrier R.C., Edwards, A.C., Hurst, D., Littlewood, I.G., Watts, C.D., & Morris, R. W., 'Quality of Scottish rivers: spatial and temporal trends', Science of the Total Environment, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://libra.msra.cn/Publication/40666239/water-quality-of-scottish-rivers-spatial-and-temporal-trends Frankenberger, J 2005, Land Use & Water Quality, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from https://engineering.purdue.edu/SafeWater/watershed/landuse.html#pollution. Falconer, R, Lin, B & Harpin, R, 2005, ‘Environmental Modelling in River Basin Management’, Journal of River Basin Management, Vol. 3, No. 3, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://www.academia.edu/1335579/Environmental_modelling_in_river_basin_management Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), 2001, ‘Learning to Live with Rivers. Final Report of the Institution of Civil Engineers’, London. Loudon, J.C., G. F.L & Mehr, 1834, ‘Natural History and Political Impropriation of the Salmon Fish’, The Magazine of Natural History, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://www.archive.org/stream/magazineofnatura07londuoft/magazineofnatura07londuoft_djvu.txt Kay, D., Wyer, M., Crowther, J., Staple, C., Bradford, M., McDonald., Greaves, J., Francis, C., & Watkins, J., 2005, 'Predicting faecal indicator fluxes using digital land use data in the UK's sentinel Water Framework Directive catchment: The Ribble study', Water Research, Vol. 39, Issue. 16. 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Ribble Life 2012, Ribble Life project update, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://www.ribblelife.org/sites/default/files/pages/files/Ribble%20Life%20e-bulletin%20Feb%202012.pdf Rothwell, J.J., Dise, N. B., Taylor, K.G., Allott, T.E.H., Scholefield, P, Davies, H & Neal, C., 2009, 'Predicting River Water Quality across North West England using Catchment Characteristics', Journal of Hydrology, UK. Robson, A.J., & Neal, C., 1997, ‘A summary of regional water quality for eastern UK rivers’, Institute of Hydrology, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896979605351X U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2012, Land Use Impacts on Water, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/toolwq.htm WHO, 2001, 'Water quality: Guidelines, standards and health: assessment of risk and risk management for water-related infectious disease', IWA Publishing, Retrieved January 11, 2013 from http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/whoiwa/en/ Read More