Improvement programme to achieve Guideline values under Article 5 of the Directive

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1 CATCHMENT POLLUTION REDUCTION PROGRAMMES UNDER DIRECTIVE 78/659/EEC ON THE QUALITY OF FRESH WATERS NEEDING PROTECTION OR IMPROVEMENT IN ORDER TO SUPPORT FISH LIFE Improvement programme to achieve Guideline values under Article 5 of the Directive RIVER FORTH AND FORTH ESTUARY CATCHMENTS Monitoring Years: 1. CATCHMENT DETAILS The River Forth and Forth Estuary catchments cover an area of 3600km 2 and the majority of waters are designated under the Directive. Table 1 shows details of the sampling points covered by this programme. Table 1 Details of sampling points SOEnvD Ref No Sampling point NGR SEPA Location Code Site Name Waterbody Name SEPA Waterbody ID SEPA Catchment No Fish Class 404 NS Mary Bridge Black Devon Salmonid 408 NS Bridge of Allan Allan Water Salmonid 409 NN Bridge Of Teith, Doune River Teith Salmonid 411 NS Steuarthall Bannock Burn Salmonid 423 NT West Barns Biel Water Salmonid 426 NT Hermiston Union Canal 8 61 Cyprinid 427 NS Lock 17 Forth and Clyde Canal 3 58 Cyprinid 430 NS Craigforth River Forth Salmonid 432 NS Carron Bridge River Carron Salmonid 436 NS Cambus New Bridge River Devon Salmonid 438 NT Anderson Place Water of Leith Salmonid 439 NN NN Loch Lubnaig Outlet Loch Venachar Outflow River Leny Salmonid Eas Gobhain Salmonid 441 NS Cobleland River Forth Salmonid

2 2. CATCHMENT DESCRIPTION The catchments within the River Forth and Forth Estuary cover an area greater than 3600km 2, and a map is shown in Figure 1. The area can be split into two distinct sections; i) the River Forth drainage basin and ii) those catchments that drain into the southern side of the Forth Estuary. River Forth The River Forth rises in the north-western part of the area which is part of the Loch Lomand and Trossachs National Park and contains the slopes of mountains Ben More and Ben Lomond, and the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. The major rivers in the area are the Forth, Teith, Bannock Burn, Devon and Black Devon. The headwaters are dominated by heather moorland, coniferous and semi-natural woodland with some agricultural activity, and a number of lochs including Lochs Ard, Venacher, Achray, Katrine and Voil. In the middle and lower reaches land use is predominantly agriculture (particularly arable farming), along with urbanised areas such as Stirling and Alloa. There are a number of designated areas in the Forth catchment, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) at Ben More in the northern part and Ben Lomond and Ben An in the west. Flanders Moss, 10 miles west of Stirling, is an area designated as a SSSI and National Nature Reserve (NNR) as a remnant of one of the largest lowland bogs in Britain. South Tayside Goose Roosts is a designated Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site in the north-eastern part of the catchment. The solid geology in the upper Forth catchment is composed of psammitic and pelitic greywackes, some of which are volcanic. In northern parts sandstone is predominant that becomes interbedded with siltstone further south, and to the east extrusive rocks with sandstone, siltstone, mudstone and some coal seams are present. Drift till deposits are present in the mid and eastern parts of the catchment, and sands and gravels are found throughout the lowland valleys. The River Forth catchment is generally of excellent or good water quality throughout the area, with just a few stretches of fair quality. Forth Estuary The catchments along the southern side of the Forth Estuary include the major rivers Carron, Avon, Almond, Water of Leith and Biel Water. These areas are low lying and are more urbanised and industrialised than the River Forth catchment itself. Consequently, dominant land uses are agriculture and built up areas. The eastern catchments are designated under the Nitrates Directive as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone for surface and groundwater, reflecting the dominant land use of arable farming. There are a few small areas of SSSI designations, including Denny Muir in the Carron Valley, Cobbinshaw Moss in the headwaters of the River Almond, and Rammer Cleugh in the eastern parts. The coastal area to the north of Dunbar is designated under both the Bathing and Shellfish Waters Directives. Solid geology is predominantly interbedded sandstone and argillaceous rocks, with siltstone, mudstone, some coal seams, ironstones and limestones. Till is spread throughout the area, with some sands and gravels and alluvium deposits associated with the major rivers.

3 km River Forth and Forth Estuary 439 Legend ST ANDREWS Sampling Points (SOEnvD No.) STIRLING Baseline River Waterbodies Baseline Loch Waterbodies Main Urban Areas FALKIRK LIVINGSTON 426 EDINBURGH Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Some features of this map are based on digital spatial data licensed from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology CEH. Includes material based upon Ordnance Survey mapping with permission of H.M. Stationery Office, Crown copyright. All rights reserved. SEPA Licence (2008). Figure 1 River Forth and Forth Estuary catchments

4 Water quality to the south of the Forth Estuary is generally of good, fair or poor quality. This is due in part to the highly urbanised and industrialised nature of the area, particularly between Stirling and Edinburgh, and their associated point and diffuse urban pollution problems. Agricultural diffuse pollution is the other main cause of downgrading, particularly in the upper catchments. The Forth and Clyde Canal runs eastwards directly through the Forth Estuary catchments, whilst the Union Canal starts in Edinburgh and joins the Forth/Clyde system at Falkirk. These canals have two cyprinid water sampling points within this catchment. Sites that fall within the catchments of the River Tyne and the Rivers North and South Esk in the Lothians have not been included in this report, and separate improvement plans have been written for these catchments. 3. COMPLIANCE Waters throughout the catchment are identified as salmonid waters as described in Directive apart from two sites on the canal. Many discharge improvements have been carried out in the catchment, and during all monitoring sites met all imperative standards as specified in the Directive. Table 2 shows those sites in the catchment that fail to comply fully with the Directive guideline values. Table 2 Sites not respecting guideline values SOEnD Ref. Site Name Watercourse Parameter(s) Year Failed 404 Mary Bridge Black Devon BOD5 408 Bridge of Allan Allan Water 409 Bridge of Teith, Doune River Teith 411 Steuarthall Bannock Burn 423 West Barns Biel Water BOD5 426 Hermiston Union Canal Dissolved oxygen 427 Lock 17 Forth and Clyde Canal Dissolved Oxygen 430 Craigforth River Forth 432 Carron Bridge River Carron 436 Cambus New Bridge River Devon BOD , , ,

5 438 Anderson Place Water of Leith BOD5 439 Loch Lubnaig Outlet 2005 River Leny Cobleland River Forth CAUSATIVE FACTORS As can be seen from Table 2, the majority of guideline failures are due to nitrites or total ammonia, reflecting the significant influence of diffuse agricultural pollution in the Forth Estuary catchments. Urban and industrial diffuse pollution is also a factor such as in the Water of Leith catchment, as well as disused mines. Point source pollution from Sewage Treatment Works (STWs) and Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) can be an issue in certain locations, particularly in highly urbanised areas such as Edinburgh. The eastern Forth Estuary catchments are predominantly agricultural, and can be significantly impacted by abstractions for irrigation. This puts watercourses in the area under severe pressure during the growing season, particularly as the east coast has a drier climate than the rest of Scotland. Additionally, despite SEPA s best efforts, land is continually cropped to the edge of burns which reduces protection from direct sunlight and decreases the distance for buffering against fertiliserenriched run-off. Watercourses can also be canalised to increase the area of land utilised, and with very little shading in places, the full impact of direct sunlight can exacerbate problems. The two sites on the canal experience low dissolved oxygen values during summer months and this is due to algal and plant blooms and decay. The canal is particularly slow flowing with little mixing, and combined with direct sunshine in the summer leads to increased water temperatures that provide ideal conditions for plant growth. 5. RECENT IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS Downgrading in the Forth catchments is generally due to diffuse agricultural sources, but mining can also cause pollution in some areas, such as the Black Devon. This catchment has experienced a reduction in mining activity over the last few years and combined with treatment facilities installed by the Coal Authority and other bodies, has meant mine water pollution has been significantly reduced. One such treatment facility is at Blairingone where a passive scheme was built in 1995 and taken over for maintenance by the Coal Authority in 2003; this scheme has been successful in improving over 1km of downgraded watercourse. A SEPA Action Plan was carried out in to review water quality data in the Black Devon, and found that agricultural activities, particularly in the upper catchment, are the main causes of diffuse pollution. Also Saline STW was identified as a significant source of pollution, although Q&S investment in 2003 resulted in enlargement of the plant and renewal of filter beds, and improvements at the inlet have decreased the number and frequency of storm sewage overflows. These works, alongside more recent improvements to process control, will help improve water quality and Directive compliance in the Black Devon. The Carron and Avon catchments were monitored for dissolved oxygen variations throughout as part of a SEPA Action Plan, and strong diurnal fluctuations were found to be closely related to dry, sunny weather when high levels of photosynthesis occurred. However at no sites did daytime DO

6 rise to very high levels indicative of eutrophication, and shading of the watercourse was found to be effective at preventing serious weed and algal blooms. A SEPA Action Plan investigated the Barbauchlaw Burn for iron sources in Three specific sources were identified above Blackridge STW, and the Coal Authority has been notified. The Avon was also the subject of an Action Plan, looking at sporadic high BOD levels. No specific point sources were found and a number of other possible factors were ruled out. Monitoring continues in case of deterioration. The quality of the Water of Leith that runs through Edinburgh was the subject of a SEPA Action Plan from Surveys identified the Longstone CSO as problematic, and this was resolved with improvements to the structure in The Hailes tip discharge into the Murray Burn, a tributary of the Water of Leith just downstream of site 426, was unsatisfactory and action was taken to divert flows to the foul sewer in Saughton Park SWO remains as the main cause of water quality downgrading in the lower catchment, and the outfall has been identified to Scottish Water for investigation as a potential sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) retrofit candidate via the Q&S III process. The Swanston Burn in south west Edinburgh was investigated in 2005 and Hunter s Tryst SWO was identified as a source of contamination. Scottish Water have since carried out investigations and remedial action and the situation was found to have improved. A long-term investigation into the effectiveness of SUDS is being carried out on the Cairnie Burn and Magdalene Burn in south east Edinburgh, where a large area of land is being developed. Once postconstruction data has been collected the effectiveness of SUDS can be analysed in terms of maintaining and improving water quality. Water quality in the canal has been improved through Wester Hailes near site 426 where the canal has been opened up. Boat traffic will help reduce weed growth which in turn will help DO problems. A SEPA Action Plan commenced in April 2009 on the East Peffer/ Cogtail Burn, which is in the east of this catchment. It aimed to ascertain sources of ammonia impacting upon these burns and take any appropriate mitigation measures and/or regulatory requirements to improve the water quality. There is also a SEPA Action Plan due to commence in April 2009 to increase awareness of possible environmental issues at industrial estates in the Livingston area. This proactive approach should help prevent pollution incidents in this area, helping to improve the water quality of nearby waterbodies. All waters within the catchment were reviewed under SEPA s South-East Area Umbrella Directives Action Plan, which included not only the FWF Directive but also Shellfish and Bathing Waters Directives. Long term data analysis was used to assist in the identification of trends or specific problems which were then targeted for action. 6. PLANNED IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS SEPA will continue to monitor the Forth and Forth Estuary catchments and undertake long-term data analysis to ensure downward trends in pollutants are maintained and to flag up any specific problems. Under Q&S III, around 60 projects in the Forth Estuary catchments have been proposed that will improve the overall water quality throughout the catchment from These include the tightening of licence conditions at treatment works, a reduction in spill frequencies of CSOs, a decrease in organic and phosphorus concentrations being discharged to rivers and retrofitting SUDS.

7 Historical investigations on the Biel Water identified two large storm water overflows from Dunbar and West Barns STWs. In accordance with the requirements of UWWTD, a new STW was commissioned at Beltonford, west of Dunbar, and this began operating in mid Blindwells Open Cast Coal Site has a discharge to a small watercourse that flows directly into the Firth of Forth to the east of Edinburgh. The Coal Authority has designed a treatment scheme and are awaiting the outcome of negotiations with other parties before work commences. A SEPA Action Plan on the West Peffer in East Lothian is investigating the links between abstraction, groundwater saline intrusion, low river flows, dilution and water quality. Site-specific measures will be recommended to address both ground and surface waters which are at risk from the associated impacts of intensive agriculture, in particular poor water and ecological quality. [c1] A SEPA Action Plan on the Braid Burn in Edinburgh is looking at the impact of Blackford tip discharge on water quality. Results of the investigation will be used in discussions with the local council on how best to deal with the discharge if problems are identified. To enable implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 (WEWS) was passed by the Scottish Executive. This Act gave Scottish ministers powers to introduce regulatory controls over activities to protect and improve the water environment. These regulatory controls, the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (CAR) came into force in April They encompass discharges of polluting matter to wetlands, surface waters and groundwaters, disposal of waste sheep dip and waste pesticides, abstractions from all wetlands, surface waters and groundwaters, impoundments of rivers, lochs, wetlands and transitional waters, and engineering works in inland waters and wetlands. These allow SEPA to regulate all abstractions over a set threshold to ensure river flows sustain aquatic ecosystems whilst allowing continued use for essential anthropogenic purposes. This is particularly important in the Forth and Forth Estuary catchments, where low flows during the summer can exacerbate temperature and dissolved oxygen problems, subsequently affecting ph and nonionised ammonia. Controls for new engineering works should also minimise any further degradation of habitat quality. However, whereas abstraction controls are retrospective, applying to abstractions already in place, engineering controls do not apply to pre-existing structures. Significant new instream works, channel and bed modifications have been regulated, helping to prevent further loss or damage to physical habitats and their associated species. The most significant issue in this catchment is tackling land management and reducing diffuse pollution inputs. SEPA has worked with farming interests and the Scottish Executive to produce and promote Codes of Good Practice to minimise diffuse pollution. The Prevention of Environmental Pollution From Agricultural Activities (PEPFAA) Code outlines the dos and don ts of farming practices. It focuses on planning tools, in field measures, river margins and the built environment. The Four Point Plan outlines dirty water management around steadings, better nutrient use, a risk assessment for manure and slurry, and managing water margins. The Forests and Water guidelines provide advice on catchment planning, site planning and the conduct of all forest operations. The Farm Soils Plan provides guidance on recognising and rectifying poor soil conditions, targeted nutrient application, preventing soil loss and protecting water quality and soils. To supplement and compliment this existing advice, guidance on Best Management Practices (BMPs) were produced by SEPA in partnership with Scottish Executive, CEH, The Macaulay Institute, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, National Farmers Union Scotland, Forestry Commission, Scottish Agricultural College, and Soil and Water Scotland. This guidance facilitates selection of sites and suitable BMPs to help mitigate diffuse pollution from agriculture in this catchment.

8 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms in 2005 decoupled subsidies to farmers from production. This means farmers receive direct support in the form of a Single Farm Payment (SFP) instead of having to produce crops or livestock to obtain subsidies. This further encourages and rewards Best Management Practices and thus should lead to future improvements in water quality. Also, the CAR regulations were amended and expanded by the Water Environment (Diffuse Pollution) (Scotland) Regulations 2008, which came into force in April Seven new General Binding Rules (GBRs) for diffuse pollution were added based on standards of good practice such as the PEPFAA Code; providing a statuary baseline of good practice. The activities covered include management of fertilisers, livestock, pesticides, sheep dips, cultivation of land, construction and maintenance of roads and tracks and discharges of surface water run-off. These new regulations should assist in reducing agricultural diffuse pollution and improve water quality throughout this catchment. The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) is a 1.6 billion programme of economic, environmental and social measures designed to develop rural Scotland over the period. To deliver environmental aspects of these measures, funding will be available through Rural Development Contracts (RDCs). RDC Land Management Options (LMOs) provide funding for some measures that can reduce diffuse pollution risk. LMOs entail a 5-year commitment but are non competitive, with each participant limited to a maximum allowance. RDC Rural Priorities is an integrated funding mechanism that will deliver targeted measures based on regional priorities. Regional priorities will be identified and agreed with local stakeholders through Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs), which will take account of local conditions and existing regional strategies. Rural Priorities is a competitive mechanism to ensure contracts are awarded to proposals best able to deliver them: as such there is no maximum allowance. Both these funding mechanisms should facilitate the ability of farmers to meet the new GBRs and implement BMPs. This should help mitigate agricultural diffuse pollution, improving water quality in this catchment and helping ensure compliance with FWF standards. Urban diffuse pollution is also being tackled through the new Water Framework Directive controls. The point source pollution regulations that came into force in April 2006 include a General Binding Rule stating that new developments must be drained by a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) or equivalent. Although this does not specifically address existing diffuse urban pollution problems, it will assist in preventing further deterioration of ecological status and water quality. However, urban redevelopment within Edinburgh and other towns will now include provision of SUDS, and this will start to remediate existing urban runoff pollution. 7. SUMMARY OF ACTIONS Action Saline STW enlargement and renewal of filter beds (Black Devon). SEPA Action Plan investigating water quality problems in the Black Devon. SEPA Action Plan investigating poor water quality in the Water of Leith catchment through Edinburgh. Deadline Completed March 2003 Completed April 2003 Completed April 2003 Hailes tip discharge in Edinburgh re-routed to foul sewer. Completed 2003 SEPA Action Plan investigating dissolved oxygen levels in the Completed April 2004

9 Carron and Avon catchments. CAP Reform regulations commence. January 2005 SEPA Action Plan investigating poor water quality in the Swanston Burn, Edinburgh. SEPA South-East Area Umbrella Directives Action Plan which includes data and trend analysis. Completed April 2005 Completed April 2005 Q&S III investment programme begins. March 2006 Regulation of point source pollution, abstractions and engineering works under the WFD begins, including the GBR on provision of SUDS for construction / development sites. SEPA Action Plan investigating iron sources on the Barbauchlaw Burn. April 2006 Completed April 2006 SEPA Action Plan investigating BOD levels on the River Avon. Completed April 2006 SEPA Action Plan investigating appropriate measures for improving the West Peffer, East Lothian April 2007 i) Develop SEPA internal Action Plan proposals where necessary to address problem areas that are highlighted from data analysis. ii) Undertake required Action Plans. i) November 2007 ii) April 2008 Completion of new STW at Dunbar. April 2008 SEPA Action Plan to assess the effectiveness of SUDS in SE Edinburgh. SEPA Action Plan to investigate the impact of Blackford tip discharge on the Braid Burn, Edinburgh Ongoing April 2008 Regulation of diffuse pollution under the WFD begins. April 2008 Production of the first River Basin Management Plans. December 2009 SEPA Action Plan to investigate elevated ammonia levels on East Peffer Burn and take appropriate remedial actions. SEPA Action Plan to raise awareness of potential environmental problems in industrial estates in the Livingston Area. Blindwells OCCS treatment scheme. April 2010 April 2010 Date being negotiated