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Current status of Orkney and Shetland’s water environment

This section summarises the condition of the water environment in Orkney and Shetland, and the key pressures and impacts that we need to address.

In general, the classification of surface water bodies describes by how much their condition, or status, differs from near natural conditions. Water bodies in a near natural condition are at high ecological status. Those whose ecological quality has been severely damaged are at bad ecological status.

In 2008, 90% of water bodies in Orkney and Shetland were classified as being at good or high ecological status. This plan aims to maintain this good or high status and to secure improvements to water bodies which are at less than good ecological status.

The current condition of the water environment

The water environment includes all rivers, lochs, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater. It also includes all the wetlands that depend on surface waters or groundwater for their water needs.

The environmental quality and natural characteristics of surface waters and groundwater vary widely. To reflect this variation, SEPA has divided these waters into 55 surface water bodies and 14 groundwaters in Orkney, and 87 surface water bodies and 13 groundwater bodies in Shetland. All are shown in Map 2a below. Classifying the condition of each water body provides a picture of where the water environment is in good condition and where improvements need to be made.

The results for Orkney and Shetland show that the majority of water bodies are at good or high ecological status. 86% are at good or high ecological status in Orkney, and 93% are at good or high ecological status in Shetland (see Tables 2a–2c and Maps 2a and 2b below).

In Orkney and Shetland a small number of surface water bodies (four in Orkney, one in Shetland) have been substantially changed in character for important purposes such as flood protection, hydropower generation, navigation, land drainage or water storage for drinking water supply. These are known as heavily modified water bodies (HMWBs) – examples include Kirkwall Lagoon (Peerie Sea) in Orkney and the Burn of Mailand/Caldback in Shetland. The classification of heavily modified water bodies describes their ‘ecological potential’. This is a measure of the extent to which each water body’s ecological quality has been maximised, given the limits imposed by the physical modifications necessary for its use. All the HMWBs in Orkney and Shetland are at good ecological potential.

The classification of groundwater bodies describes whether or not they are polluted and whether or not the volume of any water being abstracted from them is sustainable without significant impacts on rivers or wetlands that depend on the groundwater. Unlike the five status classes applying to surface waters, two classes are used to describe the status of groundwater: good and poor.

Map 2a: Classification of surface water bodies in Orkney and Shetland, 2008 (click for larger image) ^[5]

Map 2b: Classification of groundwater bodies in the Scotland river basin district, 2008 (click for larger image)

Protected areas

Many water bodies are also part of protected areas. The objectives for these include any additional protection needed to achieve the purposes for which the protected area was established. Protected areas include waters that:

• support economically significant shellfish;
  
• provide water for human consumption;
  
• are designated as bathing waters;
  
• support species or habitats identified as requiring special protection under European legislation;
  
• support freshwater fish;
  
• are sensitive to nutrient enrichment.

Support economically important shellfish

There are 16 Shellfish Waters in Shetland and two in Orkney, all of which meet the required mandatory standards. However, further work will be required in six of these^[6] in order to meet all guideline values under the Shellfish Waters Directive^[7]. Table 3 shows the expected timescales for improvement.

Provide water for human consumption

There are 24 Drinking Water Protected Areas in Orkney and 30 in Shetland. All are meeting their current standards with none at risk of deterioration. Drinking Water Protected Areas are currently under review and any changes to designations will be reflected in updates of this plan.

Support species or habitats identified as requiring special protection under European legislation

Orkney has six Special Areas of Conservation and 12 Special Protection Areas with water dependent features, and Shetland has nine Special Areas of Conservation and 12 Special Protection Areas^[8] with water dependent features. All of these are currently achieving the goals for which they were established. More information on specific sites is available at: www.snh.org.uk/snhi/

Support freshwater fish

The Loch of Stenness in Orkney, is designated as a freshwater fish area, and achieves the relevant standards.

Protect water which is nutrient sensitive

Loch of Harray in Orkney, is protected under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. All discharges into it are subject to the appropriate level of treatment.

Pressures and risks

The main reasons for not achieving good ecological status across the main catchments in the area are described as pressures. The key pressures affecting Orkney and Shetland are:

Orkney

• Nutrient enrichment from diffuse source pollution is a pressure in the Loch of Stenness and Orkney coastal catchments, with the Burn of Hourston, Voy Burn, Loch of Harray, Burn of Boardhouse, Loch of Swannay and Bay of Ireland affected. Diffuse source pollution is also a pressure on five coastal water bodies, although these are currently at good status^[9].
  
• Alterations to beds and banks, such as straightening, channelisation and realignment for agricultural use affects six burns (Hourston,Tormiston, Voy, Netherbrough, Corrigall and Swannay) in the Loch of Stenness and Orkney coastal catchments. The beds and banks of the Suso Burn have been altered for aquaculture and commercial fishing.
  
• Abstraction and flow regulation for drinking water supply is a pressure on the Burn of Boardhouse, Heldale Water and Loch of Kirbister.
  
• Point source pollution from sewage treatment is a pressure on the Loch of Stenness catchment and coastal waters around Scapa Flow.

Shetland

• The Loch of Spiggie and Burn of Weisdale are affected by diffuse pollution from surrounding land-use, while Bressay Sound and Scalloway coastal waters are downgraded because of diffuse source pollution from marine transport.
  
• Diffuse pollution related to sewage disposal and farming affects 11 Shellfish Waters^[10] around Shetland, although these areas pass all mandatory standards.
  
• Abstraction and flow regulation for drinking water supply has downgraded the status of the Burn of Roerwater, while it is noted as a pressure on the Burns of Mailand and Caldback (although these are at good ecological potential).
  
• The Burn of Laxobigging is classified as poor status because of a barrier to fish migration.
  
• Point source pollution from sewage disposal affects four Shellfish Waters (Mid Yell Voe, Vaila Sound, Whale Firth and Busta Voe), and coastal waters at Sullom Voe and Sumburgh (although these remain at good ecological status).

The above list does not include all impacts, and there are other issues that will also need to be addressed through river basin management planning. For example, recording the presence of invasive non-native species and implementing the work outlined in the invasive non-native species implementation plan at a local level will be part of the group work plan in the future^[11].

Improving the water environment for the future

Objectives for improving the water environment

The water environment in Orkney and Shetland is generally of a very high quality. The task now is to build on this achievement: the overall goal of the Scotland RBMP is for 98% of water bodies to be at good or high ecological status by 2027. In both Orkney and Shetland, the aim is for 100% of water bodies to reach good or high ecological status by 2027. To achieve that, all water bodies will be protected from deterioration and action will be taken to enhance and restore those at less than good ecological status.

Restoring waters to good ecological status will take time, so improvements have been prioritised over the three river basin planning cycles until 2027. Comprehensive reviews of progress will be undertaken during each period and will be reported in updates of this plan.

Tables 4a–4c describe how improvements to the water environment will be phased in Orkney and Shetland, and these improvements are shown in Map 3. The phasing has been designed so that the pace of improvement provides the time needed to develop and implement the necessary solutions and to make the required investments and adjustments without creating disproportionate financial burdens.                                                                                         

Map 3: Planned improvement for Orkney and Shetland, 2015–2027 (click for larger image)

2. Bodies of groundwater are classed as either of good status or poor status.
3. Bodies of groundwater are classed as either good status or poor status.
4. Note: This table differs from the classification data given in the 2009 RBMP for the Scotland river basin district. Data on coastal water bodies around Shetland was reviewed in March 2010, and this resulted in some coastal water bodies being changed from ‘good’ to ‘high’ ecological status.
5. Bodies of groundwater are classed as either good status or poor status.
6. Note: This map differs from the classification map shown in the 2009 RBMP for the Scotland river basin district. Data on coastal water bodies around Shetland was reviewed in March 2010, and this resulted in some coastal water bodies being changed from ‘good’ to ‘high’ ecological status.
7. Shellfish Waters which did not meet all guide values on 2006–2008 combined data assessment were:
   Orkney: Bay of Ireland
   Shetland: Colla Firth, Mid Yell Voe, Vaila Sound, Dales Voe, Whalefirth
8. The Shellfish Waters Directive will be repealed in 2013, but at least the same protection of economically important shellfish will be achieved through river basin management planning objectives of protecting and improving the ecological quality of the water bodies concerned. More detail is available in the river basin management plan for the Scotland river basin district.
9. Figures are given for SACs and SPAs that have water dependant features and where these features are affected by Water Framework Directive-relevant pressures.
10. Burgh Head to Mull Head, Kirkwall, Start Point to Burgh Head, Noup Head to Start Point, Kirkwall Lagoon.
11. Wadbister Voe, Whale Firth, Basta Voe (Yell), Dales Voe, Mid Yell Voe, Busta Voe, Vaila Sound, Cat Firth, Colla Firth, Ronas Voe, Gruting Voe.
12. Further information on invasive non native species can be found in the RBMP for the Scotland river basin district. Information on this pressure is improving, and a national implementation plan is being prepared.