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Title: An investigation of the Madford River pollution incident of 29 July 1989 : November 1989
Author: National Rivers Authority South West Region
Document Type: Monograph
Annotation: EA additional title info: environmental protection report
Abstract:
On 29 July 1989 approximately 100,000 gallons of pig slurry were discharged from Westerhope Farm into the headwaters of the Madford River in East Devon. This had a significant impact on the river and in view of this and the history of pollution problems in the catchment, an environmental investigation of the Madford River sub-catchment has been undertaken. The purpose of this report is to describe the pollution event in terms of its effect on water quality, aquatic invertebrates and fish stocks and to monitor the recovery of the river. The pollution incident severely affected chemical water quality throughout much of the Madford River and to a lesser extent, the River Culm of which it is a tributary. The inpact on the River Culm was minimised by temporarily damming the Madford River near its confluence with the Bolham River and irrigating the polluted water onto nearby fields. A fish rescue was carried out upstream of the dam and oxygen injection equipment was used in an attempt to alleviate the problem of low dissolved oxygen.
Publisher: National Rivers Authority
Publication Date: 1989
Publication Place: Exeter
Subject Keywords: RiversWater pollutionAgricultural pollutionPigletsSlurryDissolved oxygen
Geographic Keywords: EA South WestEast Devon catchment
Extent: 9; + figures and tables
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:2653
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