Water: Quality and Quantity
Without good water quality and of course quantity, there will be a breakdown of the food chain from which stems the diversity of species that live in and above the waters of the Wye and Usk. You would imagine that the remote and wild areas from which the Wye and Usk emanate would be free from the effects of pollution that has blighted the industrial rivers of South Wales and parts of northern England. Unfortunately this is not the case.
Acid rain and land use changes pose insidious threats to our rivers that can be just as serious. The mechanisms are complicated and these links take you through the whole range of problems related to water itself, as well as dealing with the solutions:
The Anglers Conservation Association is a prime mover in bringing about water quality improvements. Using common law, which requires a much lower burden of proof, claims for damages are brought against polluters or their insurers, making it uneconomic to continue damaging the watery environment.
