At the East Suffolk Catchment Plan (ESCP) workshop organised by the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust (ESRT) on 08Feb24, Alison Parnell of the Environment Agency was asked about the outcome of EA’s regular water testing programme at Waldringfield (now that it has Bathing Water status). She explained that the water quality data is gathered regularly, uploaded frequently and is publicly available online. The EA has also prepared a simple handout explaining how to access and interpret the data.

The Bathing Water Regulations 2013 set out the bathing water ‘season’, which runs from 15 May to 30 September each year. The EA is required to test for two types of bacteria, and Waldringfield is sampled twenty times a season. At the workshop, she outlined the results of water testing in 2023, and she subsequently emailed us the EA report on Waldringfield Water Quality .

The report states that an Environment Agency sample taken on 2nd September was high in bacteria, both Escherichia coli (E. Coli) and Intestinal Enterococci. Without this sample, the overall water quality classification would have been ‘Good’ for 2023. On that date, the water levels were particularly high, and the entire beach and intertidal marshland was covered by the tide, leading to potentially worse than usual water quality due to the influx of rotted vegetation and bacteria from wildlife, dogs, or livestock from the rear of the marsh and strand lines. They investigated further using Microbial Source Tracking, and the samples showed evidence for faecal pollution from seabirds, dogs, pigs and some human non-faecal sources.

However, there are many factors that affect water quality, not just these two bacterial strains, and so this analysis by the EA should be considered in the context of other research, such as that by Bill Brammar and David Findley on E. Coli and phosphate levels in the upper reaches of the river.

Strengthening Coastal Community Partnership

This year we have again secured financial support from the Environment Agency’s ‘Championing Coastal Coordination’ fund, and we are pleased to invite community organisations from across the Deben Estuary to share their experiences, learning, and engagement at this informal workshop in Woodbridge. This event – a day of short talks, focussed discussion groups, and a networking lunch – will be an opportunity for us as individuals and communities to support and learn from each other.

Drawing on the highly successful beach monitoring project by the Bawdsey and Alderton communities over the past decade, and the creation and continued development of information and action centres across the catchment, we will be exploring how we can collectively expand and contribute to a local forum that enables a healthy exchange of information between the many and varied community groups engaged in projects and campaigns across the entire estuary.

As well as the immediate learning and networking benefits, key insights from the day and the participants will provide valuable input for the new Estuary Management Plan.

RSVP with any specific food requirements by 29 February 2024 to Helene Burningham: debensoundings@gmail.com

The Deben Climate Centre (a DEP partner organisation) have today published a detailed report on E.coli and phosphate pollution in the River Deben. Written by scientists and local residents Bill Brammar PhD and David Findley PhD, it is the result of more than 12 months of sampling and testing results from 26 locations in the upper, non-tidal reaches of the River Deben.

As set out in our constitution, DEP must hold at least one public meeting each year. So our next DEP meeting (January 2024) will be open to the public.

Date and Time: 09:30 to 11:30 on 18 January 2024

Location: Deben Room, East Suffolk Council offices, Melton, Suffolk IP12 1RT

The Suffolk Coast Forum ‘takes a partnership approach to flood and coastal erosion risk management on the coast and estuaries and closely related issues in the context of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management approach’ The partner organisations include: Alde & Ore Community Partnership; Stour & Orwell Estuaries Management Group; Bawdsey Coastal Partnership; Blythe Estuary Partnership; and the Deben Estuary Partnership. Other member organisations include: Environment Agency, Natural England; Suffolk Coasts and Heaths AONB; Coastal Partnership East; Marine Management Organisation; and others. The Forum is chaired by Councillor David Bevan.

Following twelve months of river water sampling, Anglian Water will be holding a ‘Question and Answer’ session to share a summary of the year’s findings and how they propose using that data to propel any actions needed at their own treatment works and other parts of the Anglian Water networks.

The DEP, as well as other local stakeholders, has been invited to this meeting, which will take place on 14 November 2023 at the Kings Head, Woodbridge, starting at 11am.

The River Deben Association’s Autumn talk at the Woodbridge Quay Church on 26^th October 2023. Doors open at 7.00pm with the talk starting at 7.30pm.

Lord Deben has been a member of the UK Climate Change Committee for over ten years and has also held the positions of Secretary of State for the Environment and MP for Suffolk Coastal.

In a letter sent to the Prime Minister at the end of June 2023 Lord Deben, as the then chair of the Climate Change Committee, made an assessment of UK progress in reducing emissions, saying that:

• The failure to act decisively in response to the energy crisis and build on the success of hosting COP26 means that the UK has lost its clear global climate leadership.
• Inaction has been compounded by continuing support for further unnecessary investment in fossil fuels.
• The Government must act urgently to correct the failures of the past year and reclaim the UK’s clear climate leadership role.

This will be an engaging talk on a highly topical subject as well as a discussion afterwards. We look forward to an interesting evening.

The Deben Estuary Partnership will be participating in the first annual East Anglian Coast and Estuaries Conference which will take place on Thursday 12Oct23, both online and in person at Wherstead Park, Suffolk.

As well as listening to the speakers and participating in the discussions, we will have a small stand at the venue, so please come and have a chat with us – we look forward to meeting you there!

It was great to see so many of our partners, institutional advisers, and other interested parties at the General Meeting held at East Suffolk House on 21Sep23. This gathering was two meetings in one:

• a General Meeting to check that our Steering Group members were happy with the direction that the DEP was travelling, and to formally approve our (slightly revised) constitution and confirm Thomas Yeung and Colin Nicholson as Chair and Vice-Chair
• an Estuary Plan working meeting to discuss and agree the outline structure of the revised Estuary Plan, and to discuss and agree who would be best placed to contribute to each of the focus areas

The minutes of that meeting are available here, but in summary:

• the DEP constitution and Management Arrangements were formally approved and posted on the website
• Thomas Yeung and Colin Nicholson were confirmed in place as Chair and Vice-Chair
• the Sept 2023 Financial Report was reviewed and approved
• ten ‘focus areas’ (that will eventually be reflected in the structure of the revised Estuary Plan) were identified and agreed, and teams allocated to each
• we agreed that the next DEP meeting will take place on Thursday 18 January 2023 at East Suffolk House, and will be a public open meeting

The agreed Constitution and Management Arrangements have been published on the website, as well as the ten ‘focus areas’. We will list the lead person/organisation for each area once they have agreed to be named.

Transition Woodbridge and 5th Woodbridge Sea Scouts are coordinating a public River Clean on Saturday 16Sep23. Meet at the Scout hut at 12:30 – all equipment will be provided. And there is even the possibility of cake for the volunteers after the litter pick! We hope to see you there!