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River Ouse, Sussex
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==Ecology and wildlife== The river provides habitat for most of the species of [[Coarse fishing|coarse fish]] that can be found in Britain. It is known for the unusually large [[Brown trout|sea trout]] that migrate up the river each year to spawn.<ref name=oart/> There are also populations of [[Northern pike|pike]] and more recently [[carp]], both of which can exceed {{convert|30|lb|kg}} in weight. Other species include [[Barbel (fish species)|barbel]], [[Common roach|roach]], [[Common dace|dace]], [[Common rudd|rudd]], [[European perch|perch]], [[European chub|chub]], [[bream]] and [[tench]].<ref name=oaps>{{cite web |url=http://www.ouseaps.co.uk/coarse-fishing/ |title=Coarse fishing |publisher=Ouse Angling Preservation Society |access-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> The Sheffield and Batts Bridge tributaries have small populations of [[pumpkinseed]], which have escaped from on-line fish ponds,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cefas.co.uk/publications/posters/31810web.pdf |title=Density and Dispersal of Introduced Pumpkinseed in Small English Streams |publisher=CEFAS |year=2005 |access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref> and since 2009 a few [[Wels catfish|catfish]] have appeared in the river at and upstream of Lewes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ouseaps.co.uk/alien-species-please-read/ |title=Non-Native Species |publisher=Ouse Angling Preservation Society |access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref> Rarer breeds which inhabit the river include [[Thymallus thymallus|grayling]], [[stone loach]], [[European river lamprey|river lampreys]], and [[European bullhead|bullhead]], which are a species under threat on an international scale. The tidal stretches contain fish that can tolerate the lower levels of salt found in brackish water, including [[European flounder|flounder]], [[Mullet (fish)|grey mullet]], [[Moronidae|bass]], [[twait shad]], and [[sea lampreys]].<ref name=oart/> [[Lewes Brooks]] is a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] on the levels to the west of the river below Lewes. It covers an area of {{convert|822.8|acre|ha}}, and is noted for its wide diversity of water beetles, rare snails, flies and moths. The habitat is enhanced by a gradation in the water, which varies from fresh in the west to brackish in the east.<ref>{{cite journal|title=SSSI Citation — Lewes Brooks |publisher=Natural England |url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003002.pdf |access-date=25 April 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030112240/http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003002.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2008}}</ref> Several studies into the presence and effects of organic and inorganic pollutants in the Sussex Ouse have been carried out, including one on the effects of [[estrogen]]s entering the river from Sewage Treatment Works outfalls on the reproductive physiology of fish.{{sfn |Peck |2009 |p=1}} ===Water quality=== The Environment Agency measure the water quality of the river systems in England. Each is given an overall ecological status, which may be one of five levels: high, good, moderate, poor and bad. There are several components that are used to determine this, including biological status, which looks at the quantity and varieties of [[invertebrate]]s, [[angiosperm]]s and fish. Chemical status, which compares the concentrations of various chemicals against known safe concentrations, is rated good or fail.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/help/glossary |website=Catchment Data Explorer |title=Glossary (see Biological quality element; Chemical status; and Ecological status) |publisher=Environment Agency |access-date=15 May 2017}}</ref> Apart from the initial section from its source to Ardingly, the channel is designated as heavily modified, because of the canalisation works. The water quality of the River Ouse system was as follows in 2019. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Section !! Ecological Status !! Chemical Status !! Length !! Catchment !! Channel |- | {{waterqual_title |desc=Ouse from Slaugham to Ardingly Reservoir |asset=GB107041012730 |accessdate=17 April 2018}} | {{waterqual_mod}} | {{waterqual_fail}} | {{convert|6.9|mi}} | {{convert|14.49|sqmi}} | |- | {{waterqual_title |desc=Ouse Ardingly to confluence with Scrase Brk |asset=GB107041012720 |accessdate=17 April 2018}} | {{waterqual_mod}} | {{waterqual_fail}} | {{convert|4.5|mi}} | {{convert|4.66|sqmi}} | heavily modified |- | {{waterqual_title |desc=Middle Ouse |asset=GB107041012710 |accessdate=17 April 2018}} | {{waterqual_mod}} | {{waterqual_fail}} | {{convert|9.2|mi}} | {{convert|10.55|sqmi}} | heavily modified |- | {{waterqual_title |desc=Ouse between Isfield and Coast |asset=GB107041012560 |accessdate=17 April 2018}} | {{waterqual_mod}} | {{waterqual_fail}} | {{convert|2.4|mi}} | {{convert|0.99|sqmi}} | heavily modified |- | {{waterqual_title |desc=Ouse |asset=GB540704104900 |accessdate=17 April 2018}} | {{waterqual_mod}} | {{waterqual_fail}} | | | heavily modified |} Reasons for the quality being less than good include discharges from sewage treatment works, physical modification to the channel, which prevents the free movement of fish, and runoff from agricultural land. Like most rivers in the UK, the chemical status changed from good to fail in 2019, due to the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and mercury compounds, none of which had previously been included in the assessment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/help/usage#chemical-status |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314040920/https://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/help/usage#chemical-status |archive-date=14 March 2024 |url-status=live |title=Chemical Status |publisher=Environment Agency |year=2023}}</ref>
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