Darent CAMS
Work is completed on the Darent CAMS
The Darent valley has kept its rural identity. The upper catchment is an attractive valley between the dramatic North Downs scarp slope and the gentler lee slope of the Lower Greensand where the river is fed by a multitude of springs flowing to Sevenoaks. Near Otford, the Darent meets the Honeypot stream before heading north through the narrow valley carved through the North Downs.
Downstream of South Darenth, the character of the valley changes dramatically, as land becomes flatter and more urbanised. After meeting the Cray, the Darent winds through the Dartford and Crayford Marshes before entering the Thames Estuary.
The River Cray, and its tributary the River Shuttle, are predominately urban rivers, flowing through the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley. Close proximity to London means that a large population is dependent on the Darent and Cray, as it provides important access to water based recreation and creates an environmetal education resource.
Some of the issues that will be covered include:
- Review the water availability across the whole catchment, by taking into account the water needs of both people and the environment.
- Evaluate the present licensing strategy for the Darent & Cray catchment.
- Balance the interests public water water supply with conservation and recreation.
- Provide a greater opportunity for public involvement in the process of managing water abstraction.
If you abstract water or are interested in water use within this area, this is a great opportunity to become involved in the strategy and voice your opinions. The CAMS gives you more information on the current status of water resource availability in the catchment and proposes a management/licensing policy to imporve the sustainability of water for the future.
The map shows the Darent and Cray CAMS area. The Darent and Cray catchements reflect the nature of South East England. The industrial activity of the Thames Estuary and leafy suburbs of South East London are separated from rural Kent by broad areas of Green Belt.
Timetable
Start Development: April 2005
Stakeholder group set up: Autumn 2005
Consultation document published: Summer 2006
Final CAMS published: April 2007
Next cycle starts: April 2011
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Strategy actions (MS Word, 33KB, )
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Darent & Cray CAMS Introductory Leaflet (Acrobat, 349KB, 3 minutes )
An introductory leaflet is produced at the start of each CAMS and is designed to raise awareness about the CAMS within the catchment and of the opportunities you have to get involved. It also invites written comments on any relevant issues, information or views that you would like us to take into account during the early stages of the CAMS. - Darent and Cray CAMS
Consultation document - October 2006
Consultation Document
The CAMS consultation document describes the water resources position in the catchment, proposes local abstraction licensing policies and stategies to manage the resource in a more sustainable way.
Statement of Response
A Statement of response summarises responses to the consultation document and highlights the key issues raised.
CAMS Final Document
The Catchment Abstraction Management is the final document that sets out the licensing strategy for the catchment.
The CAMS technical document
This holds all the detailed supporting information on which the CAMS has been based. This is a large document and a version is available on CD ROM.
Contact Us
If you require more infomation, or wish to obtain a copy of this document, send an email to enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
