Tees Catchment Partnership

Your Tees catchment partnership is a collaborative partnership of organisations within the river Tees catchment.

Originally set up in 2014 to help implement the Water Framework Directive through Defra’s Catchment Based Approach (CaBA), the group’s aim is to bring together stakeholders and interested parties along the Tees to work together to protect, enhance and improve the water environment. This initiative stems from the European Water Framework directive, with the UK now committed to bring all surface and groundwater bodies into good ecological status by 2027.

The goal of the YTCP is to have 57 (65%) of waterbodies at good or higher condition by 2027. Currently only 13 (15%) are at this level.

MIGHTY TEES

The Tees catchment includes a linked network of surface (river and lake), ground, transitional (estuary) and coastal waterbodies.

76 rivers
11 lakes
1 estuary
1 coastal
4 groundwaters

In 2023 the conditions of the 87 surface water bodies:

9 Bad
18 Poor
47 Moderate
13 Good
0 High

Tees estuary waterbody is at "Moderate" due to excess nutrients and physical modifications

Tees coastal waterbody is at "Moderate" due to physical modification

Of 4 groundwater bodies; 3 are "Poor" condition, and 1 is "Good"

Michael Gant, Rainbow Photography

OUR VISIONS

01.

RIVER QUALITY

02.

Stewardship

03.

Economy

04.

Access

05.

Biodiversity

Priority themes

Education & Engagement

Improve awareness with decision makers, schools and the general public of what a good water body looks like
Improve awareness of the ecosystem provided by waterbodies
Organise an annual tees bio-blitz
support land managers in accessing new financial incentives to improve water environment