The river Frome has been the focus of interest for its importance as a SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) in the section between Dorchester and Wareham, for the presence of nationally rare invertebrate. It is protected under the Nitrates Directive and the Freshwater Fish Directive. The Upper Frome is also a Drinking Water Protected Area (Environment Agency,2011).
The catchment area extend for 454 Km2. Its chalk geology, especially in the upper Frome, has a excellent capacity of absorb and transmit rainwater, creating an important ground water supply aquifer. By contrast, downstream around Wareham, the chalk is covered in clay that isolates the aquifer from water source. This difference is as well notable in the river community. While
The catchment area extend for 454 Km2. Its chalk geology, especially in the upper Frome, has a excellent capacity of absorb and transmit rainwater, creating an important ground water supply aquifer. By contrast, downstream around Wareham, the chalk is covered in clay that isolates the aquifer from water source. This difference is as well notable in the river community. While