River Mole on the future cleanliness of the Mole was had by the House of Lords involving a member of the South-East Strategic Committee, of the Thames Conservancy (succeeded by the Environment Agency) and four others. In this it was said "...I can see no future for [The Mole]. The Mole Valley has been polluted. The Mole where I used to tickle trout in my youth is a drain, and it will remain a drain." Rebuttals included that the Mole is a "charming Surrey steam" and "If Lord Lytton went to fish in the River Mole—and there are still angling clubs there—he
River Mole fast swimming mayflies and riffle beetles. The beautiful demoiselle ("Calopteryx virgo") disappeared from the River Mole during the 1960s owing to deteriorating water quality, but has since recolonised. The white-legged damselfly ("Platycnemis pennipes") is also found along the river and the downy emerald ("Cordulia aenea") is found between Box Hill and Leatherhead. The Mole is one of only three locations in England where the river shingle beetle ("Meotica anglica") is found. A nationally scarce species which is locally common on the River Mole is the greater dodder ("Cuscuta europaea"). The Mole catchment area includes twelve Sites of Special Scientific Interest