https://restorerivers.eu/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Ian.dennis 2026-04-06T05:36:03Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.39.7 https://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=Case_study:Knepp_Rewilding_Project&diff=34649 2015-05-15T11:34:41Z

<p>Ian.dennis: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Case study status<br /> |Approval status=Approved<br /> }}<br /> {{Location<br /> |Location=50.978048644290894, -0.35923998802900314<br /> }}<br /> {{Project overview<br /> |Status=Complete<br /> |Project web site url=knepp.co.uk<br /> |Themes=Environmental flows and water resources, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Land use management - agriculture, Social benefits, Water quality<br /> |Country=England<br /> |Main contact forename=Penny<br /> |Main contact surname=Green<br /> |Main contact id=Penny Green<br /> |Contact organisation=Knepp Castle Estate<br /> |Contact organisation url=knepp.co.uk<br /> |Partner organisations=Environment Agency, Sussex Wildlife Trust, West Sussex County Council and Natural England<br /> |Multi-site=No<br /> |Project picture=View from the tree platform.JPG<br /> |Picture description=View of the river from the tree platform<br /> |Project summary=Jointly funded by Natural England and the Knepp Estate, the restoration of the upper reaches of the River Adur lies at the heart of the largest rewilding project in lowland UK. <br /> <br /> The work, carried out by the Environment Agency, has involved removing 4 weirs, returning 2.4km of canalised river to its original meanders and linking it to 5.5kms of restored floodplain upstream.<br /> <br /> It is part of a landscape-scale conservation enterprise aimed at restoring the full range of hydrological processes from the moment raindrops fall on the land, filtering through vegetation and the soil, to their passage into watercourses towards the sea.<br /> }}<br /> {{Image gallery}}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp3707.jpg<br /> |Caption=Completed works<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0132.jpg<br /> |Caption=Pre-works – canelised river with former meanders visible in floodplain<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0013.jpg<br /> |Caption=Completed works with LWD<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0257.jpg<br /> |Caption=River restoration in progress<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Remeandered_channel.JPG<br /> |Caption=Completed works<br /> }}<br /> {{Image gallery end}}<br /> {{Toggle button}}<br /> {{Toggle content start}}<br /> {{Case study subcatchment<br /> |Subcatchment=adur<br /> }}<br /> {{Site}}<br /> {{Project background<br /> |Project started=2006/01/01<br /> |Works started=2011/09/01<br /> |Works completed=2013/12/31<br /> |Project completed=2013/12/31<br /> }}<br /> {{Motivations<br /> |Specific mitigation=Barriers to fish migration, Land drainage, Impoundments (not hydropower), <br /> |Hydromorphological quality elements=Freshwater flow regime, Continuity of sediment transport, Quantity &amp; dynamics of flow, Structure &amp; condition of riparian/lake shore zones, Substrate conditions, <br /> |Biological quality elements=Fish, Invertebrates, <br /> |Other motivation=This reach of the River Adur was enlarged and diverted to the edge of the floodplain at least two hundred years ago, in an attempt to improve land drainage and allow the land to be farmed more productively. This extensive modification created a deep, uniform trapezoidal channel that supported very little flow or habitat diversity and was largely cut off from its floodplain in all but the largest floods. The extent of channel enlargement meant that flows became very low during dry summer periods, with parts of the river resembling a series of connected ponds rather than a flowing channel. A sluice and two stepped weirs were installed in an attempt to maintain depths of flow, but these impounded flows, encouraged sedimentation and limited fish passage. As a result of these modifications, natural river processes were limited and the river did not support the range of habitats that would be expected, resulting in a failure to reach Good Ecological Status under the Water Framework Directive. The main aim of the restoration project was therefore to physically modify the existing channel to restore natural river processes, reconnect the river to its floodplain, and create the conditions that are required to support a rich and varied range of habitats for plants, invertebrates and fish. The project formed part of the wider Knepp Castle Rewilding Project, which aims to produce a large scale minimal-intervention landscape.<br /> }}<br /> {{Measures<br /> |Bank and bed modifications measure=Creation of 1 km of new meandering river channel with naturally variable bed and bank profiles. Re-naturalisation of an additional 1.5 km of channel through bank reprofiling. The uniform, high banks were “pushed” into the channel to create a low flow channel with natural bank profiles that support a range of emergent and marginal habitats.<br /> |Floodplain / River corridor=The new channel has a much smaller capacity that the modified channel that it replaced, concentrating low flows and improving floodplain connectivity during periods of higher flow. Blocking and diversion of floodplain drains and creation of scrapes to retain water on the floodplain.<br /> |Planform / Channel pattern=Realignment of 1km river channel to its former naturally meandering course.<br /> |Other technical measure=Removal of four obsolete in-channel structures to restore natural flow and sediment transport processes and allow the free passage of fish. Creation of two backwaters to provide valuable habitats for aquatic plants and invertebrates.<br /> |Management interventions=Installation of large woody debris to increase flow and habitat diversity. Allow floodplain communities to develop naturally. <br /> }}<br /> {{Hydromorphological quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Biological quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Physico-chemical quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Other responses header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Monitoring documents}}<br /> {{Monitoring documents end}}<br /> {{Additional Documents}}<br /> {{Additional Documents end}}<br /> {{Additional links and references header}}<br /> {{Additional links and references footer}}<br /> {{Supplementary Information}}<br /> {{Toggle content end}}</div>

Ian.dennis https://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=Case_study:Knepp_Rewilding_Project&diff=34648 2015-05-15T11:30:40Z

<p>Ian.dennis: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Case study status<br /> |Approval status=Approved<br /> }}<br /> {{Location<br /> |Location=50.978048644290894, -0.35923998802900314<br /> }}<br /> {{Project overview<br /> |Status=Complete<br /> |Project web site url=knepp.co.uk<br /> |Themes=Environmental flows and water resources, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Land use management - agriculture, Social benefits, Water quality<br /> |Country=England<br /> |Main contact forename=Penny<br /> |Main contact surname=Green<br /> |Main contact id=Penny Green<br /> |Contact organisation=Knepp Castle Estate<br /> |Contact organisation url=knepp.co.uk<br /> |Partner organisations=Environment Agency, Sussex Wildlife Trust, West Sussex County Council and Natural England<br /> |Multi-site=No<br /> |Project picture=View from the tree platform.JPG<br /> |Picture description=View of the river from the tree platform<br /> |Project summary=Jointly funded by Natural England and the Knepp Estate, the restoration of the upper reaches of the River Adur lies at the heart of the largest rewilding project in lowland UK. <br /> <br /> The work, carried out by the Environment Agency, has involved removing 4 weirs, returning 2.4km of canalised river to its original meanders and linking it to 5.5kms of restored floodplain upstream.<br /> <br /> It is part of a landscape-scale conservation enterprise aimed at restoring the full range of hydrological processes from the moment raindrops fall on the land, filtering through vegetation and the soil, to their passage into watercourses towards the sea.<br /> }}<br /> {{Image gallery}}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp3707.jpg<br /> |Caption=Completed works<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0132.jpg<br /> |Caption=Pre-works – canelised river with former meanders visible in floodplain<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0013.jpg<br /> |Caption=Completed works with LWD<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0257.jpg<br /> |Caption=River restoration in progress<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Remeandered_channel.JPG<br /> |Caption=Completed works<br /> }}<br /> {{Image gallery end}}<br /> {{Toggle button}}<br /> {{Toggle content start}}<br /> {{Case study subcatchment<br /> |Subcatchment=adur<br /> }}<br /> {{Site}}<br /> {{Project background<br /> |Project started=2006/01/01<br /> |Works started=2011/09/01<br /> |Works completed=2013/12/31<br /> |Project completed=2013/12/31<br /> }}<br /> {{Motivations<br /> |Other motivation=This reach of the River Adur was enlarged and diverted to the edge of the floodplain at least two hundred years ago, in an attempt to improve land drainage and allow the land to be farmed more productively. This extensive modification created a deep, uniform trapezoidal channel that supported very little flow or habitat diversity and was largely cut off from its floodplain in all but the largest floods. The extent of channel enlargement meant that flows became very low during dry summer periods, with parts of the river resembling a series of connected ponds rather than a flowing channel. A sluice and two stepped weirs were installed in an attempt to maintain depths of flow, but these impounded flows, encouraged sedimentation and limited fish passage. As a result of these modifications, natural river processes were limited and the river did not support the range of habitats that would be expected, resulting in a failure to reach Good Ecological Status under the Water Framework Directive. The main aim of the restoration project was therefore to physically modify the existing channel to restore natural river processes, reconnect the river to its floodplain, and create the conditions that are required to support a rich and varied range of habitats for plants, invertebrates and fish. The project formed part of the wider Knepp Castle Rewilding Project, which aims to produce a large scale minimal-intervention landscape. <br /> }}<br /> {{Measures<br /> |Bank and bed modifications measure=Creation of 1 km of new meandering river channel with naturally variable bed and bank profiles. Re-naturalisation of an additional 1.5 km of channel through bank reprofiling. The uniform, high banks were “pushed” into the channel to create a low flow channel with natural bank profiles that support a range of emergent and marginal habitats.<br /> |Floodplain / River corridor=The new channel has a much smaller capacity that the modified channel that it replaced, concentrating low flows and improving floodplain connectivity during periods of higher flow. Blocking and diversion of floodplain drains and creation of scrapes to retain water on the floodplain.<br /> |Planform / Channel pattern=Realignment of 1km river channel to its former naturally meandering course.<br /> |Other technical measure=Removal of four obsolete in-channel structures to restore natural flow and sediment transport processes and allow the free passage of fish. Creation of two backwaters to provide valuable habitats for aquatic plants and invertebrates.<br /> |Management interventions=Installation of large woody debris to increase flow and habitat diversity. Allow floodplain communities to develop naturally. <br /> }}<br /> {{Hydromorphological quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Biological quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Physico-chemical quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Other responses header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Monitoring documents}}<br /> {{Monitoring documents end}}<br /> {{Additional Documents}}<br /> {{Additional Documents end}}<br /> {{Additional links and references header}}<br /> {{Additional links and references footer}}<br /> {{Supplementary Information}}<br /> {{Toggle content end}}</div>

Ian.dennis https://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=File:LWD.JPG&diff=34647 2015-05-15T11:25:58Z

<p>Ian.dennis: Large woody debris</p> <hr /> <div>Large woody debris</div>

Ian.dennis https://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=File:Remeandered_channel.JPG&diff=34646 2015-05-15T11:24:10Z

<p>Ian.dennis: Remeandered channel with plant communities beginning to establish</p> <hr /> <div>Remeandered channel with plant communities beginning to establish</div>

Ian.dennis https://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=Case_study:Knepp_Rewilding_Project&diff=34645 2015-05-15T11:21:13Z

<p>Ian.dennis: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Case study status<br /> |Approval status=Approved<br /> }}<br /> {{Location<br /> |Location=50.978048644290894, -0.35923998802900314<br /> }}<br /> {{Project overview<br /> |Status=Complete<br /> |Project web site url=knepp.co.uk<br /> |Themes=Environmental flows and water resources, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Land use management - agriculture, Social benefits, Water quality<br /> |Country=England<br /> |Main contact forename=Penny<br /> |Main contact surname=Green<br /> |Main contact id=Penny Green<br /> |Contact organisation=Knepp Castle Estate<br /> |Contact organisation url=knepp.co.uk<br /> |Partner organisations=Environment Agency, Sussex Wildlife Trust, West Sussex County Council and Natural England<br /> |Multi-site=No<br /> |Project picture=View from the tree platform.JPG<br /> |Picture description=View of the river from the tree platform<br /> |Project summary=Jointly funded by Natural England and the Knepp Estate, the restoration of the upper reaches of the River Adur lies at the heart of the largest rewilding project in lowland UK. <br /> <br /> The work, carried out by the Environment Agency, has involved removing 4 weirs, returning 2.4km of canalised river to its original meanders and linking it to 5.5kms of restored floodplain upstream.<br /> <br /> It is part of a landscape-scale conservation enterprise aimed at restoring the full range of hydrological processes from the moment raindrops fall on the land, filtering through vegetation and the soil, to their passage into watercourses towards the sea.<br /> }}<br /> {{Image gallery}}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp3707.jpg<br /> |Caption=Completed works<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0132.jpg<br /> |Caption=Pre-works – canelised river with former meanders visible in floodplain<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0013.jpg<br /> |Caption=Completed works with LWD<br /> }}<br /> {{Case study image<br /> |File name=Knepp0257.jpg<br /> |Caption=River restoration in progress<br /> }}<br /> {{Image gallery end}}<br /> {{Toggle button}}<br /> {{Toggle content start}}<br /> {{Case study subcatchment<br /> |Subcatchment=adur<br /> }}<br /> {{Site}}<br /> {{Project background<br /> |Project started=2006/01/01<br /> |Works started=2011/09/01<br /> |Works completed=2013/12/31<br /> |Project completed=2013/12/31<br /> }}<br /> {{Motivations<br /> |Other motivation=This reach of the River Adur was enlarged and diverted to the edge of the floodplain at least two hundred years ago, in an attempt to improve land drainage and allow the land to be farmed more productively. This extensive modification created a deep, uniform trapezoidal channel that supported very little flow or habitat diversity and was largely cut off from its floodplain in all but the largest floods. The extent of channel enlargement meant that flows became very low during dry summer periods, with parts of the river resembling a series of connected ponds rather than a flowing channel. A sluice and two stepped weirs were installed in an attempt to maintain depths of flow, but these impounded flows, encouraged sedimentation and limited fish passage. As a result of these modifications, natural river processes were limited and the river did not support the range of habitats that would be expected, resulting in a failure to reach Good Ecological Status under the Water Framework Directive. The main aim of the restoration project was therefore to physically modify the existing channel to restore natural river processes, reconnect the river to its floodplain, and create the conditions that are required to support a rich and varied range of habitats for plants, invertebrates and fish. The project formed part of the wider Knepp Castle Rewilding Project, which aims to produce a large scale minimal-intervention landscape. <br /> }}<br /> {{Measures<br /> |Bank and bed modifications measure=Creation of 1 km of new meandering river channel with naturally variable bed and bank profiles. Re-naturalisation of an additional 1.5 km of channel through bank reprofiling. The uniform, high banks were “pushed” into the channel to create a low flow channel with natural bank profiles that support a range of emergent and marginal habitats.<br /> |Floodplain / River corridor=The new channel has a much smaller capacity that the modified channel that it replaced, concentrating low flows and improving floodplain connectivity during periods of higher flow. Blocking and diversion of floodplain drains and creation of scrapes to retain water on the floodplain.<br /> |Planform / Channel pattern=Realignment of 1km river channel to its former naturally meandering course.<br /> |Other technical measure=Removal of four obsolete in-channel structures to restore natural flow and sediment transport processes and allow the free passage of fish. Creation of two backwaters to provide valuable habitats for aquatic plants and invertebrates.<br /> |Management interventions=Installation of large woody debris to increase flow and habitat diversity. Allow floodplain communities to develop naturally. <br /> }}<br /> {{Hydromorphological quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Biological quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Physico-chemical quality elements header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Other responses header}}<br /> {{End table}}<br /> {{Monitoring documents}}<br /> {{Monitoring documents end}}<br /> {{Additional Documents}}<br /> {{Additional Documents end}}<br /> {{Additional links and references header}}<br /> {{Additional links and references footer}}<br /> {{Supplementary Information}}<br /> {{Toggle content end}}</div>

Ian.dennis