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B
Following the 20-year flood in 2006, 80 metres of
metal sheet piles, dating back to the work to open
the Moselle to large ships, collapsed. The bank
became unstable and erosion occurred at points
along a 300-metre linear distance.
In light of the damage, an assessment of the banks
was carried out by an engineering firm in 2009. The
results made clear the seriousness of the situation
and the risks incurred by the notches in the banks
caused by the erosion. The danger was that the eroded
material could be deposited in the navigation
channel and the service road damaged.
The VNF technical department wanted a technical
solution for both river navigation and the ecological
issues in the area, namely an improvement in lateral
continuity. The poor condition of the sheet piles
and the available funding both contributed to the
decision to proceed with the operation.
The sheet piles along the work site were removed. The
banks were reworked over a distance of 1,000 metres
and a coconut geotextile was laid. Local plant species
were then planted along the banks, including
helophytes (three to four plants per linear metre),
willow cuttings, etc. +
R
Following the demolition of a town centre factory, the River Marden through Calne flowed in a straight concrete channel and two small weirs barred the passage of fish. Urban regeneration, and the resultant redevelopment of the site, meant that the river had to be diverted south of its existing course and the opportunity was taken to improve the character of the river and create a public amenity.
The diversion was undertaken in the form of a double meander so that natural geomorphological features such as shoals, riffles and pools could be incorporated, along with public access to the river and the creation of a variety of sustainable, attractive habitats for flora and fauna.
The scheme has been a success and the river is now a focal point of the town and the centerpiece for the towns annual duck race! +
H
Following the devastating floods in Somerset winter in 2013/14, ‘Hills to Levels’ was set up as a collaboration between the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) SouthWest, Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT), RSPB and the Royal Bath & West Society. The work is over five main catchments – River Parrett, River Tone, West Somerset Streams, River Brue and River Axe. Since then, Hills to Levels has come a long way: water quality, erosion reduction and improving habitats have been added to the original project remit and the funders and project partners have changed. Currently, Hills to Levels is supported by and works in partnership with the Somerset Rivers Authority, the Environment Agency, Interreg 2 Seas (Triple C project) and Natural England Catchment Sensitive Farming.
Many streams in the area are failing current standards for inputs of sediment and phosphate and poor fish habitat; and their ecology suffers from being heavily modified through centuries of use. The project uses a holistic catchment approach, providing advice on soil and land use management in order to reduce sediment runoff to the rivers, and improve infiltration and hydrological processes to reduce flooding and improve drought resilience.
Every field, every farm and every stream have a part to play. +
W
Following the tidal surge of December 2013, the businesses and residents of Waldringfield in Suffolk (Map 1) formed the Waldringfield Flood Defence Group. Working with the East Suffolk Internal Drainage Board, the Group has achieved a more resilient flood defence for the community along 1km of estuary frontage. The Group raised funds through the Coastal Communities Fund and other funding routes to pay for the works.
The work began in February 2015 and consisted of 2 phases. Phase 1 (south section) involved raising the brick wall to protect village properties fronting the estuary, along with a counterwall to separate this part of the flood cell from the north section. Phase 2 (north section) involved raising and widening the clay embankment together with saltmarsh restoration.
The Phase 2 design and build project aimed to create a higher wall, with a wider crest width and gentle back slope to withstand overtopping and breaching in the future. In addition, by winning all the material from the farmland behind the wall, a new freshwater wetland was created. This wetland provided delivered suitable alternative habitat for water voles within a year of its construction. The East Suffolk Internal Drainage Board also designed and delivered a saltmarsh restoration pilot as part of the scheme to add further natural flood protection to the wall. The project was officially launched on 1 December 2015 and has been praised locally as a great model of partnership working. This project is a demonstration of what can be achieved at relatively low cost on rural flood defences.
Through a partnership approach incorporating both traditional and working with natural processes (WWNP) measures, significant improvements have been made to flood risk management for approximately 20 properties and a well-used public footpath, along with the creation of freshwater habitat and restoration of saltmarsh. Early monitoring results demonstrate that simple and relatively inexpensive brushwood structures can increase sediment accumulation within areas of eroded saltmarsh, providing benefits to both flood defence and habitat.
T
For 35 kilometers the Tungelroyse beek flows through the middle of Limburg province, through the municipalities of Weert, Nederweert and Leudal. The stream originates at Budel in the province of North Brabant and discharges near Neerbeek into the Meuse as the Neer stream. For years the stream had been straightened to direct discharges into the Meuse quickly. Over time, with changes land use the water level became unfitting. Moreoverby discharges of substances such as zinc and cadmium had polluted the stream considerably.
In 1999, the Water Board Peel en Maas vallei (Peel and Meuse valley) decided to one of the largest brook restorations projects in the Netherlands, and started the reorganization and restructuring of the Tungelroyse beek. Over course of 12 years and over a length of 30 kilometers work was phased and resulted in bringing back the original meanders, remove contaminated soil, adjust the water level, reduce the number of sewer overflows, improve the quality of life and recreational opportunities, improve conditions for agriculture and contributed to the national ecological network.
Now, the Tungelroyse beek is again a beautiful meandering stream and a habitat for many plants and animals.
A great number of partners was involved in this project: the province of Limburg, the municipalities Leudal, Nederweert, Weert, nature organisations Staatsbosbeheer, NatuurMonumenten, and Stichting LimburgsLandschap. Also the Government Service for Land and Water Management (Dienst Landelijk Gebied), LLTB-Limburg, the IVN, the local anglers association, farmers and private land owners were involved. +
U
For 7,5km along the IJssel river, more room for the river will be created in a number of locations, by digging away river foreland and creating side gullies. This will allow better and quicker drainage of large volumes of water, can contribute to creating more natural conditions.
For more information go to http://issuu.com/ruimtevoorderivier/docs/uiterwaardvergraving_deventer_kso (Dutch) +
F
Force Crag mine, worked for zinc, lead and barytes until 1991, was famously the last working mine in the Lake District. Mine water discharges and diffuse pollution from waste heaps mean it's a major source of cadmium, zinc and lead, depositing around 3 tonnes each year into the watercourse. The metals pollute the Coledale Beck and the Newlands Beck as far as Bassenthwaite Lake, and prevent these water bodies achieving good Chemical and Ecological status for the Water Framework Directive.
The site is now owned by the National Trust and run as a visitor attraction. It's within the Lake District High Fells SAC and two SSSI’s; Force Crag mine itself and Buttermere High Fells. It is also a Scheduled Monument.
We've been working in partnership with the Coal Authority, the National Trust and Newcastle University to develop a remediation scheme for this site with funding from Defra. The ‘vertical flow pond’ designed by Newcastle University is the first of its kind in the UK and uses compost, limestone and woodchips to remove metals from the water without the need for added energy or chemicals. This passive system works by passing the mine water down through the compost mixture where microbial activity binds the metals as sulphides, before discharging through a small wetland and into the Coledale Beck.
In September 2013, the Coal Authority began building the treatment scheme within the existing bunding of the former tailings lagoon. The National Trust and English Heritage supported the scheme as the next stage in the life cycle of this historic industrial site. On 31 March 2014, the valves were opened and mine water started filling up the ponds...
The system has now been operating for a year, and has removed over half a tonne of zinc. Although we're only treating some of the mine water flow (6 l/s), it's already making a significant difference to the water quality in the Coledale Beck since the scheme is removing >95% of the zinc, and >90% of the cadmium and lead. This is not yet enough for the river to achieve good status but we hope Bassenthwaite Lake will no longer fail the EQS for metals. Over the next couple of years we will see if the treatment system can cope with more of the flow without harming performance, and investigate how to deal with diffuse sources of metals in the catchment.
The benefits of cleaning up the Force Crag mine water are estimated to be up to £4.9m over 25 years, at a cost of~£1.5m.
Four Rivers for LIFE is an ambitious, large-scale river restoration project to improve the condition of four major rivers in Wales: Teifi, Cleddau, Tywi and Usk. These four rivers are classed as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) which means they are of international importance for their wildlife and plants such as Atlantic salmon, lamprey, shad, otter and water crowfoot. All four rivers are currently in an unfavourable condition as a result of multiple pressures.
A total of 776km of river will be improved in mid and south Wales over the next four years. The project will aim to restore the rivers to a better condition. The rivers support several habitats and species from bogs and floodplains to fish, otter, freshwater pearl mussel and floating water plantain. These habitats and species are all threatened, and some are at risk of disappearing in Wales.
The project will use long term nature-based solutions to improve the ecological quality of the four rivers such as, improving accessibility for migratory fish, improving habitat structure and function, and improving water quality.
Working with partner organisations, farmers, landowners, local communities and contractors the project aims to:
*Improve conditions for salmon, lamprey, shad, bullhead and other fish populations that have declined drastically in recent years.
*Remove constraints to fish migration – improve fish passage at 12 sites, addressing in-river barriers such as weirs and other structures.
*Re-naturalise rivers and restore natural processes – boulder, woody material and gravel re-introduction. Re-meandering, and floodplain reconnection along 5km of river and restoration of freshwater and wetland habitats on 136 hectares of floodplain.
*Plant 50,000 native trees (supplied by the Woodland Trust) along river banks to create habitat, increase shading and establish buffer strips with 100km of fencing, with associated water quality and bank stability benefits.
*Reduce the impact of invasive non-native species such as Himalayan balsam, American skunk cabbage, Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed. Trialling Rust Fungus on 8 sites to reduce Himalayan balsam, and working with contractors and volunteers to significantly reduce coverage in 15 sub-catchments.
*Improve land management practices – reducing nutrients and sediment inputs from agricultural land by working with farmers and landowners to promote best practice farming techniques with the aim of engaging 350 farms.
*Habitat improvement over 15km for the critically endangered Freshwater Pearl Mussel.
B
Friends of Barnes Common in partnership with LBRuT have created a new reedbed on the Beverley Brook 400m2 (20 x20) adjoining to the Beverley Brook. Wider aim of the project is to link up the reed beds in Richmond Park and the Wetland Centre. Create a new habitat for Barnes Common. Structural tree line/invertebrate productivity for foraging bats, plus bat roost potential; backwater; scalloped bays for marginal plants.
Best practice management plan for commuting, foraging and roosting bats; watervoles, fisheries benefits and flood defence benefits; improvement of bankside for marginal plants and/or fringing reeds, strengthening wild life corridor along brook for birds, water voles, grass snakes, bats etc; enhance bankside marginal vegetation and provide suitable habitat for birds, invertebrates, plus potential for dispersal for the BAP species from London wetland centre e.g. water vole, grass snake; readily accessible to the public; forage area for bats. +
R
From July to September 1989 a 1.3 km reach of the river which had historically been straightened and channelised, was restored to a 1.9 km meandering course.
Rip-rap structures were created in the new meanders using 1000 m<sup>3</sup> of stone. 740m<sup>3</sup> of gravels were used to create new spawning grounds.
In total sixteen new meanders were created, transforming the in stream morphology, decreasing channel width by 3-4m and reducing discharge capacity by around 50%. Sinuosity also increased from 1.15 and 1.60. A weir structure was also demolished just upstream of the project area as part of the restoration design.
A similar upstream reach was left in the original channelised state to act as a benchmark against which improvements in the restored channel could be measured. An extensive maintenance regime of dredging and mechanical weed clearance was altered to weed clearance by scythe, and later to no human intervention. This reach represents an alternative option for restoration, which relies on natural processes to take over without human intervention.
Post project monitoring was carried out in May in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1995, as well as pre project monitoring. Results of monitoring showed nearly three times the macroinvertebrate population present post restoration. Numbers in the upstream reach which was left unaltered also increased between 1990 and 1995. Brown trout recovered to pre-restoration levels but not beyond.
The results also showed that the River Gelsa had stabilised by 1993, with changes in substrate and macroinvertebrate composition mainly taking place between 1993 and 1995. The unaltered reach also showed impressive natural recovery, indicating that the termination of maintenance practices can have a substantial effect on the stream environment. Additional of gravels would further improve the channel and could provide a very cost effective restoration strategy.
Nineteen years after restoration works were completed, hydromorphological conditions in the restored channel have developed in a very similar way to the unaltered channel. This supports the view that natural recovery without human intervention can be as effective as planned restoration.
D
Funded through the Dove Catchment Partnership, this project is delivering multiple benefits by working with farmers in one particular water body, Foston Brook and its tributaries which include Cubley and Bentley Brooks:
Farm advice and capital works such as fencing and drinking areas to reduce Phosphate
Monitoring for metaldehyde for the water company
One fencing project is also designed to reduce the risk of the brook eroding to an A road and has the support of the Local Authority Highways team.
Careful mapping and analysis of the issues led to targeted actions. +
T
Funding for this project is a result of a Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund Principal Forgiveness loan awarded by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The money for the principal forgiveness loan comes as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA required that states use 20% of their funds on green projects and since all natural methods will be used to stabilize the banks and improve water quality this project qualifies.
The loan’s purpose is to use natural techniques to stabilize eroding streambanks which will help improve water quality and reduce the amount of sediment entering the system. Loan proceeds will be used in the Illinois River and the Eucha/Spavinaw watersheds in northeast Oklahoma. These two watersheds were selected because several of the waterbodies in them are listed on Oklahoma’s Integrated Report as being impaired by nutrients and related causes. Both watersheds provide water for several communities ranging in size from less than 1,000 to over 300,000. Over million is being directed to the watersheds to improve water quality by instilling best management practices to reduce nonpoint source pollution. While these practices are resulting in noticeable improvements to the nutrient, sediment and bacteria loading, erosion is still a cause for concern. This project will help address this issue by stabilizing streambanks on twelve sites in the Illinois River watershed. Identification and prioritization of sites in the Illinois River and Eucha/Spavinaw watersheds are being done, and as money becomes available additional sites can be repaired.
The type of restoration work that will be done in the watershed is an environmentally sound approach that applies the principles of fluvial geomorphology to restore the stream system as close as possible to its natural condition. This approach will use locally available, natural materials such as boulders, rocks, fallen trees and root wads. These materials will be used to help re-direct the flow of the river to a more natural flow path, thereby taking pressure off an eroding streambank. In addition native plants will be used to re-vegetate the streambank helping to further stabilize them resulting in less sediment being pulled into the stream.
SITE SELECTION: This watershed was selected because it is one of the state’s highest priority watersheds serving as a water supply to numerous communities in several counties, as well as being designated as one of Oklahoma’s scenic rivers. Several stream segments are listed on the state’s impaired waters list for nutrients and related causes. In addition, this watershed has been the focus of an extensive program to implement best management practices and encourage enrollment in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to improve water quality by reducing phosphorus.
Staff from the OCC and Oklahoma Department of Wildlife developed a list of over 48 sites that would benefit from restoration work. Then, to narrow the field down to sites that could be completed within the funding time frame the OCC, staff from OSU and a representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Permitting division narrowed the list of sites down to 11. Repair of these sites will provide substantial water quality and aesthetic improvement and will be able to be permitted and all work completed within the funding time frame. Four of the sites are located on the Illinois River, one site is on Barron Fork Creek, one site is on Tyner Creek and five sites are located within the city of Tahlequah on Town Branch Creek or a tributary.
C
GCC Flood Risk Management Team have embarked on an ambitious and groundbreaking project in the Forest of Dean, working with natural processes to increase biodiversity, sequester carbon and reduce the impact of the climate emergency by reducing peak flood flows.
Lydney, in the Cannop catchment, is one of GCC’s highest priority and most frequently flooded communities. In seeking to address the impact on homes and businesses, the FRM team carried out a wide-scale hydrological modelling study to identify flood risk mechanisms and test opportunities to mitigate the risk. As a result of the study, the most beneficial option was shown to be creation of upstream attenuation through the application of natural flood management (NFM) techniques.
Forestry England (FE) own much of the land upstream of Lydney, including 25 of the 29 watercourses and tributaries that flow through the area into many at-risk communities including Lydney itself.
Due to the hard work and commitment of key individuals within both organisations, GCC and FE have developed a regionally, if not nationally unprecedented partnership model to deliver NFM measures throughout the catchment and reduce downstream flood risk, building on and augmenting the objectives of FE’s Catchment Management Plan. These measures are diverse and numerous, but all seek to mimic and enhance the way nature works with water. They include approaches such as large ‘woody debris dams’, wetland creation, bankside buffer planting and river restoration.
The project will slow the flow of water, reconnect floodplains, increase habitat connectivity and diversity and help build a more climate-resilient catchment. For example, the buffer planting will allow for the future reintroduction of beavers, a keystone species which will sustainably manage the catchment in years to come, building on the successful enclosed release of two pairs of beavers in the area which are already having a positive effect on habitat and peak flows.
Key statistics include:
• 8 hectares of wetland to be created
• 5 hectares of wet-woodland habitat to be created
• 15 reaches buffer-planted
• 1,000 leaky dams created so far, with at least 4,000 more to come
• 40,000 trees (native species) to be planted, and non-native species removed
• 74.5 Km of river restoration
• 4 years project lifespan remaining, with potential to extend
• £888,000 funding bid submitted, augmenting existing GCC capital and revenue commitment.
G
Glaisdale Beck faces many pressures, predominantly fine sedimentation, nutrient and organic matter enrichment. Before the Glaisdale Beck Restoration Project works were delivered, the waterbody status was downgraded to moderate status, as it is failing for phosphate (2015 Cycle 2). This project was an essential step in working towards achieving good ecological status by 2021.
The main objectives for the 2015/16 Glaisdale Beck Restoration Project were:
1. Engage with key farms: between 7-10 farms
2. One-to-one farm advice (Water Friendly Farming): at 7-10 farms
3. Erect riverside fencing and create buffer strips: ~2km of riparian fencing and associated buffer strips
4. Install infrastructure improvements: such as watering points and tracks
5. Tree planting: 200+ trees
6. Large woody debris (materials for multiple sites): at 2+ sites
7. Coppicing (two man days with tractor): at 2 sites
8. Small-scale bank stabilisation (materials for multiple sites): at 2+ sites
Improvement works were aimed at reducing the source of fine sediment, nutrients and bacterial loading primarily by addressing stretches of Glaisdale Beck (and associated ditch networks) where degraded habitat and large areas of poached bank sides were evident. Improvement works that were delivered included: erecting livestock fencing to prevent access to Glaisdale Beck (and associated ditches), creating buffer strips to filter surface runoff by promoting natural re-vegetation and reducing bank erosion, providing alternative livestock watering points, addressing poached crossing points and planting trees to help create a riparian woodland corridor. The Catchment Partnership Officer's role was to work closely with local land managers, draw up capital work agreements and deliver works. This project is also a great example of working closely with the local Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Officer to ensure the Glaisdale Beck Restoration Project worked alongside the new Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
Glaisdale Beck Restoration Project was delivered by the Esk and Coastal Streams Catchment Partnership, a partnership between the Yorkshire Esk Rivers Trust and North York Moors National Park Authority. The project was funded thanks to the Catchment Partnership Action Fund and is a great example of partnership working with the Environment Agency. The project has delivered improvement works to reduce the impact of diffuse pollution that arises from rural land use and working towards preventing further deterioration of this waterbody - a vital step in working towards achieving good ecological status.
The Esk and Coastal Stream Catchment Partnership engaged with nine key land managers in the dale, providing one-to-one Water Friendly Farming advice. 2927m of riparian fencing has been installed along Glaisdale Beck, key tributaries and associated ditched networks to reduce sediment and phosphate pathways. Over 1.5ha of buffer strips have been created to promote natural regeneration of trees and allow vegetation such as Greater woodrush to establish in these un-grazed strips. Two cattle pasture pumps and six livestock draining bays have been installed, and 65 trees have been planted in the new buffer strips to increase the tree age structure in the dale. 20m of bank stabilisation work has also been undertaken.
Additional benefits as a result of this project include - 1. The Esk is a Drinking Water Protected Area, works delivered will improve raw water quality which will help reduce water treatment costs, 2) Overall biodiversity will improve - robust and connected habitats supporting a diverse range of species will provide more resilience to other pressures such as global climate change, 3) Fish populations will benefit from the improved spawning habitat, with a knock on benefit to the endangered freshwater pearl mussel, 4) Reducing bacterial loading from livestock will benefit the bathing water quality downstream, 5) Recreation and associated economic costs will benefit; wildlife watching, angling, freshwater activities such as boating, bathing water/coastal recreation, 6) Improving farm infrastructure will have knock on benefits for farm productivity/and farm business gains, 7) Water Friendly Farming leaflet circulation and one-to-one farm advice will improve local rural education on best practice, 8) Engaging with key farmers and building up good relationships, along with the opportunity to complete detailed surveys of the catchment enabled the Partnership to built up a picture of further priority works which need to be delivered to work towards achieving good ecological status by 2021, 9) Lessons learnt from this project will benefit the wider Esk and Coastal Streams catchment and help shape future restoration projects/habitat improvement works.
Goldrill Beck runs from Brothers Water to Ullswater, in the Lake District, and is part of the River Eden and Tributaries SSSI. The beck was historically straightened, before the date of the earliest maps of the area, and subsequent years have seen further modifications including the addition of increasingly substantial revetments and large embankments. The channel was devoid of any features, and until recently, there was also a regular cycle of gravel removal. Stripped of its natural processes, the resulting channel was an exceptionally effective conveyor of water and sediment, moving large quantities of each rapidly downstream.
In 2015, Storm Desmond devastated communities across Cumbria. Breaking many meteorological records, the storm event resulted in 7,465 homes being flooded. Roads were closed in 107 locations, with 354.8km of highway damaged (Cumbria County Council 2018). A long section of the A591 was washed away, cutting the Lake District in half for over five months while the road was repaired. In Ullswater, the A592 is a similarly significant road through the valley, but Goldrill Beck ran adjacent to the road with it’s western bank forming the wall between road and river. The flood brought the fear that this vital transport link could suffer the same fate as the A591 in the next storm.
In 2018 the National Trust’s Riverlands project, part of a national programme of river and catchment restoration work, began working with the Trust’s agricultural tenant farmer, the Environment Agency and Natural England to develop an ambitious river restoration scheme. The aim was to protect the A592, deliver process-based restoration, enhance the SSSI condition, and improve floodplain ecology.
The restoration design was completed in 2019. Having considered several options, a decision was made to re-meander the river across the floodplain. The new course would follow the preferred course of the water as indicated by a direct rainfall model, which simulated surface-water flows over the floodplain based on its topography. This option was chosen as it would immediately remove the risk to the A592, as well as provide a course for the river through the improved floodplain, where there was concern about the potential for uncontrolled and ongoing silt releases into the SSSI from other options.
The final design included re-meandering the entire reach that abutted the A592, as well as adding bifurcations, ditch restoration, pond creation, a mixture of drain blocking and de-culverting, and encouraging the development of anastomosing channels through an existing wet woodland. A significant length of embankment was also removed downstream of the primary restoration reach, enabling the reconnection of the river and floodplain.
Construction took place in summer 2021, taking 12 weeks to complete. The river has now increased in length from 889m to 2,500m, and is fully connected to its floodplain. Across the site natural processes have been allowed to proceed without interruption. The change since the project was completed has been dramatic, and the dominance of natural processes in evident. One of the bifurcated channels has blocked and unblocked several times, and large gravel bars have formed. Eroding riverbanks are creating valuable river-cliff habitat, and large woody debris has arrived, lodging in the channel. The wet woodland is rapidly changing, forming new channels with fallen trees and vegetation pushing the water in different directions. Floodplain habitat is significantly wetter, with ephemeral and permanent ponds and an increasing variety of plant species. Over the course of two winters, 2,170m3 of sediment has been stored across the site; this material would once have been conveyed rapidly downstream and added to the flood risk for local communities. Data analysis of the flood attenuation performance of the scheme is ongoing, with data collected from two years pre- restoration and two years post-restoration. Initial results from a single storm event show a delay between up and downstream flood peaks of over an hour, although it’s expected that aggregated data from all the events across the monitoring period will show a more modest delay on average.
The area is grazed by cattle, the same herd as had previously grazed the site pre-restoration. They are supporting the breaking-up of the species-poor rush pasture, which is also being disrupted by regular inundation from the river and deposition of sediment. Finally, in January 2023, 16 Black Poplar Populus nigra ssp. betuifolia were planted on the floodplain. One of the rarest trees in Britain, its population has dwindled to an estimated 7,000 individuals across the country. The Black Poplars planted at Goldrill were propagated from a grove of 35 veteran trees in London, which had been saved by conservation specialist Jamie Simpson after genetic analysis confirmed this was most likely the only known surviving wild population left in the UK, and the only population with a 50:50 ratio of female and male specimens. Close of these individuals are the trees now standing on the floodplain at Goldrill.
Goshan weir on the River Roch in Bury was severely constraining the river corridor and restricting fish passage upstream. The weir removal was the largest attempted at the time, approx 1 km downstream of Gigg lane weir that had previously collapsed.
The weir was carefully removed by Environment Agency operations delivery operatives. Some consultancy pre-app work was undertaken by APEM that included the removal strategy to take out middle 60% and leave in the bankside lengths of the weir. This was to try and centralise the flow and take pressure of the river banks, especially the outer right hand bank.
This is one of the larger weirs that has been removed as part of the Irwell WFD ‘Good ecological potential’ project. +
T
Green infrastructures (GI) are fundamental for territorial development. The Seixe river catchment basin (BHRS) is a microclimatic refuge with biogeographic characteristics , in particular fauna and flora with protection status. The aim of the project is to define GI and good management practices that are fundamental for ecological restoration and connectivity, biodiversity conservation and the promotion of nature tourism, based on climate change adaptation.
In 2004, the Cordão Verde project in the south of Portugal defined the main ecological corridors that would ensure the ecological connectivity between the Alentejo coast and the Guadiana river valley, identifying the Monchique mountain and BHRS as the main hotspot in southern Portugal for biodiversity conservation.
The combination of geographical and orographic characteristics created conditions for the existence of a microclimate refuge where some species typical of landscapes common at the end of the Tertiary period still persist, although today they are almost nonexistent in mainland Portugal. One of the representative species of these landscapes is the Quercus canariensis (Monchique oak). This species, together with other endemic flora and fauna of the region, gives a unique value to the native forests of this basin. This is formally recognized by the integration of almost 90% of this territory into the Natura 2000 Network, Important Bird Area (IBA) and the National Network of Protected Areas.
The project is being developed as a transdisciplinary pilot project in the area of biodiversity conservation, land use and climate change. In particular, it focueses the protection and conservation of species of restricted distribution, such as endemic species, and the need to organize and manage this territory to make it more resilient to climate change, in which southern Portugal is particularly vulnerable.
The overall objectives are: (i) definition and implementation of good management practices that ensure the conservation of biodiversity and the restoration of ecosystems in the context of emerging global change; (ii) create a climate refuge as an experimental and demonstrative area of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures; (iii) set up a support center for environmental education, ecotourism, research and scientific tourism at international level, contributing to rural development and the promotion of the local economy.
D
Grönkullen hydro power station is located in one of the upstream tributaries of River Rolfså, River Sörån. Restorations took place after the county administrative board wanted to make migration possible for lake dwelling brown trout in lake Lygnern. Because a chemical plant and a railway are situated next to the river and there is a possible concentration of chemicals in the river, investigations were accomplished to find out whether the dam removal has any effect to the stability conditions. Conclusion was that there would not be any significant effect of the dam removal to the stability or water levels of the river. Investigations were made in 2002-2004 and the municipality of Bollebygds bought the plant 2005 to be able to remove the dam.
Restoration was done in 2005. A new river was rebuilt upstream and downstream of the old dam, altogether along a 200 m stretch. A small part of the old dam was saved as a reminder of how it once was. Stones and gravel were added to the river bank. Total cost of the restoration was about 5 million Swedish crones (ca. 500 000 euros). +
G
Gunnerside Gill, in the Humber River Basin District, is located to the west of Richmond, North Yorkshire in upper Swaledale. The area was mined for lead, zinc and barium between 1700 and 1900. Cadmium occurs as a significant impurity in the lead-zinc minerals. The mineralisation occurs along vertical faults in the Carboniferous Limestone and Millstone Grit rocks at Gunnerside Gill and adjoining areas of Swaledale in Yorkshire, and forms part of the North Pennine Orefield.
There is an extensive legacy of metal mining at Gunnerside Gill including many shafts, adits and drainage levels with several smelters and associated ore dressing floors. There are large areas of unvegetated spoil and bare rock exposed in deep hushes. Some spoil tips, such as at Dolly Mine, have steep unstable slopes that are being constantly eroded at the base by Gunnerside Gill, which also cuts through spoil in dressing floors situated in the valley bottom. Gunnerside Gill catchment (13sq.lm) is entirely within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and almost all of the catchment is co-designated as SSSI, SAC and SPA with some scheduled Ancient Woodland in the valley bottom above Gunnerside village. All of the mine site buildings are derelict, but there are 9 Scheduled Ancient Monuments including parts of the Blakethwaite, Lownathwaite, Bunton, Dolly, Barbara and Sir Francis mines. Bunton Lead Mine is listed on the MINING WASTE DIRECTIVE INVENTORY.
There are 19 adits/levels identified in the catchment, and 2 of these, Bunton Level and Sir Francis Level, were purposely constructed as drainage levels and still have permanent discharge flows, with water containing high concentrations of lead, zinc and cadmium entering Gunnerside Gill. Chemical sampling of the tributary that flows from Kining Level indicates that there may be consistent flows here also.
A number of single sampling events to investigate metal pollution of Gunnerside Gill and to establish the Mining Waste Directive inventory were carried out by the Environment Agency and Hull University in 2010 and 2011. These studies all showed concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cd above their respective EQS values of 7.2, 50, and 0.09ug/L (Zn and Cd are hardness based), while Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations were acceptable.
Based on the above findings, a catchment characterisation programme was implemented in 2012-2013 using Defra funding, provided to investigate water pollution from abandoned metal mines. This project comprised monthly water quality sampling and simultaneous spot flow gauging at 6 locations, including the Bunton and Sir Francis Level discharges. An extra location was later added to investigate potential contribution of metal loading from Kining Level. The water quality results showed that the discharges from Bunton Level and Sir Francis Level contained the highest metal concentrations as follows:
Bunton Level average concentrations (ug/L): Pb = 50 Zn = 800 Cd = 8
Sir Francis Level average concentrations (ug/L): Pb = 25 Zn = 1650 Cd = 14
Metal loading was calculated from the concentration and flow data. When metal loadings were examined under different flow conditions, the contribution from the point source adit discharges were more significant during low flows, but less so in high flow conditions, when diffuse sources from spoil tips and re-suspension of contaminated sediments become more significant in the overall metal loading to
Gunnerside Gill and entering the River Swale.
The Environment Agency has collaborated with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and funded a heritage survey report, to look at options for remediation and reduction of metal pollution of Gunnerside Gill that do not adversely affect the integrity of the Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
Impacts of metal mining at Gunnerside Gill
Length of watercourse affected 6km to confluence with River Swale
Average flow at the Swale confluence 150L/s
Average metal concentrations (ug/L): Pb = 30 Zn = 170 Cd = 1.6
Average metal loading (kg/year): Pb = 140 Zn = 800 Cd = 8
Water body WFD status in 2009: Ecology = Good Chemistry = DNRA
Benefits of remediation:
The River Swale will be protected from major metal pollution sources
Scheduled Ancient Monuments will not be damaged by any remedial actions
Developing partnerships with important stakeholders (YDNPA and Coal Authority) and using our
position as an influential advisor to deliver shared environmental outcomes
Contribute towards achieving Good Ecological and Chemical Status under WFD
F
Habitat restoration for the entire length, along with removing or modifying the weir to improve passage. Large step in river bed forming a 400mm weir, a major impediment to elver migration. Long length of overwide concrete bank and bed.<br>Still waiting to confirm funding +