Property:Project summary
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M
Massadammen dam in the South of Jönköping in the River Tabergsån. The dam was built in 1906 for hydropower but the hydro power station was shut down in 1950´s. Because the dam was an obsticle for migrating fish it was decided to remove to improve the conditions for fish. The aim was to build fishpassage, increase the spawning areas for trout and to reduce the regulation and maintenance of the dam. The first plan of the restoration met heavy resistace from the local people because they wanted to maintain the water level. The new plan was made and three dams were built instead of one in the dammed area. The project was good example of the co-operation between different organization (municipality, consultants and local people) to find a goos solution for all parties.
Most of the work was done between early august to late october in 2011. Because of the restoration spawning area for fish increased from 29 000 to 36 000 m2. Also densities of trout increased in the upstream. Densities were measured to be 5 times higher after than before restorations. Total cost of the project was approximately 174 000 euros. +
R
Massive reconstruction of the lower 3,5 km of the Bogn river, including canalization and structural modifications to the main river and side channels the last 100 years had negative impact on landscape, biodiversity and productive populations of anadromous fish. The disappearance of fish led to local interests among fishermen, farmers and landowners to restore the river. Since numerous restoration measures were planned and implemented. The main aims was to restore the natural dynamics and diversity of the river system and its interactions with the surrounding valley. Since 2005, side channels and tributaries have been re-opened and re-established, habitat improvements such as pools and channels have been re-created, and scientific studies have been initiated for investigating the before and after situation for fish populations and biodiversity. Importantly, a strong and active local engagement has secured the success of this project. +
M
Medmerry is the largest managed realignment of the open coast in Europe, on the stretch of coast that was most threatened by coastal flooding in South East England. The Environment Agency (EA) has built 7km of new flood embankment on higher ground and has breached the existing defence, creating intertidal habitat to compensate for Natura 2000 (N2K) loss elsewhere around the Solent. The scheme mitigated for the loss of freshwater SSSI and the impact on important populations of protected species, and created an accessible landscape-scale nature reserve in collaboration with the RSPB and the local community. The Medmerry scheme had 3 key objectives:
1) sustainable flood risk management: It will provide a higher standard of protection to 348 properties in Selsey, as well as key infrastructure such as the main road and waste water treatment works. 2) creation of compensatory intertidal habitat: Delivering 183ha of intertidal habitat, including mudflat, saltmarsh and transitional grassland. 3) involvement of local communities: Creating new access routes and viewpoints for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and linking Selsey to Bracklesham.
The original flood defence was an artificially maintained shingle bank. This 'hold the line' option offered little opportunity for ecosystem functioning and services. The new Medmerry site is delivering 500ha of functional intertidal, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. The scheme has been designed to be resilient to sea level rise for at least 100 years.
Ecosystem services that the site will provide include: a sustainable and natural approach to flood risk management, in which the habitat will absorb and dissipate the sea's energy; important fish spawning and nursery areas; low intensity mixed farming both seaward and landward of the flood embankment, working in partnership with local graziers and tenant farmers who are helping to develop these opportunities.
As part of the EIA, a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) was undertaken. This highlighted that a new nature reserve, with 10km of new, well managed access for walking and cycling, offers the human health benefits of physical activity and exposure to natural environments. There are educational opportunities for local schools and colleges, which will focus on wildlife and habitats, heritage and flood risk management and sustainability.
Rising sea levels and the economic challenges of maintaining coastal sea defences will make coastal realignment an increasingly sustainable option in the future and will be vital for protecting the integrity of the N2K network. The project demonstrates adherence to the 3 pillars of sustainable development. Social benefits include: a higher standard of flood risk protection to 348 homes and key infrastructure in the local town of Selsey; a greater sense of place and identity for the area and improved recreational facilities with health and educational benefits. Through the creation of the stakeholder group Medmerry Stakeholder Advisory Group (MStAG), and extensive wider community engagement the Medmerry project has given local people the opportunity to influence the creation and development of this reserve.
Economic benefits include: vastly reduced ongoing EA maintenance costs of flood defences, as the shingle beach is no longer the primary defence; benefits to local businesses from the establishment of a new tourist attraction; a fish nursery to help sustain the local fishing fleet; and potential extension of the tourist season through enhanced opportunities for green tourism. The flood defences were completed in Sept 2013 and within months have withstood well some of the worst coastal storms the area has seen for over 20 years. Environmental benefits include: maintenance of the regional N2K network; contribution and enhancement of biodiversity resulting from the creation of new habitats; and improved connectivity between this new reserve and Pagham Harbour nature reserve, as well as providing a stepping stone between Pagham Harbour and Langstone and Chichester Harbours. In addition, the clay for the new embankment was excavated from within the site, ensuring that little material was imported, whilst the borrow pits contribute to the habitat creation.
Work started in September 2011, and on Monday 4 November, 2013, on one of the highest tides of the year along the south coast, Environment Agency Chairman, Lord Chris Smith, unveiled a plaque to celebrate the completion of the Medmerry flood defence.
Innovative ecological mitigation techniques developed during this project, including the problems encountered and solutions adopted, have been documented and can therefore inform the design of future managed realignment schemes, reducing cost and increasing the chances of success.
The Royal Society of the Protection of Birds (RSPB), who helped the Environment Agency design the habitat, is taking on this long-term management role. A 5-year rolling management plan will ensure the scheme habitat and mitigation objectives are met, with an overall aim of maximising biodiversity across the site.
Works included: Building new sea defences inland then breaching the original shingle bank, with habitat creation inland of new defences (including drainage ditches; ponds and reedbeds).
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https://www.therrc.co.uk/sites/default/files/projects/sc120015_case_study_6.pdf
S
Migratory fish were unable to get above a poorly engineered pipe bridge ford (unless floods coincide with the exact moment they wish to run). Huge quantities of gravel have to be regularly removed as they cannot move downstream.
The project replaced several of the small pipes with an over-deep box culvert that will allow migratory fish to pass through and gravels substrate to move downstream thereby improving habitat. This project helps meet the WFD requirement to remove/ease man-made barriers, and ensure this section of the river is in good ecological condition. +
M
Mill House is situated on the banks of the River Wey in Surrey. The wheel house, which is still part of Mill House, had historically held a 15 ft. breast shot water wheel. The aim of the project was to once again put the River Wey to use producing energy, via the installation of an Achilles screw turbine. The scheme also incorporated a geo-thermal heating system installed within the structure for the turbine, with a heat pump to transfer hot water to the domestic quarter's central heating system.
The old wheel house was reinforced and refurbished to accommodate the new hydraulic sluice gate housing and the controls to regulate water levels and flow rates to the turbine channel. A requirement of planning permission was to incorporate a fish pass into the design to ensure the protection of migratory and course fish populations. A reinforced concrete fish pass was construction 200m upstream clear of the turbine channel. One of the key elements to the successful operation of the fish pass channel is the installation of artificial plastic reeds referred to as "fish brushes". These fish brushes slow the water flow down and create eddies and back currents to enable fish to swim up the pass.
A range of bioengineering systems were used to prevent erosion and undercutting of the banks along 200m of the clients bank. Products included unplanted and pre-vegetated coir rolls, A.G.A. Span vertical revetment, rock rolls and hardwood fagots, each used according to the dictates of the site conditions and habitat creation required. As a result of these activities new habitat has been created, water meadows restored and the bio-diversity of the project site enhanced.
Picture reference:
A. Reinforced concrete hydro channel 300mm thick walls with 500mm deep base for turbine
B. Reinforced concrete fish pass
C. Hydraulic sluice gates
D. Waterside decking
E. Two steel and oak bridges
F. Restored iron footbridge
G. Bank erosion control
H. Vegetation and turf reinforcement
I. Water meadow reinstatement
The RRC would like to thank A.G.A Group for providing the information and photographs for this case study.
Minsterley Brook catchment includes a number of separate mines as part of the South Shropshire Metal Mining area, including Snailbeach, Tankerville, and Roman Gravels mines. The catchment is part of the Rea Brook which drains into the main River Severn at Shrewsbury. The mines were worked for mainly lead ores, but also zinc ore and latterly barites until closure in the 1940s, leaving spoil deposits and drainage adits which discharge to Minsterley Brook at various points. The mines are a significant source of heavy metal pollution in the catchment, and the discharges from them represent one of the longest continuous sources of pollution in the whole Severn River Basin.
http://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=File%3AMinsterley_key_sources_map.jpg
Environment Agency routine monitoring found there were high levels of zinc in Minsterley Brook over most of its length, exceeding the Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for the brook (75ug/l). As a result, the watercourse isn't achieving the 'Good status' for water quality as set out in our Severn River Basin Plan. The Boat Level adit discharge is the main source of the zinc (around 3000kg per annum) and other heavy metals, such as cadmium and lead, and discharges these pollutants into the Hogstow Brook. Immediately downstream of the Boat Level adit the zinc concentrations are up to 47x the EQS. At Minsterley, the zinc concentrations are 8x the EQS. Downstream of the mines, concentrations exceed the EQS for over 15km, until the Rea Brook reaches Hanwood and dilution from other rivers lowers the concentration to below the EQS.
Ecological surveys of the brooks have found aquatic insects were suffering as a result of these heavy metals, which can settle in river sediments. There is also a lower than expected population of small fish species. There are four other, smaller discharges of metals into the catchment from Snailbeach Spoil Tip, Wood Adit, Roman Gravels and Tankerville spoil tips, which together contribute about a quarter of the metal load in wet conditions. These spoil heaps are listed on the Mining Waste Directive Inventory of sites causing serious environmental harm. Snailbeach Spoil Tip (also known as White Tip) is part of the Snailbeach mine schedule monument, and “ranks as one of the best surviving examples of a lead mining complex".
http://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=File%3A120726_Snailbeach_headworks.JPG
http://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=File%3A120726_White_Tip_Snailbeach.JPG
http://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=File%3A120726_Restored_White_Tip.JPG
http://restorerivers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=File%3ABuddles_Snailbeach_Mine_Perimeter_Track_Copyright_Ian_Watson_Coal_Authority.jpg
The Environment Agency continue to investigate and monitor the water quality in the Minsterley and Rea Brooks, and with funding from Defra have set up a partnership with the Coal Authority to look at options for potentially removing the metals from discharges. The ultimate aim is to construct long term sustainable treatment schemes that deal with the problem at the source and help the Minsterley & Rea Brooks to meet the EQS and return to 'Good' ecological and chemical status.
Investigations to date have identified that the discharges from the Boat Level and Snailbeach Spoil Tip are the most feasible to be treated (subject to pilot trials), and the Coal Authority are carrying out comprehensive flow monitoring of these discharges. Using waters from Snailbeach Spoil tip, the partnership is working with academics and consultants to develop possible treatment technologies, such as ion exchange, to remove the metals from the discharges. Once treatment options have been identified, the partnership will consult with the public and other stakeholders on the next stages.
R
Mjølløst stream is part of a 17 km long stream system.
Mjølløst stream has since the 1960s had a 270 meter long stream closure that prevents sea trout from accessing a 1.4 km stream stretch. The concrete pipe is getting closer to the end of its lifetime and might collapse in the next years if nothing is done. Landowner, local and regional authorities are positive to remove the culvert and restore the original stream. This project got funding from Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet) in 2020 and we intend to implement it in 2021, if it is technically possible (see "Lessons learnt"). +
B
Model the effects of altering the two flow control structures with a view to sending more low flows down the natural channel and taking excess flow downs the two culverts when water levels rise. The Beverley Brook natural channel only takes 20% of the flow during normal flow rates, which impacts the geomorphology, silt carrying capacity and habitat value of the brook downstream of the flow control structures. +
A
More than 300 sites in the Sèvre Nantaise and Thouet basins with hydraulic structures underwent participative multicriteria analysis in order to develop programmes to help meet targets defined in the French SAGE process as well as delivering improvements to meet Water Framework Directive objectives. +
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More than 300 sites in the Sèvre Nantaise and Thouet basins with hydraulic structures underwent participative multicriteria analysis in order to develop programmes to help meet targets defined in the French SAGE process as well as delivering improvements to meet Water Framework Directive objectives. On the Thouet at Le Tallud one of three pilot schemes was implemented (the other two were on the Sanguèze at Mouzillon and on the Moine at Cholet). Through lowering the "Planches" weir the average water level was lowered by approximately 1 m for 300 m upstream and more diversified morphological and hydraulic conditions were obtained. +
More than 300 sites in the Sèvre Nantaise and Thouet basins with hydraulic structures underwent participative multicriteria analysis in order to develop programmes to help meet targets defined in the French SAGE process as well as delivering improvements to meet Water Framework Directive objectives. On the Sanguèze at Mouzillon one of three pilot schemes was implemented (the other two were on the Thouet at Le Tallud and on the Moine at Cholet). The average water level at the La Motte reservoir near Mouzillon was lowered, through partial removal of the weir downstream. As a result the orginal sinuous water body was partially restored.
Works included allowing self restoration of sinuous channel in the previously impounded stretch. +
S
Morecambe Bay and its river catchments should be considered as one interacting entity. This project will target the floodplains of waterbodies that are failing for diffuse pollution and morphological reasons. Remedial measures identified by the EA to benefit WFD objectives on these waterbodies and protected sites include:
• Improve floodplain connectivity
• Enhance ecological value of marginal aquatic habitats (preserve and restore)
• Water level management
• Attenuate flows to mitigate for drainage impacts
• Diffuse pollution for phosphates and ammonia
The project will offer targeted advice to farmers and landowners, to deliver floodplain habitat improvements will contribute to addressing these WFD issues. Working with EA, NE and local farmers and landowners the project will employ a Wetland Advisor and Woodland Advisor (0.5), to contribute to improving WFD status and secure priority habitats and species benefits through a programme of habitat improvement work.
Advisers would primarily secure benefits via agri-environment (HLS/ELS) deployment on these farms and forestry grant schemes. Additionally, a capital fund is proposed, allowing beneficial works on sites where HLS may not be available. Two large capital projects proposed include the restoration of two lowland raised bogs. Demonstration sites will be used to show others the benefits of management to deliver WFD (and other) outcomes.
Community Involvement - Engagement activities will include public consultations, practical volunteering activities like tree planting and awareness-raising through media and face-to-face contact. +
Morecambe Bay and its river catchments should be considered as one interacting entity. Therefore, the Source to Sea Programme is a pan-Morecambe Bay Catchment Restoration Fund initiative that encompasses restoration projects for a range of waterbodies, protected sites, and associated priority habitats and species.
The project will restore the natural connections along watercourses (removing barriers) and between water-courses and their floodplains and headwaters (restoring habitats). The project works in partnership with landowners and managers to bring about land management change to benefit water quality and raises awareness amongst Morecambe Bay coastal communities. Diffuse pollution, a lack of riparian habitat, unnatural flow regimes attributable to upland drainage and obstructions to fish passage are causing certain watercourses in the project area to fail to meet the required standards under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Fish populations, particularly salmonids, have been found to be greatly diminished. To ensure that the failing waterbodies achieve Good Ecological Status under the WFD, the project aims to improve the habitat and connectivity in order to generate sustainable fish populations. The creation of wetland habitats and riparian buffer zones will reduce diffuse pollution from farmland and roads, and some upland drainage grips are to be blocked to encourage a sustainable return to natural flow regimes. +
B
Mykleelva and Vanebuelva are part of the same river system, separated by two small lakes. They are regarded as heavily modified water bodies (HMWB) because the flow regime is regulated for hydropower. The reason for carrying out habitat improvements was because the water bodies have no requirements for minimum water flow. This results in very low water flows during periods of the year.
In this project, an improved thalweg (line of fastest flow and deepest water) and ponds were made at several locations along the rivers. These maintain greater habitat stability and connectivity during low flows. A new road and bridge across the river were also built as flood measures. +
L
NFM project upstream of a conventional FCRM scheme at Lowdam Village +
B
NVE constructed a complete new river side channel in an old river course next to the river Stjørdalselva in Norway. A unique collaboration between NVEs civil engineers, biologists and construction workers resulted in a 700m long and 2-5m wide miniature river containing all necessary habitats for salmonid fish.
It was built to compensate for the loss of suitable habitats in the main river due to human impacts such as railroad construction, hydropower regulation, removal of gravel from river bed, road building, flood protection work etc. Detailed planning with accurate calculations of slope, size of weirs, length of ponds, suitable water velocity on spawning grounds and use of correct substrate were done to ensure the new river could host fish of all cohorts.
Depth varies between 0,2 to 0,5m in the more rapid parts downstream the weirs. In the three resting ponds there are areas as deep as 1,5 m where fish can take shelter during periods of low water flows. Water flow varies between 150 – 800 l/sec depending on the flow in the main river. The inlet to the miniature river is through a 36 m long pipe with a diameter of 0,8m and the slope in the brook is 1:350m (3 ‰).
The use of riparian vegetation, roots with rootwad and large woody debris contributes with food and shelter for fish and also makes the area look very natural and untouched.
The miniature river is constructed in a way that ensures that there will always be a minimum of running water. Discharge and water temperature is monitored in real-time. Along with annual biological inquires this will provide useful surveillance data that can be useful in similar projects. +
R
Naarkoski torrent in the River Porvoonjoki is situated near the Pukkila city center. A fishway was constructed to enable the migrating fish to pass the Naarkoski power plant and open the way for fish to the upper reaches of the stream. Constructions of the bypass channel was started in October 2002 and finished in june 2003. Project was executed and managed in co-operation with the municipality of Pukkila and and Environmental Institute for Uusimaa. Cost of the restoration was 160 000 euros and it was financed by municipality of Pukkila, Environment Centre for Uusimaa and European Regional Development Fund, among the others. +
C
Natural habitat and reedbed – to prioritise SPP invasive and corrosion.<br>Enhancing access to nature for local communities. Reasons for enhancements:<br>Access and biodiversity +
R
New bridge and road linking the Fairview Industrial Estate with the Ferry Lane industrial area. Associated improvements to the river banks.<br>Reasons for enhancement: Access and biodiversity +
Norfolk Rivers Trust, King’s Lynn Internal Drainage Board and the Borough Council have teamed up to improve an abandoned area of King’s Lynn. Seven Sisters Drain, which runs behind the football club has long been abandoned becoming a silted, overgrown dumping ground, being filled with everything from crisp packets to sofas. Together we are working to transform this forgotten corner, clearing the overgrown vegetation and cutting a new channel for the water to move through. This will then be planted with a collection of native plants to improve the water quality and attract insects and amphibians to this new wildlife haven. +