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R
The Montvaux stream, is a 10 Km long tributary of the Moselle.
Upstream of the municipality of Châtel-Saint-Germain, this river still has good hydromorphological characteristics. Conversely, crossing the urban area of Châtel-Saint-Germain, the river was straightened, the banks were stabilized by the creation of a concrete channel, with a rectangular oversized (5 to 6 meters wide)cross-section .
Originally, these works allowed to create storage pools in order to feed mills and forges.
Afterwards, as a result of the uptake of the main sources in the valley for drinking water supply, the water depth at low water had become very low, reduced to 1-3 centimeters. This induced reduction of the aquatic habitats, eutrophication of the environment and bas smells. The substrate of the bottom of the bed, the flow speed and the bed depth were homogenized, degrading habitats and preventing the development of aquatic life.
Faced with the deterioration of the watercourse, both in terms of landscape and of morphological and biological features, the municipality of Châtel-Saint-Germain decided to undertake a restoration project.
The works included the redesigning of a meandering low flow channel and the introduction of benches. The low-flow channel was made using topsoil wrapped in coir geotextile. The banks were seeded with a mixture of grass species and about 700 helophytes were planted the following year. +
P
The Moore Brook, is a lost river, which drains a catchment area of roughly 350 hectares and flows from Winchmore Hill to Edmonton (Pymmes Park Lake) passing through Firs Farm Recreation Ground. As it drains a large catchment, the Moore Brook picks up a large amount of urban runoff contaminated with phosphates, nitrates, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and oils from footpaths and roads. It has been culverted since the 1950’s, and as a result has been prone to plumbing misconnections. This pollution accumulates throughout the catchment causing problems further downstream when it enters Pymmes Park Lake, and is particularly prominent during periods of dry weather. The London Borough of Enfield highlighted that the ongoing complaints from the smell and pollution of the lake required a holistic approach in managing. This lake directly outfalls into Pymmes Brook, one of the most polluted tributaries of the River Lea.
The London Borough of Enfield and Thames Water took on large scale project to resolve possible misconnections in the catchment. 800 misconnections were resolved, but to manage residual pollution from road runoff and additional misconnections a series of cascading wetland cells to capture dry weather flows, immobilise and filter pollutants from the stream before it entered the lake were introduced.
A total catchment of 294Ha is treated by the four cascading wetland cells. 216Ha of this catchment passes through the Firs Farm Wetlands, which introduces a “first treatment phases” upstream of the Lake. A total of 0.6Ha of wetlands has been constructed across the Moore Brook Catchment, in Pymmes Park and Firs Farm. As a result, Pymmes Park Wetlands filters around 85% of all dry weather flows entering the lake. +
M
The Morava River is the largest left-side tributary to the Upper Danube in Central Europe and Austria’s only near natural lowland river with Pannonian character. The frequent flooding is essential for the floodplain’s grassland and forests. Due to regulation and intensification measures in the last century the river is now classified only with a moderate status (according the EC Water Framework Directive) and habitats for endangered species of fauna and flora are limited.
There have been a number of restoration projects and implementation measures which aim to restore natural river dynamics and promote appropriate land-use practices within a sensitive floodplain environment.
Within the EC supported Life+ project “Restoration of the Lower Morava Floodplains” ambitious restoration measures will be implemented between 2011 and 2017.
The aim of the project is to extensively restore near-natural river dynamics in the Lower Morava floodplains, as well as to foster land-use practices, which preserve biodiversity and to specifically preserve endangered species and types of habitats. +
The Mulkear River and its tributaries (principally Newport, Bilboa and Dead rivers) form part of the Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and are particularly important for sea lamprey, Atlantic salmon, European otter, river lamprey and brook lamprey. The first three of these are the main ecological focus for this project.
The rivers have been extensively modified since the 1850s - straightening and meander removal, along with regular removal of LWD and other vegetation - which has reduced habitat diversity and thus biological diversity - ie. LWD removal reduces pool formation - an important habitat for juvenile Atlantic salmon. In addition, a number of weirs have been installed, creating a barrier to free upstream migration of fish for spawning - particularly sea lamprey and Atlantic salmon.
The riparian zones along the Mulkear and its tributaries have been degrading for many years, contributed to by the spread of invasive species (eg. giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam). This may lead to loss of river bank stability, sedimentation of important spawning beds and in the long term, the health of the riverine ecosystem as a whole.
A number of aims have been set out to improve the in-stream and riparian habitats:
1. Restoration of degraded habitats to improve otter (Action for otters), sea lamprey and Atlantic salmon populations, using best-practice for habitat rehabilitation.
2. Removal/modification of weirs to facilitate upstream fish migration for spawning.
3. Prevention and reversal of damage caused by invasive/introduced species - removal of problem vegetation from riparian zone and replacement of conifers with deciduous trees.
4. Work with local farmers to produce alternative solutions for cattle watering, with less impact on water quality.
5. Extensive advocacy/advisory work to create strong community links, along with improved education and awareness of river-related issues.
Works include: Alternative cattle watering solutions to improve water quality.
R
The Myllypuro brook is located in the Nuuksio Natural Park in Southern Finland. This brook is a pilot case for environmental restoration in Finland. The straightened brook has been restored in 1995-2003. The aim of the project was to restore the channel simulating as far as possible the natural conditions of the channel. The restoration included returning of the historical and devious stream line and also building a flood terrace by the brook. Attention was especially paid to the shape of the channel and the restoration of the flooding. As a pattern for restoration, another reach of the same brook was used. This reach had remained in its natural state. A planning concept based on validated information about the original natural conditions provided a good basis for restoration planning. It was also considered important that the factors limiting the restoration were clearly distinguished. +
H
The NF HLS is a wetland restoration scheme of huge scale and ambition with a fundamental aim to improve the condition of unfavourable SSSI units affected by historic drainage.
The restoration work is perhaps unusual when compared to standard “river restorations” as the focus is on the floodplain habitat connection more than in stream habitat. The New Forest is recognised as being of outstanding importance for nature conservation in both the UK and Europe due to the size, quality and complex mosaic of habitats. The project area covers a large proportion of the New Forest SAC, SPA, SSSI and Ramsar designated land.
Over a period of approximately 150 years the mires and streams have been subjected to significant modification through drainage for varying land uses such as forestry and to enhance the potential for grazing animals. This drainage has meant that the floodplain connections are impoverished and are continuing to decline, as well as undermining the natural processes and resilience of the wetland habitats.
Due to the extensive range of drainage operations throughout the New Forest catchments, the project has delivered varying scales of restorations. At the upper end of the scale, restoration has included the re-meandering of a 3.5km stretch of straightened river on the Avon Water down to the smaller scale infilling of ~10m2 of knickpoint erosion in heathland. Approximately sixty sites have been restored since 2010.
Options for restoration on a number of the sites were drawn up based on eco-hydrological surveys and restoration plans were formed to incorporate the requirements of the unique features of the forest such as the steep stream gradients and sensitive mire ecology. The FC has led on the restoration design and implementation with input from Natural England, the Environment Agency, members of the New Forest Association, the National Park Authority and a number of consultants who have specialised in planning, ecological surveys and hydrology.
A range of restoration techniques have been used to restore the natural processes. These techniques have included: Re-meandering the watercourses into remnant meanders at the lowest point in the floodplain; re-meandering the channel within its existing planform; narrowing the channel and raising the bed level to a more natural width and depth to encourage out-of-bank flooding in high flows; infilling erosion knickpoints to prevent further headward erosion; replacing bridges with fords on forest tracks to prevent the energy being focused around the structure.
I
The National Trust (NT) Mottisfont countryside team manage in excess of 3 miles of the main river Test and its tributaries all of which are designated as SSSI and are of significant economic, recreational and historical value. The NT has conservation aims to ensure all SSSI units are maintained in ‘Favourable’ status. Prior to the project delivery, these SSSI units were classified as ‘Unfavourable’ and as such individual management strategies were formed to improve this status along the river Test. The main inhibiting factors for SSSI favourable status were deemed as:
1. Stockbridge Marsh Court Stream: Erosion of bank and inlets and complete reduction of bankside vegetation all of which are due to excessive pressure from dogs, people and livestock.
2. Oakley Beat: Poor flow rates and excessive depths due to a weir and historical dredging of river bed, preventing the presence of expected chalk stream flora and fauna.
These issues were identified by project partners including Natural England (NE) and the Environment Agency (EA) as inhibiting factors towards the wider catchment Test and Itchen Restoration Strategy (T&IRS). The Court Leet of Stockbridge was a key engagement partner for funding and enabling traditional commoning practice (grazing, access) to continue. +
H
The National Trust Holnicote Estate is situated adjacent to the uplands of Exmoor and comprises around 40km2 of land draining the catchments of the Aller and Horner Water from Exmoor northwards through woodland, grassland and arable areas towards Porlock Bay. The key flood risk receptors in the catchments are the villages of Allerford, West Lynch and Bossington. There is nearly 100 properties in these villages at risk of flooding from the watercourses, which are influenced by a legacy of flow constrictions within the drainage networks, such as narrow historic stone bridges, and the lack of undeveloped channel and floodplain capacity through the built-up areas.
Driven by Defra, supported by the Environment Agency and managed by the National Trust, this project hopes to demonstrate that by looking at whole catchments and strategically targeting shifts in rural land management practices, sustainable support to flood management may be achieved. In addition, it is recognised that through rural land management change and intervention comes the opportunity to enhance the provision of a range of other ecosystem services within catchments. These include landscape quality, biodiversity, carbon stewardship, water quality, amenity and recreation.
The principal objectives of the Holnicote project, which is currently scheduled to run until 2015, are:<br>
- To establish a robust hydrological monitoring programme across the study area<br>
- To identify potential catchment (hillslope and floodplain) interventions that may contribute to managing flood risk<br>
- To demonstrate the practical implementation of catchment interventions (e.g. changes to land use, land management practices, and hydrological connectivity)<br>
- To assemble evidence, both from recorded datasets and hydrological/hydraulic modelling, about the impact of the catchment interventions on runoff and flood dynamics<br>
- To assess what the evidence reveals about the potential or actual benefits, in terms of flood risk management and the delivery of a range of other ecosystem services<br>
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The aim of the Holnicote project in Somerset (Map 1) is to provide evidence to demonstrate how Working with Natural Processes (WWNP), implementing a range of Natural Flood Measures (NFM) measures, at the catchment scale can contribute to a reduction in flood risk while producing a range of other environmental and social benefits. A hydrological monitoring network was installed in 2010 to provide high quality, high resolution rainfall, stage and flow data for assessing the impacts of the NFM measures. A range of NFM measures have been implemented since 2011 including upland drainage attenuation features, woody dams, woodland creation, leaky weirs and offline storage areas (Photo 1). Since the project began, there has been no flooding in the vulnerable downstream villages that have experienced regular flooding in the past, even during the extreme rainfall events of winter 2013 to 2014, where measured hydrological data clearly showed a significant reduction in flood peak. This was confirmed when the same data were run through 'before' and 'after' NFM implementation scenarios in the hydraulic flood model of the catchment.
During an extreme rainfall event on an already saturated catchment in late December 2013, NFM interventions reduced the flood peak by 10%. With a combined insurance value of £30 million, none of the 98 properties at risk were affected by flooding then, or during any subsequent flood events. Th3e capital costs of constructing the offline storage bunds on the floodplain upstream of the vulnerable properties were £163,000, a small cost compared with the insured value of the properties at risk of flooding. <br>
https://www.therrc.co.uk/sites/default/files/projects/20_holnicote.pdf
R
The National Trust in conjunction with the Blickling fishing club undertook a two-phase restoration project (in 2008 and 2010) at the River Bure, Norfolk. This involved installation of Large Woody Debris (LWD) with the overall aim of improving in-channel and marginal habitats, by re-establishing natural river processes interrupted by past management activities.
The stretch of the Bure flowing through the Blickling Estate had been severely over-widened due to historic dredging to increase channel and holding capacity for several mills in the area. Within the 7 km of river channel that border the Blickling Estate there are four mills and several bypassed meanders. Siltation added to the degraded state of the river, which was heavily wooded.
Felling trees to create in-channel LWD was identified as a good way to increase habitat and restore natural processes to the Bure (historically fallen trees had been removed by the Environment Agency and local fishing club). (Introduction of naturally occurring LWD to encourage flow diversity and increase channel sinuosity).
Riparian habitats were of high quality, comprising ancient woodland and alder and willow carr, therefore restoration works were restricted to options which would have a low impact on the site and surrounding habitats i.e. use of heavy machinery was not advised.
Objectives were:
- To improve river habitat by re-instating woody debris
- To increase the stock of wild brown trout
- To enhance biodiversity and conservation value of the reach
The project was completed in two phases. Phase 1 work was completed in November 2008 over four weeks. There was no allocated budget for the project, so works had to be economical and non-technical as access to the site was limited. Much of the work was therefore based on intuition and what was deemed to be aesthetically “right” for the location.
Trees were felled into the channel with some minor modifications made to their in-stream position to comply with EA by-laws and fishing requirements. Work was carried out by volunteers using chainsaws, a hand winch and plastic boat. This phase increased fish catch numbers (based on Blickling fishing club records).
Phase 2 of the project was completed in November 2010, encompassing a baseline survey and monitoring. In this phase the introduction of LWD was more adventurous. Consequently, the results of phase 2 were even more dramatic than phase 1. Effects of restoration appeared to be proportional to the amount of LWD introduced into the river.
The approach at both stages involved adhering to the following:
-selection of trees which were already likely to fall into the channel
-fell them so they remained attached to the root plate
-allow branches to penetrate the river bed to secure the tree
-only if necessary use a stake to prevent movement
-modify the position if necessary to maintain other channel functions e.g. fishing points
-felling more than one tree at each location allows a web of branches and twigs to form, diversifying habitats and anchoring the “structure”
Since 2010 the river has continued to become more diverse in terms of the range of habitats. Sediment trapped by LWD has increase in channel and marginal vegetation. The redistribution of sediments has resulted in a naturally developing channel. Areas of faster flows have begun to clean gravels, with areas of reduced flow velocity causing deposition.
The National Trust has identified an increasing enthusiasm for retaining naturally occurring LWD as part of sustainable river management and restoration since the completion of this project. In the local area request to remove LWD have reduced dramatically. The potential reduction in management costs is likely to encourage LWD to be retained in its natural position or slightly modified as opposed to removed.
The River Restoration Centre would like to thank Dave Brady from The National Trust for providing the case study content and photographs.
I
The Negro river drains the area located at the south of Sierra de la Cabrera, of siliceous substrate, in Zamora Province. The area is also placed in protected areas (SCI and ZEPA).
The principal objective of this initiative is to recover trout populations and the naiad Margaritifera margaritifera, which is in serious danger of extinction. The main threat to these species is the presence of weirs that make difficult or impossible the migration of the trouts upstream, which are the propagation vector of the naiads, affecting their reproduction.
The project aimed to recover aquatic populations and improve instream habitats; improve the composition and structure of the riparian vegetation and ameliorate longitudinal connectivity of the fluvial system
The ecological improvement of the Negro river is part of a national river restoration program, Estrategia Nacional de Restauración de Ríos, developed by the Ministry of Environment. The Confederación Hidrográfica del Duero is the organism which has implemented this project, as others of the Duero basin. The project has a total budget of 3.245.382€. +
N
The New Forest is one of the largest remaining areas in western Europe supporting a mosaic of heathland, wetlands and semi-natural forest. It has been designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive in 2004 and has been a National Park since 2005. In 2003, with 40% EU LIFE 3 funding, a 4-year project began to restore the streams and wetlands within the Lymington River, Avon Water and Hampshire Avon catchments. This involved reinstating the characteristic sinuous course of the streams, adding large wood to channels, reconnecting floodplains and old meanders and restoring the characteristic wetlands and riparian forest. A total of 10 km of degraded, straightened rivers were restored through floodplain reconnection, reinstating or reconnecting old meanders, and adding wood to the channel (upper tributaries of the Lymington River only). These restoration measures together resulted in a 21% reduction of flood peak magnitude and a 33% increase in flood peak travel time for flows that were less than 1m3s-1 (equal to a 2-year recurrence interval). The project also resulted in the restoration of 261ha of riparian woodland, 18ha of bog woodland, 184ha of valley mires and 141ha of wetland habitats. +
S
The Neznaika river originates northeast village Aprelevka of Moscow Oblast and flows into the Desna river at the left bank on a distance of 30 km from the mouth. The river is 32 km long.
Water regime of the river is characterized by high spring floods, and little discharge in winter and summer/autumn low-water period, that is sometimes interrupted by rain floods.
Due to the intensive overgrowing shrubs and weeds, littering and silting of the riverbed within the reach of the Serednevo Village there has been a marked tightness of the bed and erosion of the banks in recent years. All these adversely affect the run-off ability of the spring and rain floods and lead to an annual overflow the channel of the river to the surface (depth of flood - 0.8-1.0 m) and flooding private land (gardens), outbuildings (workhouses, cages for kettle) and houses for a relatively long period of time.
Currently, there has been a particularly dangerous situation in the area of low water bridge over the Neznaika river due to quick erosion of the right bank of the river.
Works included:
*Re-profiling of the river bed with a bottom width of 1.5 m and slopes 1:2.5 (in some places 1:2) facing the natural surface.
*Removal of sediment along the entire length of area restored by applying the multifunctional machine TRUXOR DM5000. +
N
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most notably canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and diffuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include re-meandering, floodplain reconnection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The University of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most notably canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and diffuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include remeandering, floodplain reconnection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The University of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most notably canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and diffuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include re-meandering, floodplain re-connection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The University of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most notably canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and diffuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include re-meandering, floodplain re-connection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The University of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most notably canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and diffuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include re-meandering, floodplain re-connection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The University of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most notably canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and diffuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include re-meandering, floodplain re-connection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The University of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most notably canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and diffuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include re-meandering, floodplain re-connection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The University of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +
The Nine Chalk Rivers project is a series of 16 restoration projects spread across nine unique chalk rivers flowing onto Norfolk’s north coast. The rivers face similar problems, most nota-bly canalisation, disconnection from the floodplain, siltation, low flows and dif-fuse pollution. The projects are diverse, and include re-meandering, floodplain re-connection, silt and nutrient trapping and catchment management planning. Each project will improve the ecological health of the rivers and floodplains. To deliver these projects, Norfolk Rivers Trust is working with landowners across Norfolk as well as the Environment Agency, Natural England, The Universi-ty of East Anglia, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Coast AONB, RSPB, The Wild Trout Trust, The River Glaven Conservation Group and various other partners.
Community Involvement – Norfolk Rivers Trust is involving communities in catchment management planning and project delivery through local conservation groups, community councils and stakeholder workshops. +