]> 2026-04-03T21:59:40+00:00 Case study:River Idle Restoration Project 500 en Approved Bank modification Introducing large woody debris Environment Agency Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Great Britain Yes No Yes false Bank erosion Manor Farm Scaftworth.jpg Berm Work 001.jpg Reedbed construction.jpg Phosphate Stripping Scheme.jpg Electric cattle exclusion fencing at Scaftworth.jpg Woody Debris Installation at Chainbridge Lane.jpg Installation of Coir Roles at The Canch Worksop.jpg Installed Coir Roles increasing flow at The Canch Worksop.jpg Tree Planting Priorswell Recreation Ground Worksop.jpg Willow Revetment.jpg Willow Revetment2.jpg Willow Revetment3.jpg Newly created wetland with establishing reedbed.jpg Channel excavation between River Idle and Idle Valley NR.jpg Headwall Connection to the River Idle.jpg Newly lowered berm with backwater.jpg Backwater behind berm post establishment.jpg Aerial photo of erosion at Scaftworth The River Idle has been heavily modified over the years and typically lacks in-channel habitat. An existing berm was lowered and planted with common reed to create habitat for nesting birds and invertebrates. Phosphate stripping trials Fencing to prevent cattle poaching the banks of the River Idle and mobilising silt and introducing faeces Hinged woody debris structures along the River Idle between SK70437 84406 and SK71482 86530. This narrows the river channel slightly, increasing flow to reveal gravels and provide habitat diversity for water invertebrates and fish. Silt deposits build up behind the debris which become vegetated, further enhancing habitats within the river channel. Erosion of bank undermining tree and lack of in-channel vegetation for fish and invertebrates Installed Coir rolls increasing flow The landscape adjacent to the River Ryton at Priorswell lacks natural features. Twenty alder trees were planted along the river bank in order to create dappled shade to enhance habitat for fish. Alder is a native species to the UK that typically colonises riparian habitat. The trees will also enhance the aesthetics of the area for local residents who overlook and walk through the site. In time the trees will provide excellent wildlife habitat for a range of wildlife. The River Idle was causing severe bank erosion adjacent to a public footpath between SK69449 83331and SK69412 83400. The erosion was also introducing silt into the river that would affect water quality and smother gravels used by fish for spawning. Willow stakes were installed into the base of the river bank and then willow was woven around the stakes to create a fence that would protect the river bank from further erosion. The area between the fence and the river bank was back-filled with brash. In time silt will accumulate allowing vegetation to colonise, effectively reinstating the integrity of the bank. A willow tree was removed from the opposite bank to allow the river to function naturally and erode the opposite bank. This ‘living’ revetment creates bankside habitat. Each winter the willow is cut to ensure that tit does not become an obstacle within the river and the resultant ‘rods’ are used to make rustic garden furniture and willow baskets. A wetland was created at Blaco Hill Farm (SK70727 87619) to remove phosphate from effluent discharged from Lound Sewage Treatment Works. Despite effluent from Lound STW meeting the required standard it does contain significant levels of phosphate and nitrate which is entering the River Idle at is entering the River Idle reducing water quality and encouraging algal blooms. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, AECOM, Severn Trent Water and Lee Farms have been working in partnership during the last 3 years to try and improve this issue. Harworth Estates kindly provide reed / rhizomes for the wetland. A connection between the River Idle and the Idle Valley Nature Reserve has been created to provide shelter to fish and eels during high flows in the river. The reed fringed water body will also provide spawning habitat. The connection will mimic natural processes by reconnecting the river with its flood plain. Headwall Connection to the River Idle In order to enhance the newly created berm for fish a backwater was created to allow fish to move from the main channel into the backwater during high flows. Backwater behind berm No This has been a 3-year project. The partnership has taken that time to become established with clear objectives for the future. Partnerships of this size do take time. 53.386581089999,-0.9312542527914 David Environment Agency Newborough Bank modification,Buffer strips, Tree planting,,Introducing large woody debris, ,,Engagement with a wide range of stakeholders - more planned.,,Survey work Working with landowners to create species-rich grassland buffer strips to reduce diffuse agricultural pollution from adjacent arable land through absorption of agricultural run-off. We installed hinged large woody debris to improve channel conditions for benefits for fish spawning and aerate flows. These will hopefully start to show an improvement from a WFD perspective through the habitat improvements. The projects main success has been the establishment of the Idle Management Partnership Group. Although the group has taken time to develop and have a clear purpose, it has been beneficial to have landowners as well as partner organisations meeting together to discuss what's best for the river. 21752 Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, 2015-05-01Z 2457143.5 New Woody Debris Installation Tiln.jpg 2012-06-01Z 2456079.5 Complete The project was in collaboration with the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to establish a partnership that will enable joint working and delivery of high quality habitat restoration along the River Idle and its tributaries. The River Idle was identified as having significant potential for high quality habitat restoration and for the substantial improvement of its water quality to meet WFD objectives. There were several strategies in existence for the Idle and many partners interested in the catchment. We were also finalising the Isle of Axholme Flood Risk Management Strategy. With so many organisations keen to be involved in the enhancement of the river, the project established an overarching Management Group, which brought together partners to ensure efficient and complementary working towards a shared vision. Such a "joined-up" approach offered better opportunities for innovation and access to funding than working in isolation. A connection with the River Idle has been installed SK6956684463 to allow fish and eels to escape from the River Idle in high flows. The reed fringed pond connected to the river will also provide spawning opportunities. As the river level rises a valve will close to prevent water washing away habitat in the pond. Fish will be able to return to the river as its level falls. The River Idle has been heavily modified over the years and typically lacks in-channel habitat. An existing berm was lowered and planted with common reed to create habitat for nesting birds and invertebrates. In order to enhance the newly created berm for fish a backwater was created to allow fish to move from the main channel into the backwater during high flows. Following its establishment, the River Idle Management Partnership has been well attended. The Management Partnership comprises stakeholders with a diverse range of agendas and priorities, reflecting the national tensions and conflicts between water quality, flood risk management and the environment. This initially disparate group has worked through some significant areas of potential conflict to arrive at a good degree of mutual understanding. It is significant that several local farmers and landowners have become regular attendees. Several members of the partnership also attended the Rural Stakeholders Workshop for the wider Idle Catchment event that NWT organised through their catchment hosting role. It was reported back to us that it had been very useful to make the connections with upstream activities in the Maun and Meden and how this affects them on the Idle, and so how we need to think in a catchment-scale manner. The partnership agreed that before any maintenance work is undertaken along the River Idle; a survey was required to ascertain how much silt is present and location of priority areas. At the October 2014 meeting it was confirmed that funding has been made available to undertake the silt assessment. While it was widely agreed by the Catchment Partnership that siltation was an issue, for flood defence and environmental reasons including SSSI condition, the extent of the silt burden was then unknown. Subsequent work by the Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Level Management Board using Environment Agency data from 1994 & 2001 estimated the volume of silt at c146,000m3, the cost of de-silting this volume was estimated at £4,000,000. The volume and extent of this task is beyond the ability of single landowners to undertake. The catchment partnership will continue to take forward actions to improve the river and realise multiple benefits. River Idle Restoration Project river idle restoration project No Idle and Torne Humber Buffer strips Tree planting River Idle from Tiln to River Ryton river idle from tiln to river ryton Engagement with a wide range of stakeholders - more planned. 100 - 1000 km² 90 Less than 100 m River Idle from Tiln to River Ryton GB104028058092 Environmental flows and water resources Fisheries Flood risk management Habitat and biodiversity Land use management - agriculture Water quality GB104028058092 River Idle from Tiln to River Ryton Survey work 2015-06-26T11:02:31Z 2457199.960081 2017-05-31T11:37:47Z 2457904.9845718 River Idle Restoration Project 500 1 plainlist 5 [[Category:Case study]] [[Project title::!River Idle Restoration Project]] [[Subcatchment title::River Idle from Tiln to River Ryton]] River Idle Restoration Project# QUERY66d6d2a3bcc6ee1de090256d67e42a6d