]> 2026-04-13T11:02:40+00:00 Case study:Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy 500 en Approved Bed raising Channel narrowing Environment Agency Natural England local fisheries and riparian owners Yes Yes Yes 2014-06-17 11.00.23.jpg 2014-06-17 11.03.51.jpg 2014-06-17 11.14.28.jpg 2014-06-17 11.17.44.jpg 2014-06-17 12.16.00.jpg 2014-06-17 12.22.46.jpg Backwater/ fish refuge on the Park Stream, Bossington Estate (tributary of the River Test) ©RRC June 2014 Channel narrowing and bed raising on the Park Stream, Bossington Estate (tributary of the River Test) ©RRC June 2014 Gravel infill shows the width of channel narrowing (40-60% of pre-restored channel) on the Park Stream, Bossington Estate (tributary of the River Test) ©RRC June 2014 Clean gravels and excellent spawning habitat after channel narrowing on the Park Stream, Bossington Estate (tributary of the River Test) ©RRC June 2014 Post channel narrowing (looking upstream) on the River Test, Houghton Club estate ©RRC June 2014 Post channel narrowing (looking downstream) on the River Test, Houghton Club estate ©RRC June 2014 Environment Agency/ Geodata/ Atkins Environment Agency/ Geodata/ Atkins Environment Agency Southampton University The sections of river that have been restored demonstrate the contrasting approaches of contractors working on different sites (see Image Gallery). The extent of channel narrowing and restoration works take into account varying views of the landowners, the aspirations of the fishery and the requirement to improve the SSSI. 50.882188959129,-1.3936328887939 Heb Environment Agency Leman More sensitive channel maintenance Bed raising,,Floodplain reconnection,,Channel narrowing, Fish habitat restoration,,More sensitive channel maintenance,,, Southampton University Students at the University of Southampton are monitoring the Bossington Estate project, and are working with the Environment Agency on other sites too. Fish habitat restoration 13294 Natural England, local fisheries and riparian owners A River Restoration Centre Members site visit (June 2014) where Test and Itchen Project Officer, Heb Leman (Environment Agency), explained the aims of the restoration strategy. Photo © RRC 2015-03-31Z 2457112.5 2014-06-17 10.24.48.jpg In progress The Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy is a collaborative project between the Environment Agency, Natural England, local fisheries and riparian owners. Presently the SSSI status of the Test and Itchen is in unfavourable condition. This is due to historic dredging, the number of structures, industry and historic management. The aim of the Strategy is to collaboratively work with landowners to restore both rivers so that they reach favourable condition in the future. Up to June 2014, approximately 2km has been improved by bed raising, narrowing and encouraging a change in management. Five restoration projects were completed in 2013 and a further six are planned for 2014. <i>Project 1: Old Station Beat restoration, River Test at Bossington (completed 2013)</i><br> At the Bossington Estate, the Environment Agency and Natural England have worked with Cain Bio-engineering to narrow the channel considerably (up to 40-60% in some sections) to restore a more natural river which has already led to significant improvement in the variety of river bed heterogeneity and in-channel habitats observed. The Estate have supported the project as they would like to attract anglers who prefer fly fishing in a more ‘challenging’ environment, than on other sections of the middle River Test, to offer this in the Test Valley. The total cost of the scheme was approximately £40,000 for 450m of restoration. <i>Project 2: River Test, Houghton Estate, close to Stockbridge (completed 2013)</i><br> The Houghton Club, one of the first fisheries to establish in England if not the world, has been open-minded. They agreed to modify historic bank management practices to enhance the channel and side channel scrapes have been created to reconnect the river to its floodplain in strategic areas. Selective channel narrowing has also taken place. Flooding in winter 2013/4 immediately showed the benefits of reconnecting the river with the surrounding land (which is designated SSSI). From a flood risk management perspective, holding water on this land prior to the river reaching Stockbridge was noted to have had a positive influence on flood risk reduction in the village. The project was jointly funded by the Environment Agency and the Houghton Estate. Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy test and itchen river restoration strategy Floodplain reconnection Environment Agency Environmental flows and water resources Fisheries Flood risk management Habitat and biodiversity Hydromorphology Monitoring 2014-07-03T13:48:12Z 2456842.0751389 2017-06-01T11:01:57Z 2457905.9596875 Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy 500 1 list 3 [[Category:Case study]] [[Parent project::Case study:Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy]] Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy# QUERYe04b34bfdc65cfdb29ce52f7051dd770 Case study:Old Station Beat restoration, River Test at Bossington 500 en Old Station Beat restoration, River Test at Bossington Case study:Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy 2 500 en Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy 2 Case study:Abbots Worthy Restoration Project 500 en Abbots Worthy Restoration Project Parent project 102 en Parent project