Living River

East Chisenbury

LivingRiver — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:36:39 +0000

The work is complete – and just in time before the recent rain.

However 9 ponds, 12 berms, 1 digger, 1 inflated life jacket, a million photographs, and 600 meters of restoration later and it is all worth it.

To find out more go to http://www.wessexwater.co.uk/news/threecol.aspx?id=4718

Rivers on the Edge – new film about chalk streams

LivingRiver — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:15:14 +0000

Rivers on the Edge is a 6 minute film commissioned by WWF and produced by Charles Rangeley-Wilson, well known presenter of TV series The Accidental Angler.

The film focuses on what Charles refers to as “the ultimate rivers” – English chalk streams. It aims to make the link between the water we use in our homes and the natural world. It highlights what’s special about chalk streams and how water efficiency can play a big part in helping to conserve them.

Chalk stream, like the River Avon, are unique to southern Britain and northern France. They are under threat from today’s increased demands for water and the growing impacts of climate change.

The film, and the WWF campaign of the same name, reminds everyone that simple steps to reduce our water use in the home can help save these unique rivers – along with the abundance of native wildlife they support.

As Charles says, these rivers are ours to look after – they’re our rainforest, our glaciers.

The film can be seen on the WWF website on:

http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/safeguarding_the_natural_world/rivers_and_lakes/rivers_on_the_edge_film_.cfm

The film is now also on YouTube at:

England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative

LivingRiver — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:15:46 +0000

England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSDFI) is a project that was launched in April 2006, funded by Defra and delivered by the Environment Agency and Natural England. There are 50 priority catchments in England, where we are working with farmers to reduce diffuse water pollution from agriculture. The Avon is one of these catchments.

The non-regulatory initiative is both free and confidential, working towards improving the environment and farm business by offering advice and incentives to promote changes in management practises – in the last 3 years £486,000 has been spent on capital grants items such as water course fencing, clean and dirty water separation in farm yards and roofing stock yards and manure storage areas in the Avon catchment.

Workshops held this year have been focusing on improving soil structure in arable fields to reduce soil run-off, this help prevent siltation and nutrient enrichment of the Avon. ECSFDI through a number of specialist one to one visits and soil sampling we are helping farmers take into account nutrients available in the soil and organic manures and balancing this with the need of the crop.

East Chisenbury

LivingRiver — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:20:39 +0000

Over half way through the project now and all is going to plan so far.

The new gravel berms at the top of the stretch are complete and although the ground is quite bare now it won’t take long for the bank of seeds in the soil to start growing.

The ponds look excellent and will provide a good variety of habitat next to the river, hopefully for frogs, newts and snakes once the covering vegetation has grown back.

Another Level

LivingRiver — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:59:15 +0000

The water level on the River Avon is not just dependant on rain fall – there are many control structures on the river that hold water back or direct the water on a different route.

For several years now, the Water Level Management Plan team at the Environment Agency in Blandford have been working to improve water levels on the River Avon and it’s tributaries, so that the levels are maximised for wildlife, but at the same time balancing the human need and flood risk. Such a project can involve repairing sluice structures so they are safe to operate and provide fish passage; restoring water meadow channels to provide habitat diversity and flood storage; enhancing the features of structures, such as providing bat boxes or otter holts; installing gauge boards; and reviewing the operation of the structures so that they are managed in an agreed way under different flow conditions. This is because the same structures that can support wetland interests, can also obstruct fish passage at times or create extensive impoundment and siltation issues. Sometimes the structures have great historical significance and are classed as listed buildings, so they have to be restored very sympathetically, but in some instances, new solutions can utilise recycled materials to limit the carbon footprint.

The WLMP team will have completed twelve projects on the River Avon system this year: work stops in November due to fisheries restrictions, but will begin again next summer.

Monday October 5th – the digger arrives!

LivingRiver — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:52:05 +0000

Starting work on the gravel berms at the top of the restoration stretch. After some false starts we strike gold – well gravel! And the work begins. It is suprising how quickly the river starts to re-energise after the berm narrows the water flow in the channel.

The next few days will start to shape these top featues starting upstream and working down.

Keep watching……

Restoring the Upper Avon

LivingRiver — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:08:57 +0000

A new river project has started this week at East Chisenbury, a village south of Pewsey, where The Wessex Chalk Streams Project (WCSP) are restoring a 600m stretch of the River Avon to improve it’s biodiversity. Ruth Clarricoates the WCSP officer is working with Cain Bioengineering Ltd on the work funded by the Environment Agency. The team are installing some new features to rehabilitate the river; including creating gravel berms and D-shaped structures to meander and re-energise the channel, improving fish spawning habitat; and digging some new large ponds to provide better amphibian and reptile habitat.

Ruth will be sending photos of the restroation progress throughout October to the LRP blog, so watch this space……!

Update from our man in Brisbane

LivingRiver — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:42:00 +0000

We have now heard from Martin, our man in Brisbane, Australia, that the Living River became a runner up for the Thiess International Riverprize. The first prize went to the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority in Canada – a project that aims to restore and protect the environmental health and quality of Lake Simcoe and its watershed with community, municipal and other government partners.

As you might know from the last blog, the Living River together with its sister project STREAM were recently shortlisted for this prestigious prize. The competition recognizes and showcases excellence in river management with nominees all demonstrating leadership, innovation and commitment to sustainability. We were competing against four other projects: on the Yellow River in China, Lake Simcoe in Canada, the Polochic Basin in Guatemala and the Lower Owens River in the USA

Although we didn’t become first we feel that having been shortlisted for this international prize is a great recognition of the Living River and STREAM projects’ achievements and river management practices. Martin will also have the opportunity to meet the other finalists in Brisbane, to build some networks and exchange knowledge and experiences.

So overall it is a big success story and we are very proud of our trophy as a finalist.

Our man in Brisbane

LivingRiver — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:02:18 +0000

We are extremely excited that the Living River Project together with its sister project STREAM has reached the final of the Thiess International Riverprize. The prestigious prize is a competition which showcases excellence in river management with nominees all demonstrating leadership, innovation and commitment to sustainability. The announcement of the winner and prize giving is on the 22nd of September. Martin Gilchrist, the Living River Project Officer, is in Brisbane at the moment, waiting for the big moment. We will keep you posted – so watch this space.
For more info see www.riverfoundation.org.au

Lord’s Walk Amesbury

LivingRiver — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:54:23 +0000

Thank you to staff from Qinetiq for a couple of hard afternoons work. They have been helping the side channel at Lord’s Walk by creating some riffles. This involves putting gravel in the river at some set points to make it shallower and speed the water flow up. The resulting conditions are ideal for Salmon and Trout as well as many other smaller creatures.