Project Update: Alderdene Burn Natural Flood Management
Following a busy week of planting, we have completed our 3 natural flood management (NFM) sites located along Alderdene Burn. These consisted of 550m of new hedging and 2 riparian woodland sites, 0.14 ha and 0.5 ha in size, funded by our project partners at Durham Woodland Revival. These sites were chosen following drone and walkover surveys of the area which were then used to identify the locations in which surface runoff was a particular problem and therefore where NFM interventions would be most effective. As they mature, the hedge and trees will intercept surface runoff and slow the rate at which water enters Alderdene Burn. The species used for the hedge were chosen as those which are native and traditional for hedging in the local area, whilst also being beneficial for pollinators through their staggered flowering times. The riparian woodland species are also native and were chosen not only for their high water tolerance but also for their ability to quickly become established and spread as this will help the area begin to intercept water more quickly and effectively.
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped us with the planting, including the Skill Mill, local volunteers from Lanchester tree planting group, and WRT staff and trustees. We would also like to thank Penny and Neil Davies for their generous financial contribution towards helping the trees to become established, it is much appreciated and will give them their best chance of reaching maturity and providing the intended NFM benefits.
In earlier phases of this project WRT have worked with local landowners to fence off watercourses, improve gateways, create storage ponds and build leaky dams. Further leaky dam creation, fencing, drinking point installation and improvements of a final gateway are due to be made in the upcoming weeks which will complete the Alderdene Burn NFM Project. These interventions will all work in combination with the tree and hedge planting to reduce soil erosion and slow the flow of water in Alderdene Burn, helping to protect Lanchester from flooding for years to come.
Revisting our first project: Cong Burn Fish pass
Cong Burn Fish Pass Riverside Park Chester le Street: 2012-2021
The Cong Burn fish pass was installed 2012 to raise the water level around a 3 ft weir carrying a sewer pipe to an adjacent Sewage Treatment Works. The photo looks downstream toward the confluence with the Wear. The RH bank, looking downstream, has been revetted with10ft vertical larch logs driven into the bank base, reinforced with horizontal larch rebarred together and backfilled with willow brash. The brash successfully regenerated and has since grew to a size where it should be coppiced next winter and used for bank revetment elsewhere. The revetment at this site prevented the burn eroding around the fish pass.
Looking upstream with the larch and willow bank revetment on the left. The rock ramps increase the elevation of each pool until the weir is submerged in the smooth water glide above the top rock ramp. The whole rock ramp can often be covered with gravels, resembling a natural graduated riverbed, when the main river holds up the flow of the Cong burn and sediments drop out of suspension. These gravels are scoured away at times when the Cong burn is flowing strongly, and the main river is low.
Looking upstream from the footbridge just above the Wear confluence. The larch and willow revetment can be seen along the full length of the LH bank with the rock ramp in the distance. The shot is sadly not enhanced by the plastic sheet hanging off the tree.
This view shows the regenerated willow grown from the brash used to backfill the larch logs. These trees should be coppiced not only to provide native woody material to be used elsewhere, but to prevent them becoming top heavy and destabilising the extremely sandy bankside. One for next winter…
OUR RIVERS ARE WONDERFUL – DON’T GIVE UP ON THEM
A message from the Rivers Trust CEO on World Rivers Day
After dispiriting news on the state of UK’s rivers last week, the Rivers Trust CEO Mark Lloyd looks to lift our spirits for World Rivers Day by highlighting some of the wonders that can still be found in our waterways. But, he warns that we need much more ambition if we’re going to spearhead the green recovery and rebuilding after COVID-19 that is urgently needed.
In recent weeks, we have seen several newspieces which make uneasy ready for nature lovers, especially for those passionate about protecting freshwater habitats. The WWF’s Living Planet Report showed the continuing decline of wildlife globally, with the biggest losses to freshwater ecosystems; the Environment Agency released new water quality data showing us that 0% of English rivers are in good overall health; and Sir David Attenborough’s latest documentary “Extinction: The Facts” gave a stark warning that extreme biodiversity loss places us at risk of further deadly global pandemics.
The good news is that we know what to do and we even know how to do it. In the past year, the Rivers Trust movement has led the way in delivering effective nature-based solutions, from new fish passages in the Severn and Don catchments unlocking our waterways for migratory salmon, to constructing wetlands to improve water management in urban areas. Our map of sewage overflow discharges throughout England has brought together data from numerous sources to make them available, free of charge, to everyone. This is linked to a significant surge in interest in introducing designated bathing water standards in UK rivers following the launch of our Together for Rivers campaign, with the River Wharfe in Ilkley vying to be the first site to achieve this.
Despite all this great work at a local and catchment scale, our rivers are as unhealthy as they were 3 years ago. If we are to turn things around, it is imperative to keep collecting good, clear data on the health of our rivers. We also need an honest conversation at a national scale about the really big decisions that need to be taken, such as whether we are prepared to invest HS2-equivalent sums to modernise our drainage and sewerage system; what public goods we should expect in return for farm subsidies; and how polluters are going to be properly regulated so that their actions don’t heap costs onto the rest of society.
Finally, we need to dramatically improve public understanding of the water system so that we massively reduce the impact of chemicals washed down drains, the profligate waste of high quality drinking water, the sanitary products flushed down toilets, the misconnections of washing machines and dishwashers, and the poorly-performing septic tanks that collectively cause huge environmental damage.
As Sir David Attenborough said: “What happens next, is up to every one of us.”
Useful Links
The Rivers Trust
http://www.theriverstrust.org/
Tyne Rivers Trust
Tees Rivers Trust
Environment Agency
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency
Northumbrian Water
Wear Catchment Partnership
www.catchmentbasedapproach.org/northumbria/wear
River water levels via Farson Digital