Restoring Designated Rivers

Introduction
Physical restoration of rivers is fundamental to delivering improvements to biodiversity and multiple ecosystem benefits. Physical habitat degradation of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) river network is a complex issue to address. Much of it is linked to large-scale historical damage, and/or on-going uses of rivers e.g. abstraction and flood defence and their floodplains e.g. for agriculture and urban development. The remedying of physical constraints on the SSSI river network will help achieve favourable condition and will also improve the hydromorphological condition of these bodies of water, which is one of the key environmental objectives of the Water Framework Directive.

Whole-river restoration plans
By the 2010 Public Service Agreement target deadline, a total of 10 river SSSIs (7 SACs), involving approximately 1236 km of river (1024 km SAC), had gone through the recommended planning process and strategic plans had been completed and signed off by both the Environment Agency and Natural England. Examples of existing whole-river restoration plans can be seen online as follows:

• The Rivers Avon, Wensum and Frome
• Long Preston Deeps
• The Rivers Eden, Derwent and Kent

Implementing the restoration plans
In order to meet SSSI and WFD commitments, an emphasis has shifted to delivery and works on the ground have been started on 11 SSSI rivers, as briefly explained below.

• The River Wensum was the original pilot restoration strategy, and has progressed a long way with implementation of a programme of works. Restoration has been carried out by a partnership of the Environment Agency, Natural England and landowners at a number of locations including Attlebridge, Ringland, Bintree and Great Ryburgh.
• On the Hampshire Avon, the strategy implementation is being steered by a partnership between the Wessex Chalk Rivers Trust, the Wilshire and Hampshire & the Isle of Wight Wildlife Trusts, Environment Agency, Natural England and Wessex Water. Restoration has been done at a number of sites by the Environment Agency and the Wessex Chalk Stream project using external contractors, Environment Agency operations delivery staff, and volunteers.
• On the River Frome, initial works have been carried at East Stoke by the Environment Agency operations delivery team to demonstrate some of the restoration techniques suggested in the Frome strategy.
• Projects recently got underway on the River Nar at Narborough, Castle Acre and West Lexham through a partnership between the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board, landowners and fishing clubs.

Latest progress
By March 2011, restoration plans and initial implementation measures were in place on 74% of SSSI rivers (by area) that require this action, compared to just 7% in October 2009. This is a major success, albeit that the vast majority of the task of physical restoration lies ahead. The river restoration planning and implementation work makes an important contribution to improving the condition of designated rivers. It will also assist in making progress towards achieving Water Framework Directive objectives in the wider river network, improving the evidence base for restoration, and trialling strategic approaches.

For more information
Click here for more detail on the Natural England and Environment Agency joint river restoration programme (PDF) or contact Jenny Wheeldon (River Restoration Specialist, Natural England).