2023 UK River Prize

Congratulations to the 2023 Winners!

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The UK River Prize celebrates the achievements  those individuals and organisations working to improve the natural functioning and ecological integrity of our rivers and catchments, and recognises the global benefits to society of a healthy natural environment. It is a collaboration across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to celebrate best practice across the four countries.

The UK River Prize is awarded by the River Restoration Centre (RRC). It is judged by a panel of UK experts. The UK River Prize winners will be announced on 19th April 2023 at the UK River Prize Awards Dinner, in association with the RRC Annual Network Conference in Birmingham.

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2023 UK River Prize Winners

The Staffordshire Trent Valley covers the mainstem of the River Trent from its source at Biddulph Moor, through Stoke-on-Trent all the way to the confluence with the River Dove just downstream of Burton-upon-Trent. It includes all the tributaries and catchments including the Sow, Penk, Blithe, Tean, Manifold and the parts of the Tame, Mease SAC, Anker and Dove systems within Staffordshire.

In 2003 the LBAP targets for rivers were largely superceded by the Water Framework Directive’s ‘Good Ecological Status’ for all ‘waterbodies’. We now fully endorse the UN 30 by 30 Convention on Biological Diversity.

Between 2006 and 2018 a series of opportunity mapping & biodiversity audits were carried out for the Staffordshire Trent Valley involving a mixture of walkover surveys, aerial photography and a compilation of existing information including EA data and an analysis of historic maps highlighting where evidence of habitat complexity was evident in the past.

Reaches with recovering river habitat diversity were used as ‘reference conditions’ to help inform and inspire our restoration plans and interventions. In order to adhere to aspirations to undertake ‘process-led’ restoration work, we work with science teams comprising of fluvial geomorphologists from consultancies and universities. Their input is crucial to the final designs and interventions that are undertaken to ‘trigger’ dynamic natural processes.

Once the baseline geomorphological audits are secured it is then possible to undertake repeat surveys to assess the effectiveness of our interventions. The same approach is used for our ecological monitoring: baseline surveys for ‘indicator species’ are carried out in partnership with The Wild Trout Trust, Natural England and consultant biologists and repeated post project delivery.

The Rottal Burn is a tributary of the River South Esk in Glen Clova, Eastern Scotland, with headwaters in Cairngorms National Park. The project described here is an unconfined re-meandering of the lower part of the burn from where it flows under the B955 road bridge around 1km southwest of Rottal Lodge to the confluence with the River South Esk.

The lower burn was straightened around the 1830s for agricultural reasons and was subjected to regular dredging.  While salmon and trout continued to spawn in the straightened section of river, survival of juvenile fish was poor, and salmonid nests, called ‘redds’ were frequently washed-out during winter floods.

The construction works were designed to create the restored channel without any import or export of material, which required careful planning through the design and the construction phase. The existing gravel embankments were used to provide material for the bed of the new channel and excavated material was used in landscaping and infill of the diverted channel. Sections of the restoration included large woody debris in the form of trees with rootballs sourced from wind-blown Scots Pine from the local estate.

Trees were planted in 2012 along much of the new channel in 2012, using native broadleaf and pine trees. The riparian zone of the new channel has not been used by grazing by the estate, and there has been significant natural regeneration, mainly alder, in the area.

The restoration aimed to restore natural river processes and in-stream and riparian habitat, particularly for the Atlantic salmon, trout, and freshwater pearl mussel. The unconfined restoration did not ‘lock’ the channel in place, it was expected that it would remain active and change naturally over time, developing gravel bars, pools and local bank erosion. The freedom to evolve has resulted in improvements in terrestrial habitats such as wetlands, riverbank habitat e.g. sand martin nesting opportunities and shingle islands. The botanical interest of the site has increased greatly, and invertebrate/pollinators are anecdotal greater in number. The project continues to evolve, and ecological monitoring of these wider terrestrial species is planned.

2023 UK River Prize Finalists

Lead: South Cumbria Rivers Trust
Partners: Environment Agency - Cumbria River Restoration Strategy, Natural England, cbec eco-engineering UK Ltd, Dynamic Rivers Ltd, University of Salford, Ebsford Environmental, Envirotech NW Ltd, European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development

Bowston weir was located on the River Kent 150m upstream of Bowston Bridge, Kendal, Cumbria. Built upon a bedrock pinch point, it was approximately 37m wide and 3m high. Our research suggests that the weir was constructed in 1874 to provide water for Bowston Mill, which prepared rope and rags for local paper mills. It became redundant in the 1960s following the closure of Bowston Mill.

150+ years of human modifications on the river, multiple weir structures, in addition to embankments and river straightening, have severely impacted natural river processes. Consequently, many channel reaches lack the physical features and associated habitats that would occur naturally without these constraints and many River Kent SSSI units are now in unfavourable condition.

The first objective was to enhance the habitat for fish, invertebrates, and other aquatic life that had been impeded by the weir and to allow the free movement of fish and other aquatic species. Also to contribute to a potential improvement in the “Unfavourable” status of the SSSI river unit in which it sits.

The second objective was to improve the resilience of the river to future flooding events. The weir had caused sediment build-up and erosion, which increased the risk of flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. The removal of the weir was intended to allow the river to better manage high water levels and prevent future flood damage.

Bowston weir was removed during June and July 2022 with aims to improve the ecological health of the River Kent while also reducing the risk of flooding for local communities and continues to be monitored closely. The project was an important step towards a more sustainable and resilient future for the region.

Unlocking the Severn has been a once in a lifetime river restoration project, restoring connectivity for migratory fish on the UK’s longest river, providing ground-breaking insights into a little-known species, and engaging thousands of people with the fascinating natural, cultural, and industrial heritage of the Severn.

The twaite shad were once seen migrating upstream in their hundreds of thousands each May and were a cornerstone of local communities. However, they became separated from their natural spawning grounds by the construction of navigation weirs in the 1840s, barriers which severed migration routes and sent the population into chronic decline.

Ground-breaking scientific work has provided new insights and significantly increased understanding and knowledge of the twaite shad. Development of a method to tag shad, the first time this has been done in the UK, resulted in over 300 fish being tagged. Environmental DNA was used to trace shad, another first in the UK, and has proved passage beyond the previous barriers. Diglis fish pass also includes an underwater viewing gallery, the first of its kind in England and Wales. Monitoring cameras here have recorded 25 different species of fish using the pass, and this unique space provides a valuable tool for education and community engagement.

Our unique findings and new science continue to be disseminated through a newly established network, facilitating greater knowledge exchange, and contributing to the long-term management of shad and other protected species. Unlocking the Severn is already helping to inspire and inform other restoration projects across Europe and providing a blueprint for the powerful combination of engineering, conservation, and engagement.

The project has also delivered a hugely exciting and successful community engagement programme which has generated a reach of over 65million through active participation, interactions, and media impressions. More than 3,000 schoolchildren have been actively engaged throughout the course of the project, over 6,000 members of the public have visited Diglis Island and Fish Pass, and volunteers and citizen scientists have contributed skills, expertise, and enthusiasm through 14,500 hours of volunteering. This will continue far beyond project completion and ensure an effective and long-lasting legacy.

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