Guidance > Manual of River Restoration Techniques
Introduction
The River Restoration Centre (RRC) Manual of River Restoration Techniques aims to help river managers identify potential restoration techniques for use in river restoration and sustainable river management. First issued in 1997, it provides detailed examples of innovative and best-practice river restoration techniques, and now includes 64 case examples which can be downloaded as PDFs at 35 sites across the UK, as well as updates on how these techniques have worked. The panel ‘Tabular overview of techniques’ opens a simple list of all case examples with easy access PDF links for users accessing information using mobile devices.
How do I use it?
- Users are encouraged to read the ‘How to use this Manual’ section first to learn more about the resource.
- Case examples range from large-scale civil engineering projects through to small-scale interventions. They include details of the restoration techniques used illustrated with engineering section drawings, diagrams and photographs. Users can search by river name, site designation, restoration technique or Water Framework Directive (WFD) mitigation measure or use the interactive map.
References are also provided. The Manual is now an online-only resource; however the RRC are able to print off hard copies with a small charge for p&p. Alternatively you can download each version of the Manual as one PDF (note: low-resolution only) to inform your project’s design and development.
Further Guidance
RRC has the expertise to provide further advice on techniques, including:
- If an MOT technique is suitable for your river or project;
- Other techniques not yet included in the manual;
- Other aspects of project planning, delivery and evaluation.
If you want more information on the advice RRC can provide, please email us at rrc@therrc.co.uk or visit our advice page.
Search the Manual
Use the search bar below or the drop down menus to find relevant techniques and case studies.
How to use this Manual
- The Manual of River Restoration Techniques
- How to use the Manual
- Understanding your site
- Planning, design and management of restoration works
Tabular overview of techniques
View projects by river name
- River Name
- Alt
- Avon - Amesbury
- Avon - Stratford-Sub-Castle
- Babingley Brook
- Braid Burn
- Bure
- Burn of Mosset
- Calder
- Chess - Introducing gravel to inaccessible reaches
- Chess - Cost-effective silt removal from an impounded channel
- Cole - New meandering channel through open fields
- Cole - New meandering channel either side of existing
- Cole - New meander in an impounded river channel
- Cole - New backwaters in redundant river channels
- Cole - Narrowing with aquatic ledges
- Cole - Hurdle and coir matting and revetments
- Cole - Bifurcation weir and spillway
- Cole - Drop weir structures
- Cole - Floodplain spillways
- Cole - Profiling of land within meanders
- Cole - Fords and stock watering point
- Cole - Watercourse crossings
- Cole - Reedbed at Raglan Stream
- Cole - New landforms
- Darent
- Dearne
- Dulais
- Highland Water
- Inchewan Burn
- Kennet
- Little Ouse
- Lodge Burn
- Long Eau
- Marden - New meandering channel replacing concrete weirs
- Marden - Simulated bedrock outcrops
- Marden - Urban riverside access
- Monnow
- Nith
- Ogwen - Restoring and stabilising over-deepened river bed levels
- Ogwen - Restoring a ford as a stock and vehicular crossing point
- Ravensbourne
- Rottal Burn
- Skerne - New meanders to one side of existing channel
- Skerne - New backwaters
- Skerne - Current deflectors
- Skerne - Narrowing with aquatic ledges
- Skerne - Stone riffle
- Skerne - Willow spiling
- Skerne - Willow mattress revetment
- Skerne - Log toe and geotextile revetment with willow slips
- Skerne - Plant roll revetment
- Skerne - Supporting bank slips and exposed tree roots
- Skerne - Profiling of land within meanders
- Skerne - Floodplain scrapes
- Skerne - Access paths suitable for disabled users
- Skerne - Surface water outfalls
- Skerne - Reedbed at Raglan Stream
- Somer
- Sugar Brook
- Thames - Clifton Lock Cut
- Thames - Pinkhill Meadows
- Rother - Shopham Loop
- Rother - Tidal Rother
- Tall
- Valency
- Yardley Brook
View projects by site designation
View projects by technique
- Restoring meanders to straightened rivers
- New meandering channel through open fields
- New channel meandering either side of existing channel
- New meander in an impounded river channel
- New meanders to one side of existing channel
- New meandering channel replacing concrete weirs
- Opening up a culverted stream
- Reconnecting remnant meanders
- Restoring a meandering course to a high energy river
- Reconnecting a remnant meander
- New meanders replacing a brick lined urban channel
- Returning a woodland stream to its former sinuous course
- Enhancing redundant river channels
- Enhancing straightened river channels
- Current deflectors
- Narrowing with aquatic ledges
- Stone riffle
- Radical re-design from uniform, straight channel to a sinuous, multi-channel river
- Narrowing of an over-widened channel using low cost groynes
- Creating a sinuous low-flow channel in an over-widened channel
- Replacing a concrete drain with a 'natural' channel
- Creation of on-line bays
- Introducing gravel to inaccessible reaches
- Sinuous low-flow course in an over-wide urban channel
- Revetting and supporting river banks
- Willow spiling
- Willow mattress revetment
- Log toe and geotextile revetment with willow slips
- Plant roll revetment
- Supporting bank slips and exposed tree roots
- Hurdle and coir matting revetments
- Bank revetment using low steel sheet piling and coir rolls
- Bank protection using root-wads
- Brushwood mattress bank stabilization on a tidal river
- Modifying river bed levels, water levels and flows
- Bifurcation weir and sidespill
- Drop-weir structures
- Restoring and stabilising over-deepened river bed levels
- Simulated bedrock outcrops
- Raising river bed levels
- Fixing whole trees into the river bank for flow diversity
- Felling and placing trees for habitat and flow diversity
- Gravel reworking to restore a low-flow channel
- Replacing an armoured bed with boulder step-pools
- Creating 'natural' features in a heavily engineered flood scheme
- Managing overland floodwaters
- Creating floodplain wetland features
- Providing public, private and livestock access
- Enhancing outfalls to rivers
- Utilising spoil excavated from rivers
- River diversions
- Removing or passing barriers
View projects by mitigation measure
- Alteration of channel bed (within culvert)
- Improve floodplain connectivity
- Opening up a culverted stream
- Reconnecting remnant meanders
- Reconnecting a remnant meander
- Returning a woodland stream to its former sinuous course
- Radical re-design from uniform, straight channel to a sinuous, multi-channel river
- Restoring and stabilising over-deepened river bed levels
- Floodplain spillways
- Profiling of land between meanders – River Cole
- Profiling of land between meanders – River Skerne
- Increase in-channel morphological diversity
- New channel meandering either side of existing channel
- New meander in an impounded river channel
- New meanders to one side of existing channel
- New meandering channel replacing concrete weirs
- Opening up a culverted stream
- Reconnecting remnant meanders
- Reconnecting a remnant meander
- Returning a woodland stream to its former sinuous course
- Current deflectors
- Narrowing with aquatic ledges
- Radical re-design from uniform, straight channel to a sinuous, multi-channel river
- Narrowing of an over-widened channel using low cost groynes
- Replacing a concrete drain with a 'natural' channel
- Sinuous low-flow course in an over-wide urban channel
- Restoring and stabilising over-deepened river bed levels
- Raising river bed levels
- Fixing whole trees into the river bank for flow diversity
- Felling and placing trees for habitat and flow diversity
- Gravel reworking to restore a low-flow channel
- Diversion of a river valley
- Managed realignment of flood defence
- Preserve and, where possible, restore historic aquatic habitats
- New channel meandering either side of existing channel
- New meander in an impounded river channel
- New meanders to one side of existing channel
- Opening up a culverted stream
- Reconnecting remnant meanders
- Reconnecting a remnant meander
- Returning a woodland stream to its former sinuous course
- New backwaters
- New backwaters in redundant river channels
- Current deflectors
- Narrowing with aquatic ledges
- Sinuous low-flow course in an over-wide urban channel
- Willow spiling
- Willow mattress revetment
- Log toe and geotextile revetment with willow slips
- Plant roll revetment
- Supporting bank slips and exposed tree roots
- Hurdle and coir matting revetments
- Bank revetment using low steel sheet piling and coir rolls
- Brushwood mattress bank stabilization on a tidal river
- Restoring and stabilising over-deepened river bed levels
- Raising river bed levels
- Fixing whole trees into the river bank for flow diversity
- Felling and placing trees for habitat and flow diversity
- Gravel reworking to restore a low-flow channel
- Creating 'natural' features in a heavily engineered flood scheme
- Floodplain scrapes
- Floodplain wetland mosaic
- Fords and stock watering point
- Reedbed at Raglan Stream
- Diversion of a river valley
- Restoring an on-line lake to a chalk stream
- Complete removal of a large weir
- Weir lowering and rock ramp construction
- Removal of hard bank reinforcement / revetment, or replacement with soft engineering solution
- Remove obsolete structure
- Re-opening existing culverts
- Set-back embankments (a type of managed retreat)
- Appropriate channel maintenance strategies and techniques e.g. minimise disturbance to channel bed and margins
- Retain marginal aquatic and riparian habitats (channel alteration)
- Sediment management strategies (develop and revise) which could include a) substrate reinstatement, b) sediment traps, c) allow natural recovery minimising maintenance, d) riffle construction, e) reduce all bar necessary management in flood risk areas
- Operational and structural changes to locks, sluices, weirs, beach control, etc
- Preserve and, where possible, enhance ecological value of marginal aquatic habitat, banks and riparian zone
- New meandering channel replacing concrete weirs
- Opening up a culverted stream
- Reconnecting a remnant meander
- New backwaters
- New backwaters in redundant river channels
- Narrowing with aquatic ledges
- Creating a sinuous low-flow channel in an over-widened channel
- Replacing a concrete drain with a ‘natural’ channel
- Sinuous low-flow course in an over-wide urban channel
- Willow spiling
- Willow mattress revetment
- Log toe and geotextile revetment with willow slips
- Plant roll revetment
- Supporting bank slips and exposed tree roots
- Hurdle and coir matting revetments
- Bank protection using root-wads
- Fords and stock watering point
- Reedbed at Raglan Stream
- Landforms at Keepsafe and Rockwell
- Restoring an on-line lake to a chalk stream
- Appropriate techniques to align and attenuate flow to limit detrimental effects of these features (drainage)
- Restore form and function (channel and channel migration zone)
- Restore form (floodplain)
- Re-connect floodplain (remove or set back embankments)
- Remove structure (culvert, bank protection etc)
- Make flow regimes more natural
- Riparian planting
- Channel form and flow type & floodplain connectivity
- Barriers to connectivity
Print Manual (low resolution version)
- Edition 1, 1999 + 2002 update (2013 due shortly)
- Update 1, 2002 + 2013 update
- Update 2, 2013
- Update 2021 - Chapters 1&2, Chapters 3&4, Chapters 5-8, Chapters 9-12
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