Case study:Spring Meadow Meander Restoration

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Location: 50° 59' 57.25" N, 0° 0' 29.26" W

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site	http://www.oart.org.uk/projects/morph-sheffield-park.htm
Themes	Fisheries, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Monitoring
Country	England
Main contact forename	Peter
Main contact surname	King
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust
Contact organisation web site	http://www.oart.org.uk/
Partner organisations	Environment Agency, Royal HaskoningDHV, C A Blackwell
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

Restored meander approximately one year following project works - © Nick Elbourne (RRC), October 2013

Project summary

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The project is one of thirteen projects within the Middle Ouse Restoration of Physical Habitats (MORPH) project; led by the Environment Agency in partnership with the Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust (OART) & supported by Royal HaskoningDHV (design, engineering and environmental consultancy services) and C A Blackwell (contractor for the implementation works). Each of these project is being considered individually but also in terms of how they will work in conjunction with each other to improve the diversity of the river and reduce flood risk.

The Spring Meadow project had its own specific aims: - Reinstate the historic course of the river through the re-excavation of the visible meander; - Increase in channel habitat diversity for multiple fish species; - Increase floodplain functioning through new bank profiling; - Increase overall biodiversity to the area; - Restore existing wet meadow habitats.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Working with University of Brighton, the project has set up a long term monitoring programme to look at and assess geomorphological changes, seed dispersal of Himalayan Balsam, and hay meadow restoration techniques.

Lessons learnt

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The design of the new two-stage channel (incorporating a low flow channel) has increased water depth during low flows. In combination with a greater variety of channel widths and depths, this has increased habitat diversity which should benefit fish populations.

Within a year of the project works, native vegetation had begun to establish on the banks. This will provide shelter and feeding areas for fish during high flows and will increase habitat for invertebrate species such as dragonflies, beetles and fly species.

The newly created backwater will provide refuge for juveile fish, create warmer conditions and shallow refugia as nursey areas for young amphibians and invertebrates which live in still water. The introduction of woody material provides shelter during low flows and marginal shelves will become vegetated and provide areas for feeding and resting.

Out of channel habitat enhancement of floodplain woodland and additional lateral connectivity is expected to lead to improvements in the biodiversity value of the landscape (wet meadow habitats are nationally rare) & reduce flood risk downstream by increasing capacity for floodwaters.

The public have been consulted and kept informed of progress throughout the project, building local support for river restoration and its associated benefits.

Image gallery

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Upstream part of the project where Himalayan Balsam will need to be managed - © Nick Elbourne (RRC), October 2013

Re-instated meander, looking downstream - © Nick Elbourne (RRC), October 2013

Constructed river crossing (Ford) - © Nick Elbourne (RRC), October 2013

Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Site Edit site Name WFD water body codes WFD (national) typology WFD water body name Pre-project morphology Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body National/international site designation Local/regional site designations Protected species present Invasive species present Species of interest Dominant hydrology Dominant substrate River corridor land use Average bankfull channel width category Average bankfull channel width (m) Average bankfull channel depth category Average bankfull channel depth (m) Mean discharge category Mean annual discharge (m3/s) Average channel gradient category Average channel gradient Average unit stream power (W/m2) Project background Edit project background Reach length directly affected (m) Project started Works started Works completed Project completed Total cost category Total cost (k€) Benefit to cost ratio Funding sources Cost for project phases Phase cost category cost exact (k€) Lead organisation Contact forename Contact surname Investigation and design Stakeholder engagement and communication Works and works supervision Post-project management and maintenance Monitoring Reasons for river restoration Edit reasons for restoration Mitigation of a pressure Hydromorphology Biology Physico-chemical Other reasons for the project Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications Floodplain / River corridor Planform / Channel pattern Other Non-structural measures Management interventions Social measures (incl. engagement) Other Monitoring Hydromorphological quality elements Edit Hydromorphological quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Biological quality elements Edit biological quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Physico-chemical quality elements Edit Physico-chemical quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic Edit Other responses Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Monitoring documents Upload monitoring documents Additional documents and videos Upload additional documents Additional links and references Edit links and references Link Description Supplementary Information Edit Supplementary Information