Case study:Sir Maesyfed Salar 2012 (SMS 12)

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Location: 52° 16' 9.84" N, 3° 34' 19.81" W

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Project overview

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Status	In progress
Project web site	http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/projects/sms12.php
Themes	Environmental flows and water resources, Fisheries, Habitat and biodiversity, Land use management - agriculture, Water quality
Country	Wales
Main contact forename	Stephen
Main contact surname	Marsh-Smith
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Wye & Usk Foundation
Contact organisation web site	http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/
Partner organisations
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

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Project summary

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This project is a triumph of persistence - the successful bid to the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) was third time lucky. Sir Maesyfed Salar 2012 (SMS 12) will restore the habitats of tributaries in the non- convergence area of Powys and Monmouthshire, including the river Elan. The Elan presents an unusual challenge. Having been impounded for Birmingham's water supply since 1901, the river has progressively lost its supply of bedstone and gravels. Floods have washed gravel out of the river but the dams have prevented any replacement. On top of that, low compensation flows have allowed what spawning beds there are to become compacted. These two problems have confined salmon spawning to just a few remaining areas. The plan is simple: gravel will be taken from the entrance to the reservoirs upstream and placed immediately below the dam. Sites where compaction is limiting spawning will be loosened with techniques we successfully pioneered in 1994. The other aspect of the project is to restore natural salmonid habitat by fencing and repair of erosion. Work will focus on the Ithon, its tributaries and other Radnorshire streams. Fencing out Radnor's massive stock of sheep and beef cattle will mean that streams that have lost all their vegetation will again have alder stands that stabilise some of the worst erosion and bank loss. The budget is £ 470,575 and the project will last for 2 years. We anticipate completing 30km of river improvement, along with gravel replacement on the Elan.

Project Progress

1st November 2012

• 3 new farm advisors recruited and trained. Farm advisory work commenced in September with farm visits in upper Arrow, Gladestry, Curl and Tippets catchments.

30th June 2013

• 100 farm plans completed. 80% or better coverage in Upper Arrow, Gladestry, Curl and Tippets catchments. Farm work now moving onto the Honeylake, Lower Arrow, Lugg, Aston Brook, Lye Brook, Ridgemoor Brook and Lime Brook.

• Erosion risk mapped on SCIMAP and used to help plan operations on all high risk farms.

• Nutrient management advice for 61 farms.

• Potato day held and attended by most of the major growers in Herefordshire.

• 7.627km of grant assisted riparian fencing erected with alternative water provided.

• 22 farm infrastructure improvements completed.

• Weir removed on Pinsley Brook.

• Easements at Downfield and Mahollam consented and due for completion this summer

• Owners consent secured and funds committed for an easement on Dayhouse Weir (Lugg). Temporary easement to be fitted if necessary.

1st April 2014

• 170 farm plans completed. SCIMAP proving an essential tool in reducing loss of topsoil.

• 11.5km of grant assisted riparian fencing erected with alternative water sources provided.

• 49 farm infrastructure improvements completed.

• Trial to establish most effective way of reducing soil loss from maize established. This is in response to the plans for an extra 2,000ha of maize in 2015 to feed the Anaerobic Digester (AD) plants. The trial is in partnership with Cranfield University and will run for a year.

• Easement completed at Dayhouse weir in time for 2014's salmon run up the Lugg.

• Monitoring in late 2013 found 4 water bodies in the project area have been lifted to high status for fish. Electrofishing of Lugg and Arrow 2013 showed wide dispersal of salmon (except upper Lugg) including Curl, Hindwell, Pinsley and Knobley brooks.

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