Case study:Exmoor Mires Partnership

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Location: 51° 8' 26.76" N, 3° 44' 52.73" W

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Project overview

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Status	In progress
Project web site	http://www.therrc.co.uk/sites/default/files/projects/36_exmoor.pdf
Themes	Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Land use management - agriculture, Land use management - forestry, Monitoring, Social benefits, Water quality
Country	England
Main contact forename	Morag
Main contact surname	Angus
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	South West Water
Contact organisation web site	http://www.southwestwater.co.uk/
Partner organisations	Exmoor Mires Partnership, Environment Agency, Natural England, Historic England, Exmoor National Park Authoity, University of Exeter, Landowners and farmers
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

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Project summary

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The shallow and maritime peatlands of Exmoor in south-west England (Map 1) have been heavily influenced by human activity over many centuries, with significant areas drained in the 19th and 20th centuries in an effort to improve agricultural productivity. Water is no longer stored as efficiently in the peat. During periods of high rainfall, more water runs off the land and flows downstream into already swollen rivers. In dry periods, river baseflows are poorly maintained. The peatlands have become dry and consequently are losing more carbon (via both fluvial and gaseous pathways) than they accumulate. The quality of water leaving the peat bogs is also deteriorating. The holistic, multiple benefits approach provided by the Exmoor Mires Partnership is helping the peatlands to recover to their more natural ecohydrological structure and function. • Cost: £4.5 million (2010 to 2020) to restore 3,000ha of peatland, with 1,400ha achieved by December 2016. • Water storage: A rise in the water table level of 2.65cm on average across the areas monitored and up to 21cm in some deeper peat locations. • A 33% reduction in storm flow leaving the restored sites, equivalent to 6,630 Olympic sized swimming pools when extrapolated across the total restored area. • Examination of the hydrograph and flow duration curve at the Spooners monitoring catchment shows a clear increase in base flow levels post restoration. • Water quality: An overall reduction in the total carbon yield from the restored sites of up to 50% since restoration. • Biodiversity: 31% of Exmoor peatlands restored to their ecohydrological function, contributing 1,400ha by December 2016 to the national Priority Blanket Bog habitat restoration targets.

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Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Site Edit site Name Exe WFD water body codes WFD (national) typology WFD water body name Pre-project morphology Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body No National/international site designation Local/regional site designations Protected species present No Invasive species present No 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