Case study:River Avon Our Water Environment

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Location: 57° 15' 6.32" N, 3° 23' 33.79" W

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site
Themes	Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Social benefits, Water quality
Country	Scotland
Main contact forename	Jos
Main contact surname	Milner
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Tomintoul & Glenlivet Landscape Partnership
Contact organisation web site	http://www.tomintoulandglenlivet.com/our-water-environment/
Partner organisations	Spey Fishery Board, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Crown Estate Scotland, Delnabo Estate, Fordmouth Farm
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

Engineered woody structure along river bank at Fordmouth Farm - soil scrapped back & 8m long tree trunks, with intact root plates towards river, located along bank prior to burying

Project summary

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River restoration works have been carried out along a high-energy reach of the River Avon within the River Spey Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in Cairngorms National Park. The project encompasses green engineering woody structures and sediment management, as well as water margin management and riparian planting. The aim is to improve the capability of the watercourse to cope with high flow events, reduce excessive erosion and to protect in-channel and riparian habitats, as well as farm livelihoods and infrastructure. The works were carried out as a Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS), supported and managed by a National Lottery Heritage Funded partnership (Tomintoul & Glenlivet Landscape Partnership) as part of their wider ‘Our Water Environment’ project running across the Tomintoul and Glenlivet area.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Topographical survey, geomorphological assessment,fluvial audit carried out in 2018 (cbec); Hydromorphological survey in 2019 (EnviroCentre). Post-restoration monitoring surveys to be carried out in 2021 by Spey Fishery Board.

Lessons learnt

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Cash flow was an issue as sizable sums required up front – project partner supported cash flow but the project could have been wider-reaching without this problem.

Significant up-front investment is required to carry out initial survey work required to be able to inform land owners / managers about risks involved and allow them to decide if this is something they can accommodate.

Lack of understanding about green engineering techniques means significant engagement is required early on to gain buy-in & permissions.

Scottish Rural Development Programme's Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) can be a good source of funding to deliver river restoration projects, but involves upfront payments which can subsequently be reclaimed.

Image gallery

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One of two areas of sediment to be removed to re-open a secondary channel (W.Boyd-Wallis-CNPA)

One of the log revetment sites before intervention showing bank erosion (note former fenceline between person & bankside trees). K.McDougall-EnviroCentre

Delivery of one load of tree trunks (250 trees used in total) K.McDougall-EnviroCentre

Tree trunks laid perpendicular to drainage ditch and main river channel

Installation of tree trunks with root plates aligned along bank toe line. Note excavated bank material piled to left & rocks being used to infill between logs). K.McDougall - EnviroCentre

Close-up of root balls which will form new bank

Fixings for log revetment (P.Lawson - Spey Catchment Initiative)

Tree trunks in 2 tiers seperated by logs at 90 degrees (K.McDougall - EnviroCentre)

River bank being reinstated by burying log revetment

Reinstated ground over log revetment (W.Boyd-Wallis-CNPA)

Riparian planting on reinstated ground above log revetment, showing root plates visible along river edge (J.Milner-TGLP)

Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Edit the catchment and subcatchment details (affects all case studies in this subcatchment) Catchment River basin district Scotland RBD River basin River Spey Subcatchment River name River Avon Area category 100 - 1000 km² Area (km2) 545545 km² <br />54,500 ha <br /> Maximum altitude category 500 - 1000 m Maximum altitude (m) 700700 m <br />0.7 km <br />70,000 cm <br /> Dominant geology granite, sedimentary, metamorphosed sedimentary Ecoregion Great Britain Dominant land cover Moorland, agriculture, forestry Waterbody ID 23084 Other case studies in this subcatchment: Allt Lorgy River Restoration Site Edit site Name Fordmouth Farm, Tomintoul WFD water body codes WFD (national) typology WFD water body name River Avon Pre-project morphology Wandering Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body No National/international site designation EU - Special Area of Conservation Local/regional site designations Cairngorms National Park Protected species present Yes Invasive species present No Species of interest Atlantic salmon, European Otter, Sea lamprey, Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) Dominant hydrology Dominant substrate Cobble River corridor land use Improved/semi-improved grassland/pasture 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 0.001 - 0.01 Average channel gradient Average unit stream power (W/m2) 198 198 W/m² <br /> Project background Edit project background Reach length directly affected (m) 180180 m <br />0.18 km <br />18,000 cm <br /> Project started 2015 Works started 2019/08/01 Works completed 2019/09/30 Project completed 2020/09/30 Total cost category 50 - 100 k€ Total cost (k€) Benefit to cost ratio Funding sources Scottish Rural Development Programme, National Lottery Heritage Fund Cost for project phases Phase cost category cost exact (k€) Lead organisation Contact forename Contact surname Investigation and design CBec Eco Engineering Hamish Moir Stakeholder engagement and communication Tomintoul & Glenlivet Landscape Partnership Works and works supervision EnviroCentre Kenneth MacDougall Post-project management and maintenance Spey Fishery Board Duncan Ferguson Monitoring Supplementary funding information EnviroCentre undertook survey, design and construction support for the installation of green engineering features, based on options appraisal and initial design phase of work carried out by cbec. Contractor who carried out works: FM Land Ltd, Cromdale, Grantown-on-Spey Reasons for river restoration Edit reasons for restoration Mitigation of a pressure Hydromorphology Biology Physico-chemical Other reasons for the project Improve resilience to high flow events, reduce bank erosion & sedimentation, improve habitats Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications Bank stabilisation using engineered wood structures; sediment management Floodplain / River corridor Planform / Channel pattern Other Set-back fencing & riparian planting 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