Case study:Lower River Roding Regeneration Project

Project overview

Edit project overview

Status	Complete
Project web site
Themes	Estuary, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Social benefits, Urban
Country	England
Main contact forename	Toni
Main contact surname	Scarr
Main contact user ID	User:Ascarr
Contact organisation	Environment Agency
Contact organisation web site	http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Partner organisations	Groundwork, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, London Borough of Newham, Natural England, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	Barking Creek near A13, Barking Creekmouth, Cuckolds Haven Nature Area, Mill Pool

Barking Barrier

Project summary

Edit project overview to modify the project summary.

This project was the first in Thames Region to be delivered by the Environment Agency using funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s (ODPM, now DCLG) Sustainable Communities Fund.

In May 2004 we submitted a bid to the ODPM for £1million to undertake a series of environmental enhancements along the River Roding in its lower reaches where it passes through the London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham and Newham. The funding bid was approved in October 2004 and the project had to be delivered by the end of the funding period in March 2006.

BACKGROUND The River Roding is a tributary of the River Thames. It rises to the north east of London and flows south through East London, through and along the boundary of a number of London Boroughs, before joining the River Thames in Barking. The lower reaches of the River Roding are tidal and the land adjacent to the River Roding throughout the project area is protected from tidal and fluvial flooding by flood defences. In addition to these defences the Barking Barrier protects the area from extreme high tides. This barrier is part of the Thames tidal defences. The Barking Barrier is situated at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Roding.

The Lower Roding Regeneration Project covers 4.5km of the River Roding where it flows through the London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and London Borough of Newham, between grid references TQ 436848 and TQ 458816.

The lower reaches of the River Roding are extremely urbanised and many of the riverside areas are of low environmental quality with poor aesthetic appeal and are difficult to access. Infrastructure barriers currently make it a difficult landscape to easily navigate and enjoy. These barriers include a railway line crossing and the A13 trunk road, creating east-west barriers, and the A406 North Circular Road running parallel to but set back from the west bank of the river.

Monitoring surveys and results

Edit project overview to modify the Monitoring survey and results.

A number of environmental and amenity enhancements were delivered by this project. These included improved habitat for wildlife (including provision of Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) habitats), improved access to waterside areas, new seating/viewing areas, retreated and renewed flood defences and increased flood storage capacity.

This is an area of London where development has historically lead to the degradation of habitats along the River Roding and its tidal confluence with the Thames. It is therefore important that BAP habitat such as saltmarsh and mudflat is restored to the Creek.

MSC thesis reults: Small size restored intertidal habitat within heavy urbanised estuaries can function as relic marsh and provide a successful nursery and feeding grounds for juvenile fish. These fragmented habitats also help establish an intertidal migratory corridor through rivers, safeguarding fry from the high flows found in the central channel. This emphasises the importance of intertidal estuarine habitat in achieving ‘good ecological status/potential’ under WFD, and the added value they could bring if included within the network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) planned for around in the UK coast.

Lessons learnt

Edit project overview to modify the lessons learnt.

You can set back flood defences even in highly constrained locations. In particular the A13 site is located next bridge supporting a major road into London. The steel sheet piling has been removed and intertidal banks have been restored.

4.00

(one vote)

To discuss or comment on this case study, please use the discussion page.

Location: 51° 31' 41.59" N, 0° 4' 48.90" E

Edit location

Loading map...

{"format":"googlemaps3","type":"HYBRID","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"limit":50,"offset":0,"link":"all","sort":[""],"order":[],"headers":"show","mainlabel":"","intro":"","outro":"","searchlabel":"... further results","default":"","import-annotation":false,"width":"auto","height":"400px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"visitedicon":"","wmsoverlay":false,"zoom":false,"layers":[],"controls":["pan","zoom","type","scale","streetview","rotate"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"cluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[""],"searchmarkers":"","fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"showtitle":false,"hidenamespace":true,"template":"Location map popup","userparam":"","activeicon":"","pagelabel":false,"ajaxcoordproperty":"","ajaxquery":"","locations":[{"text":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Title:\u003C/b\u003E Barking Creek near A13\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECountry:\u003C/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"/wiki/index.php?title=England\" title=\"England\"\u003EEngland\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Status:\u003C/b\u003E Complete\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThemes:\u003C/b\u003E Estuary\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E","title":"Barking Creek near A13","link":"","lat":51.528047121399,"lon":0.080506168627949,"icon":"/wiki/images/a/af/Red_marker.png"},{"text":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Title:\u003C/b\u003E Barking Creekmouth\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECountry:\u003C/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"/wiki/index.php?title=England\" title=\"England\"\u003EEngland\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Status:\u003C/b\u003E Complete\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThemes:\u003C/b\u003E Estuary\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E","title":"Barking Creekmouth","link":"","lat":51.516631874194,"lon":0.096813999438496,"icon":"/wiki/images/a/af/Red_marker.png"},{"text":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Title:\u003C/b\u003E Cuckolds Haven Nature Area\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECountry:\u003C/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"/wiki/index.php?title=England\" title=\"England\"\u003EEngland\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Status:\u003C/b\u003E Complete\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThemes:\u003C/b\u003E Urban\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E","title":"Cuckolds Haven Nature Area","link":"","lat":51.529128417489,"lon":0.076150261187763,"icon":"/wiki/images/a/af/Red_marker.png"},{"text":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Title:\u003C/b\u003E Lower River Roding Regeneration Project\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECountry:\u003C/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"/wiki/index.php?title=England\" title=\"England\"\u003EEngland\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Status:\u003C/b\u003E Complete\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThemes:\u003C/b\u003E Estuary\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E","title":"Lower River Roding Regeneration Project","link":"","lat":51.528220664477,"lon":0.080248676562519,"icon":"/wiki/images/c/ce/Green_marker.png"},{"text":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Title:\u003C/b\u003E Mill Pool\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECountry:\u003C/b\u003E \u003Ca href=\"/wiki/index.php?title=England\" title=\"England\"\u003EEngland\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EProject Status:\u003C/b\u003E Complete\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThemes:\u003C/b\u003E Urban\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr /\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E","title":"Mill Pool","link":"","lat":51.533832924592,"lon":0.073084496283741,"icon":"/wiki/images/a/af/Red_marker.png"}]}

Left click to look around in the map, and use the wheel of your mouse to zoom in and out.

Image gallery

Edit Image gallery

A13 during works

A13 post works

Barking Creekmouth

Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Edit the catchment and subcatchment details (affects all case studies in this subcatchment) Catchment River basin district Thames River basin London Subcatchment River name Thames Middle Area category Less than 10 km² Area (km2) Maximum altitude category Maximum altitude (m) Dominant geology Ecoregion Great Britain Dominant land cover Urban Waterbody ID GB530603911402 Other case studies in this subcatchment: Barking Creek near A13, Barking Creekmouth, Chambers Wharf, Cuckolds Haven Nature Area, Greenwich Peninsula, Mill Pool, Saving Chiswick Eyot, Wandsworth Riverside Quarter Site Edit site Name Barking Creek WFD water body codes GB530603911402 WFD (national) typology Intertidal WFD water body name THAMES MIDDLE Pre-project morphology Estuary (tidal) Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body Yes National/international site designation Local/regional site designations Protected species present Yes Invasive species present Yes Species of interest European eel (Anguilla anguilla), Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), flounder, phragmites Dominant hydrology Tidal Dominant substrate Estuarine mud River corridor land use Urban 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) 45004,500 m <br />4.5 km <br />450,000 cm <br /> Project started 2004/05/01 Works started 2005/10/01 Works completed 2006/03/31 Project completed 2006/03/31 Total cost category 1000 - 5000 k€ Total cost (k€) 1,0001,000 k€ <br />1,000,000 € <br /> Benefit to cost ratio Funding sources Environment Agency, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s (now DCLG) Sustainable Communities Fund 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 Supplementary funding information In May 2004 we submitted a bid to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s for £1million to undertake a series of environmental enhancements along the River Roding in its lower reaches where it passes through the London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham and Newham. The funding bid was approved in October 2004 and the project had to be delivered by the end of the funding period in March 2006. Reasons for river restoration Edit reasons for restoration Mitigation of a pressure Flood and coastal erosion protection Hydromorphology Structure & condition of intertidal zone, Channel pattern/planform Biology Fish: Age structure, Macrophytes Physico-chemical Other reasons for the project Community demand, Landscape enhancement Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications construction of new intertidal area Floodplain / River corridor Planform / Channel pattern Other Non-structural measures Management interventions Social measures (incl. engagement) Improved public access, Information panels for people 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 MSc Project on fish utalisation of intertidal habitats Additional documents and videos Upload additional documents summary report Additional links and references Edit links and references Link Description http://www.ecrr.org/Portals/27/Publications/Estuary%20Edges%20-%20design%20advice.pdf Estuary Edges design guidance - this project is used as one of the examples Supplementary Information Edit Supplementary Information Case_study:Barking Creekmouth Tidal backwater creating two areas of BAP habitat: 0.1ha tidal mudflat habitat and 0.9ha of saltmarsh habitat. New site entrance Two seating/viewing areas with site information boards Retreated flood defence providing approx. 15,000m3 additional storage 310m new footpath Case_study:Baking Creek near A13 Retreat and renewal of a 50m section of flood defence providing approximately 2000m3 Creation of approx. 390m2 of BAP habitat (including mudflat and saltmarsh) at the site Case_study:Cuckolds Haven Nature Area Create riverside seating area and info boards New site entrance 130m new footpath Case_study:Mill Pool 3-level intertidal terracing of 30m riverbank Redesigned seating area