Case study:Manor Road Park: Difference between revisions

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{{Case study status
{{Case study status
|Approval status=Draft
|Approval status=Approved
}}
}}
{{Location
{{Location
|Location=51.8759226, -0.4082277999999633
|Location=51.877071, -0.4046286999999893
}}
}}
{{Project overview
{{Project overview
|Status=In progress
|Status=Complete
|Project web site url=www.affinitywater.co.uk/riverlea
|Project web site url=stakeholder.affinitywater.co.uk/manor-park-improvements.aspx
|Themes=Environmental flows and water resources, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Monitoring, Social benefits, Water quality, Urban
|Themes=Environmental flows and water resources, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Social benefits, Water quality, Urban
|Country=England
|Country=England
|Main contact forename=David
|Main contact forename=Jane
|Main contact surname=Watts
|Main contact surname=Everett
|Contact organisation=Affinity Water
|Contact organisation=Affinity Water
|Contact organisation url=www.affinitywater.co.uk
|Contact organisation url=www.affinitywater.co.uk/index.aspx
|Partner organisations=Luton Borough Council, Environment Agency, Luton Lea Catchment Partnership
|Multi-site=No
|Multi-site=No
|Project picture=River Restoration Award High res image 1.JPG
|Project picture=RiverWiki Picture.jpg
|Picture description=Image of the park area after work was completed on the river.
|Picture description=After the restoration
|Project summary=Since 2015, Affinity Water has worked closely with landowners, stakeholder groups and our regulators to improve flows and habitats to revitalise these beautiful rivers and meet Water Framework Directive targets by 2027.
|Project summary=The River Lea flows along the eastern edge of Manor Road Park in a deep, restricted channel. The riverbed is concrete and the river runs between concrete walls or steps with metal railings.


The River Lea at Manor Road Park, Luton, falls within an area identified as requiring improvements as part of a wider strategy with the overarching aim of protecting and restoring chalk rivers across our supply area. It was chosen as the first of six projects that have been scoped along a stretch of river where the Environment Agency believes is impacted by our abstraction.
The way the river flows means that silt covers the natural gravels, making it harder for fish and other creatures to thrive. The high walls separate the river from the floodplain which can put other areas of the town at risk of flooding. Above all, the river is unwelcoming and hidden from the local communities who could be enjoying a rich natural environment.
 
The river was disjointed from the community – hidden by railings, overgrown bushes, and unsightly concrete steps. There was little opportunity for the community to interact with the river, nor for flora and fauna to flourish. We wanted to bring the river back to the community, educate the local community about its importance, and make a beautiful area for people to enjoy.
From April 2016 to May 2018, work was undertaken to design and build a new space, restoring the river, creating a new channel, and reconnecting it to the surrounding environment.
 
We removed the concrete steps and channel which confined the river along the edge of the park behind iron railings. Tree branches were cut back to allow more light to the river. We created a new flood plain providing another 1,550m3 of flood capacity which will help ease flooding further downstream during times of high flow. The new meandering river channel has been designed and constructed with many in channel features such as riffles and pools that create multiple habitats for plants, insects and fish to establish and help support the River Lea in meeting good ecological potential under the EU WFD.
A riverside path was built and runs alongside the new meandering river. Visitors can sit on natural benches within the banks and admire the specialist chalk stream plants which have been planted along the berms and banks.
 
The river provides an opportunity to help people to recognise the connection between the river, the water that comes out of their taps and the impact that has on groundwater and river flows. We hope to see huge environmental benefits as species begin to repopulate the area.
 
From a wider perspective the project can be used to demonstrate the need for greater investment for further improvement works and collaboration between organisations in catchment areas.
|Monitoring surveys and results=Early analysis of the Modular River Physical surveys (MoRPh) was undertaken in 2016 and January 2018 prior to the restoration works, and in July 2018 immediately after the river works. This demonstrate the river’s physical habitat complexity and aquatic vegetation has immediately improved.
 
We have a baseline of results from our monitoring prior to the river restoration works being undertaken. We will continue monitoring Manor Park for plants, insects and fish over the next few years. It is still early days in our data collection so we need to wait for further data collection to be able to analyse the results of the data and to demonstrate the many benefits associated with the river restoration works. We may not see any improvements for the first 18 months in respect of macroinvertebrates and fish as we wait for species to recolonise the stream.
 
We have set up the following monitoring network to capture the benefits of the river restoration works.
 
• Modular River Physical surveys (or MoRPh surveys). The park was surveyed in 2016; in January 2018 prior to the restoration works; and in July 2018 after the river works. Results from the surveys will show the channel’s physical habitat complexity improve/change over time.
• Macroinvertebrate surveys have been undertaken since 2016 for both spring and autumn samples.
• Macrophyte surveys have been undertaken once a year.
• Spot gauging has been undertaken once a month since December 2015 to measure discharge.
• River level monitoring has been recorded every 15 minutes since January 2016.
• A fish survey was carried out prior to river works and a further survey will be commissioned in 2020.
• Set point photographs have been taken to capture changes over time.
 
We want to continue long-term monitoring of fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes and MoRPH surveys to capture the long-term benefits of the restoration works. We want to capture any improvements in ecological potential under the EU WFD.
|Lessons learn=The project also highlights the other factors which are impacting the river, such as misconnections, surface run-off, water quality and litter. There is an ongoing challenge of pollution pressures, evidenced by tomato plants growing on the new flood plain and banks. This is caused by misconnections of household plumbing being connected to the surface water drains instead of the sewer system in Luton and is something we need to educate within the community.
|Project title=Manor Road Park
}}
}}
{{Image gallery}}
{{Image gallery}}
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{{Case study subcatchment}}
{{Case study subcatchment}}
{{Site}}
{{Site
|Name=Manor Road Park
|Heavily modified water body=No
|Protected species present=No
|Invasive species present=No
}}
{{Project background
{{Project background
|Reach length directly affected=140
|Reach length directly affected=140
|Project started=2016/04/04
|Project started=2018/06/01
|Works started=2018/02/14
}}
|Works completed=2018/06/01
{{Motivations
|Project completed=2018/06/01
|Specific mitigation=Urbanisation,
|Total cost category=100 - 500 k€
|Hydromorphological quality elements=Channel pattern/planform,
|Other motivation=Landscape enhancement, Recreation,
}}
{{Measures
|Bank and bed modifications measure=Creation of pools and riffles, Introduction of gravel,
|Floodplain / River corridor=Remeandering,
}}
}}
{{Motivations}}
{{Measures}}
{{Hydromorphological quality elements header}}
{{Hydromorphological quality elements header}}
{{Hydromorphological quality element table row
|Element=Channel pattern/planform
|Monitored before=Yes
|Monitored after=Yes
|Qualitative monitoring=Yes
|Quantitative monitoring=No
|Control site used=Yes
|Result=Improvement
}}
{{End table}}
{{End table}}
{{Biological quality elements header}}
{{Biological quality elements header}}
{{Biological quality element table row
|Element=Fish
|Monitored before=Yes
|Monitored after=No
|Qualitative monitoring=No
|Quantitative monitoring=Yes
|Control site used=No
|Result=Awaiting results
}}
{{Biological quality element table row
|Element=Invertebrates
|Monitored before=Yes
|Monitored after=Yes
|Qualitative monitoring=No
|Quantitative monitoring=Yes
|Control site used=Yes
|Result=Awaiting results
}}
{{Biological quality element table row
|Element=Macrophytes
|Monitored before=Yes
|Monitored after=Yes
|Qualitative monitoring=No
|Quantitative monitoring=Yes
|Control site used=Yes
|Result=Awaiting results
}}
{{End table}}
{{End table}}
{{Physico-chemical quality elements header}}
{{Physico-chemical quality elements header}}

Latest revision as of 15:02, 7 June 2019

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Project overview

Edit project overview
Status Complete
Project web site http://stakeholder.affinitywater.co.uk/manor-park-improvements.aspx
Themes Environmental flows and water resources, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Social benefits, Water quality, Urban
Country England
Main contact forename Jane
Main contact surname Everett
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation Affinity Water
Contact organisation web site http://www.affinitywater.co.uk/index.aspx
Partner organisations Luton Borough Council, Environment Agency, Luton Lea Catchment Partnership
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project
encompassing the following
projects 		No
After the restoration

Project summary

Edit project overview to modify the project summary.


The River Lea flows along the eastern edge of Manor Road Park in a deep, restricted channel. The riverbed is concrete and the river runs between concrete walls or steps with metal railings.

The way the river flows means that silt covers the natural gravels, making it harder for fish and other creatures to thrive. The high walls separate the river from the floodplain which can put other areas of the town at risk of flooding. Above all, the river is unwelcoming and hidden from the local communities who could be enjoying a rich natural environment.

Monitoring surveys and results

This case study hasn’t got any Monitoring survey and results, you can add some by editing the project overview.

Lessons learnt

This case study hasn’t got any lessons learnt, you can add some by editing the project overview.


Image gallery


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Catchment and subcatchment



Site

Name Manor Road Park
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

Reach length directly affected (m) 140140 m <br />0.14 km <br />14,000 cm <br />
Project started 2018/06/01
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

Mitigation of a pressure Urbanisation
Hydromorphology Channel pattern/planform
Biology
Physico-chemical
Other reasons for the project Landscape enhancement, Recreation


Measures

Structural measures
Bank/bed modifications Creation of pools and riffles, Introduction of gravel
Floodplain / River corridor Remeandering
Planform / Channel pattern
Other
Non-structural measures
Management interventions
Social measures (incl. engagement)
Other


Monitoring

Hydromorphological quality elements

Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result
Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative
Channel pattern/planform Yes Yes Yes No Yes Improvement

Biological quality elements

Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result
Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative
Fish Yes No No Yes No Awaiting results
Invertebrates Yes Yes No Yes Yes Awaiting results
Macrophytes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Awaiting results

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

Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result
Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative


Monitoring documents



Additional documents and videos


Additional links and references

Link Description

Supplementary Information

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