Case study:River Colne Riparian Tree Planting

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
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Country	England
Main contact forename	Matt
Main contact surname	Butcher
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This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

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Project summary

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The River Colne is not meeting its WFD objectives for aquatic plants, and the fish status has recently deteriorated from high to good. Riparian shade mapping from the Keeping Rivers Cool project and walk over surveys showed that the rive would benefit from increased shade at a number of locations. Working with landowners, Essex & Suffolk River Trust identified a number of sites where tree planting could be undertaken, and planted trees at one suitable site.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Riparian trees provide shade, which not only keeps the water cooler, but also helps control excessive weed and algal growth. Cooler water not only contains more oxygen, but many fish and invertebrates are sensitive to increasing temperature. This is likely to be exacerbated as temperatures increase due to climate change. In the future the tree roots and woody debris from fallen branches and tree trunks will provide important in-channel habitat and flow diversity, providing refuge for fish and invertebrates from both predators and high flows. Trees also help stabilise the banks, reducing erosion as well as improving infiltration and intercepting pollution and sediment. Reduced sediment transfer prevents the smothering of important gravel habitat, and can reduce pesticide and nutrient run off. Tree planting therefore not only provides important habitat but improves water quality and can reduce the need for expensive river maintenance.

Lessons learnt

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Close liaison with permitting and enforcement colleagues is essential to establish suitable restoration sites, and ensure that flood risk is not increased.

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Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Site Edit site Name WFD water body codes GB105037041330 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