Case study:Afon Merin Natural Process Restoration: Difference between revisions
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|Project summary=The site offered the potential to undertake a pilot study of low cost high nature value interventions on Welsh Government Woodland Estate. While seemingly in a natural state, the rivers was incised and disconnected from the wider flood plain, with a lack of suitable gravels for the resident native Brown Trout population. Felling commenced in 2018 and some of the timber was used to begin ditch blocking and creating leaky dams within the main channel. Early observations showed that the results had been positive with the hydrological systems soon renaturalising within the valley floor, wet areas were developing and the main channel began to take on a more braided characteristic by occupying historic channels. In channel flow diversity increased markedly allowing a more complex sediment matrix to appear. | |Project summary=The site offered the potential to undertake a pilot study of low cost high nature value interventions on Welsh Government Woodland Estate. While seemingly in a natural state, the rivers was incised and disconnected from the wider flood plain, with a lack of suitable gravels for the resident native Brown Trout population. Felling commenced in 2018 and some of the timber was used to begin ditch blocking and creating leaky dams within the main channel. Early observations showed that the results had been positive with the hydrological systems soon renaturalising within the valley floor, wet areas were developing and the main channel began to take on a more braided characteristic by occupying historic channels. In channel flow diversity increased markedly allowing a more complex sediment matrix to appear. | ||
|Monitoring surveys and results=Pre work aerial studies of the area and fixed point photography at key areas through the valley have allowed a gross study of early geomorphological changes within the system, including stream number and width, and changes within the | |Monitoring surveys and results=Pre work aerial studies of the area and fixed point photography at key areas through the valley have allowed a gross study of early geomorphological changes within the system, including stream number and width, and changes within the network of wet areas across the valley floor. | ||
Aberystwyth University are undertaking flow measurements and will continue to do so over an extended time period. Ecological studies will be undertaken across this and a control site on the same waterbody to monitor changes. | Aberystwyth University are undertaking flow measurements and will continue to do so over an extended time period. Ecological studies will be undertaken across this and a control site on the same waterbody to monitor changes. | ||
|Lessons learn=The implementation of this scheme on Welsh Government Woodland Estate has shown that there are high value gains possible at low cost inputs which can be imnplemented alongside current Forest management techniques. These can yield multiple benefits and studying these allows us to put forward a case for spreading this work and ethos across the wider Woodland Estate with potential for large scale projects. The multiple benefits are closely aligned with NRW's wider Corporate and Business plans and better ways of working which look to generate positive outcomes through nature based solutions giving positive benefits across a broad spectrum of habitats, species and communities. | |Lessons learn=The implementation of this scheme on Welsh Government Woodland Estate has shown that there are high value gains possible at low cost inputs which can be imnplemented alongside current Forest management techniques. These can yield multiple benefits and studying these allows us to put forward a case for spreading this work and ethos across the wider Woodland Estate with potential for large scale projects. The multiple benefits are closely aligned with NRW's wider Corporate and Business plans and better ways of working which look to generate positive outcomes through nature based solutions giving positive benefits across a broad spectrum of habitats, species and communities. | ||
Revision as of 10:40, 11 March 2021
This case study is pending approval by a RiverWiki administrator.
Project overview
| Status | In progress |
|---|---|
| Project web site | |
| Themes | Environmental flows and water resources, Fisheries, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Land use management - forestry, Monitoring, Water quality |
| Country | Wales |
| Main contact forename | Ieuan |
| Main contact surname | Davies |
| Main contact user ID | User:Ieu_Dav |
| Contact organisation | Natural Resources Wales |
| Contact organisation web site | http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en |
| Partner organisations | |
| This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
Project summary
The site offered the potential to undertake a pilot study of low cost high nature value interventions on Welsh Government Woodland Estate. While seemingly in a natural state, the rivers was incised and disconnected from the wider flood plain, with a lack of suitable gravels for the resident native Brown Trout population. Felling commenced in 2018 and some of the timber was used to begin ditch blocking and creating leaky dams within the main channel. Early observations showed that the results had been positive with the hydrological systems soon renaturalising within the valley floor, wet areas were developing and the main channel began to take on a more braided characteristic by occupying historic channels. In channel flow diversity increased markedly allowing a more complex sediment matrix to appear.
Monitoring surveys and results
Pre work aerial studies of the area and fixed point photography at key areas through the valley have allowed a gross study of early geomorphological changes within the system, including stream number and width, and changes within the network of wet areas across the valley floor.
Aberystwyth University are undertaking flow measurements and will continue to do so over an extended time period. Ecological studies will be undertaken across this and a control site on the same waterbody to monitor changes.
Lessons learnt
The implementation of this scheme on Welsh Government Woodland Estate has shown that there are high value gains possible at low cost inputs which can be imnplemented alongside current Forest management techniques. These can yield multiple benefits and studying these allows us to put forward a case for spreading this work and ethos across the wider Woodland Estate with potential for large scale projects. The multiple benefits are closely aligned with NRW's wider Corporate and Business plans and better ways of working which look to generate positive outcomes through nature based solutions giving positive benefits across a broad spectrum of habitats, species and communities.
Image gallery
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Catchment and subcatchment
Site
Project background
Cost for project phases
Reasons for river restoration
Measures
MonitoringHydromorphological quality elements
Biological quality elements
Physico-chemical quality elements
Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic
Monitoring documents
Additional documents and videos
Additional links and references
Supplementary InformationEdit Supplementary Information
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