Case study:Telford Catchment Restoration Project

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Location: 52° 40' 42.31" N, 2° 26' 42.93" W
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Project overview

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Status Complete
Project web site
Themes Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Social benefits, Water quality, Urban
Country England
Main contact forename Pete
Main contact surname Lambert
Main contact user ID User:PeteLambert
Contact organisation Shropshire Wildlife Trust
Contact organisation web site http://www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Partner organisations Environment Agency, Telford and Wrekin Council, Severn Trent Water, Stirchley and Brookside PC, Ricoh RPL, BESST, University of Wolverhampton, Severn Gorge Countryside Trust, Wrekin Forest Volunteers
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project
encompassing the following
projects
No
Location Map

Project summary

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Over 250 years of industrial activity and regeneration have heavily modified Telford’s urban catchments. Under the Water Framework Directive assessments the Lydebrook and Madebrook catchments are failing. Macroinvertebrates communities are fragmented and prone to local extinctions. The watercourses are overloaded with urban diffuse pollution via misconnections, road run off and the legacy of the townships industrial past. Water is a fundamental part of the green infrastructure of urban Telford , Shropshire Wildlife Trust have been championing the positive care of Telford’s green network for decades and now the two come together in the catchment based approach to urban diffuse pollution. In close partnership with Telford and Wrekin Council, Severn Trent Water, Severn Gorge Countryside Trust, local community groups and with the support of the Environment Agency we are working to lift the fortunes of the two catchments. Description of Works The Lydebrook catchment has been massively disrupted by industrial activity. Where we can get access to the water we are planning to install new aquatic vegetation to help self-clean the water, work on riverside trees and hedges to reduce sedimentation from erosion and improve ground cover. Hedge laying has been used to address erosion, pre-planted coir rolls utilised to create new wetland edge to provide habitat and water cleansing capacity to the series of balancing pools and channels. The interventions are targeted at three balancing pools and short stretches of stream channel. In the headwaters area we shall be investigating the potential of a SuDS system to treat road-off. On the Madebrook catchment we are designing and installing four new rock cascades to improve oxygenation and ecological connectivity. Over 400m of de-culverted watercourse will be created through the Madebrook and Stirchley Dingle proposed Local Nature Reserve. The new watercourse will be allowed to naturally re-vegetate and strengthen the isolated aquatic community found on this section of the much modified water course. The new channel will include features to encourage educational access, promote stream dynamics and enhance invertebrate populations. We are also working with Telford Angles Association to improve disable angling access. We will be promoting the Retro fitting of SuDS in urban Telford in a number of ways. Working with RICOH ltd we aim to have a small scale SuDS feature fitted, we are exploring SuDS feasibility at the Halesfield Industrial Estate via a PhD research project and we are working with the BESST network via their seminar programme to promote wise water management to their members. Volunteers are integral to the Trust approach and the CRF project will see volunteers leading the sampling and monitoring and carrying out small scale remedial works throughout both catchments. Our Education Team are developing a ‘River Rangers’ school resource which is being trialled through two schools (one per catchment). The schools scheme includes exploring their local water course, conducting a school water audit and finally designing and with our support constructing their own rain garden or other SuDs feature. All the community consultation in regard to the engineering works is being supported by more general community events to promote and engage local residents in the care of the rivers and streams in their neighbourhood.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Monitoring of public responses to the project has shown good support and understanding of the reasons for the works. Volunteer engagement has been of a high quality and helped immensely in realising the broader aims of the project.

Fixed point photography has demonstrated the quick recovery rate of new earthworks and features.

Aquatic and chemical water quality monitoring results are awaiting post project analysis.

Lessons learnt

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The main flagship site at Madebrook involved the design, planning and construction of a new de-culverted watercourse in an urban setting. The technical challenges were many and steadily overcome by the project team. Costs were high and this made budgeting a challenge, good collaboration and flexible design allowed the project to proceed to a successful conclusion. Involving the local community at an early stage and keeping them involved is key in a project which will at times disrupt the local area. Good liaison has helped maintain good will and has helped build confidence as we move on to new projects in the local area.


Image gallery


Areas of reed plantng acting as biological filters
Lyde W arm by railway - tree maintenance to reduce shading
Lyde W arm up to Rough Pk - willow hurdles to reduce sediment runoff
Lyde braided East arm - sediment accumulation area
Lyde West arm goes into culvert (along School Road)
Stirchley SWT community bird box
Shropshire WT community stand in Stirchley, Telford library, with CRF plans
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Catchment and subcatchment

Catchment

River basin district Severn
River basin Worcestershire Middle Severn

Subcatchment

River name Wesley Bk - source to conf R Worfe
Area category 10 - 100 km²
Area (km2)
Maximum altitude category 200 - 500 m
Maximum altitude (m) 202202 m <br />0.202 km <br />20,200 cm <br />
Dominant geology Calcareous
Ecoregion Great Britain
Dominant land cover Arable and Horticulture
Waterbody ID GB109054050060



Other case studies in this subcatchment: River Worfe Restoration Initiative


Site

Name
WFD water body codes GB109054050060
WFD (national) typology
WFD water body name Wesley Bk - source to conf R Worfe
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)
Project started 2012/07/02
Works started
Works completed
Project completed 2015/03/31
Total cost category 100 - 500 k€
Total cost (k€) 493493 k€ <br />493,000 € <br />
Benefit to cost ratio
Funding sources Defra Catchment Restoration 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



Reasons for river restoration

Mitigation of a pressure
Hydromorphology Continuity for organisms, Structure & condition of riparian zone
Biology Invertebrates
Physico-chemical Oxygen balance
Other reasons for the project


Measures

Structural measures
Bank/bed modifications Rock ramp construction, Deculverting
Floodplain / River corridor Decrease sedimentation, Tree plantation
Planform / Channel pattern
Other
Non-structural measures
Management interventions
Social measures (incl. engagement) Schools resource pack produced - River Rangers, Community awareness of urban catchment challenges
Other Trained volunteers leading project sampling and monitoring


Monitoring

Hydromorphological quality elements

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

Biological quality elements

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

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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