Case study:Belton Floodplain Reconnection and River Restoration

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Location: 52° 56' 11.52" N, 0° 37' 33.10" W

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site
Themes	Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Social benefits
Country	England
Main contact forename	David
Main contact surname	Hutchinson
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Environement Agency
Contact organisation web site	http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency
Partner organisations	South Kesteven District Council, National Trust
Parent multi-site project	Upper Witham Restoration
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

Belton wet floodplain winter 23/24.

Project summary

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This project builds upon two previously successful restoration projects in partnership between the EA and National Trust (landowner) that involved channel narrowing and adding gravel riffles. Its aims were to further increase floodplain connectivity and complexity, create wetlands and to restore natural river processes. To help the river come out of bank and onto its floodplain more frequently woody material jams were created using a combination of willow and alder along with discrete areas of floodplain lowering. The floodplain complexity was improved by adding fallen wood across it along with tree planting to ensure longer term wood supply for the river. Floodplain willows were hinged both into the river and on the floodplain. Shallow scrapes were dug to create areas of standing water and imitation Beaver Dam were installed to encourage areas of deeper wetland. Frequently wetted, lowland floodplain is a very important but rare habitat type that delivers many ecosystem services benefits. Its restoration usually involves the movement of lots of spoil at high cost. This work is innovative in that it involves the use of lower cost, less intensive and more natural methods.

Monitoring surveys and results

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The wetting frequency of the floodplain has significantly increased since the final phase of work. Anecdotal evidence for the fishing clubs supports increase Brown Trout numbers.

Lessons learnt

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When planning a large-scale project of this nature, the first consideration should be what is the lowest cost and least disruptive way of achieving the objectives. Previous habitat works have focussed on lowering the floodplain to meet the water surface. This is often costly with excess spoil to move and spread and has a high initial impact on site both ecologically and aesthetically. It can also be very effective to work up projects in several phases over several years to allow interventions to be in and establish e.g channel narrowing followed by gravel introduction.

Image gallery

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Channel before any of the works.

Channel post works.

Woody material added to channel to improve floodplain connectivity.

Wet floodplain winter 23/24

Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Site Edit site Name WFD water body codes WFD (national) typology WFD water body name Pre-project morphology Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body National/international site designation Local/regional site designations Protected species present Invasive species present 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