Case study:Houghton 'trout stream' enhancements

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Location: 52° 19' 30.02" N, 0° 6' 26.70" W

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site
Themes	Fisheries, Hydromorphology
Country	England
Main contact forename	Rob
Main contact surname	Clapham
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Environment Agency
Contact organisation web site	http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency
Partner organisations
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

Installation of a mid-channel 'v' deflector to create and maintain clean gravels

Project summary

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The Houghton ’trout’ stream is an important side channel of the Great Ouse providing many habitat types that are not present in the navigable main channel.

Over the last decade there has been a decline in the number of fish species present in the stream. This is likely a result of historic over-widening, catchment sediment issues and flow regulation which have changed or degraded the habitat.

The Environment Agency worked with the local fishing club and landowners to improve the status of the stream putting in place a number of measures to address pressures and improve habitat.

These measures include:

- Gravel Cleaning has been carried out to improve spawning gravels. Limited flows in an over-wide channel have resulted in a lot of fine sediment to drop out of suspension and smother the gravels. High powered jets of water are used to remove silt between gravels and improve the chances of successful fish spawning.

- Tree Planting has been started in various locations. Trees will provide shelter and shade for various fish species as well as habitat for macroinvertebrates. In future years they will provide woody material to the channel which will help create in-channel habitat. They are also important for moderating river water temperatures.

- Wooden flow deflectors have been installed in a number of locations on the stream. These increase flow velocities over the spawning gravel preventing build up of fine sediment in slow flows. These should be self sustaining and reduce the need to gravel clean by hand each year.

- Flow improvement works have been carried out at the weir. Overhanging and submerged trees, and vegetation has been removed to improve flows and prevent further build up of materials and sediment.

- Fencing will be installed in summer 2014 to protect trees from cattle and prevent in-channel access close to enhanced spawning riffles

Monitoring surveys and results

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Pre-enhancement fish surveys have been undertaken
Post-enhancement fish surveys will be carried out in subsequent years

Lessons learnt

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Wood for construction of deflectors was sourced locally and work was undertaken by hand. Therefore the size of deflectors were limited to what could be manoeuvred by hand. Despite their size, careful consideration of the prevailing flow and sediment conditions meant they could be placed to achieve optimum benefit.

Image gallery

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File:Lamprey Spawing.mov

Local angling club planting trees on banktop

Example of side deflector

Chub preparing to spawn around 'v' deflector

Finished deflector in May 2014

Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Edit the catchment and subcatchment details (affects all case studies in this subcatchment) Catchment River basin district Anglian River basin Upper and Bedford Ouse Subcatchment River name Ouse (Roxton to Earith) Area category 1000 - 10000 km² Area (km2) Maximum altitude category Less than 100 m Maximum altitude (m) 6565 m <br />0.065 km <br />6,500 cm <br /> Dominant geology Calcareous Ecoregion Great Britain Dominant land cover Arable and Horticulture Waterbody ID GB105033047921 Other case studies in this subcatchment: Houghton 'trout stream' enhancements 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 Land drainage Hydromorphology Quantity & dynamics of flow Biology Physico-chemical Other reasons for the project Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications Creation of wooden deflectors, Cleaning of spawning gravels Floodplain / River corridor Fencing, Tree planting 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 Fish Yes Yes No No No 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