Case study:Wensum River Restoration and Floodplain Enhancement, Pensthorpe
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Project overview
Status | In progress |
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Project web site | |
Themes | Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology |
Country | England |
Main contact forename | Robin |
Main contact surname | Chase |
Main contact user ID | |
Contact organisation | |
Contact organisation web site | |
Partner organisations | Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, the En-vironment Agency, Norfolk Rivers Trust, Natural England, Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board |
Parent multi-site project | |
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
No |
Project summary
The unfavourable ecological condition of the River Wensum SSSI/SAC has arisen over the years through a series of adverse modifications in hydromorphology of the River Wensum, leading to failure of Waterbody GB105034055881 to achieve ‘Good Ecological Potential’ under the WFD. Diffuse water pollution to River Wensum from both agricul-ture and urban sources and disconnection of the River Wensum from its floodplain have also led to consequent eco-logical impoverishment of the floodplain.
The River Wensum and Floodplain Restoration Project is therefore designed to implement restoration measures to restore the form and function typical of a Norfolk Chalk River (e.g. channel narrowing, restoring gravel beds, in-creasing sinuosity, increasing woody debris). This will Improve fisheries, invertebrates and plant communities within the SSSI and SAC and restore the connectivity of the floodplain and floodplain wetland habitats; including the restoration and creation of reedbed and fen habitats. Water quality of urban run-off from Fakenham and adjacent agricultural land will also be improved before reaching the river.
Significant and measureable improvements in habitat for designated features of the River Wensum SSSI/SAC (as identified in the River Wensum Restoration Strat-egy) are key objectives of the project.
Monitoring surveys and results
Lessons learnt
Catchment and subcatchment
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(affects all case studies in this subcatchment)
Site
Name | River Wensum |
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WFD water body codes | |
WFD (national) typology | |
WFD water body name | |
Pre-project morphology | |
Reference morphology | Sinuous |
Desired post project morphology | |
Heavily modified water body | No |
National/international site designation | EU - Special Area of Conservation |
Local/regional site designations | |
Protected species present | No |
Invasive species present | No |
Species of interest | |
Dominant hydrology | |
Dominant substrate | |
River corridor land use | Intensive agriculture (arable) |
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) | |
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Project started | |
Works started | |
Works completed | |
Project completed | |
Total cost category | 500 - 1000 k€ |
Total cost (k€) | 900900 k€ <br />900,000 € <br /> |
Benefit to cost ratio | |
Funding sources |
Cost for project phases
Phase | cost category | cost exact (k€) | Lead organisation | Contact forename | Contact surname |
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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 | |
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Hydromorphology | |
Biology | |
Physico-chemical | |
Other reasons for the project |
Measures
Structural measures
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Bank/bed modifications | |
Floodplain / River corridor | |
Planform / Channel pattern | |
Other | |
Non-structural measures
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Management interventions | |
Social measures (incl. engagement) | |
Other |
Monitoring
Hydromorphological quality elements
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Biological quality elements
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Physico-chemical quality elements
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Monitoring documents
Image gallery
Additional documents and videos
Additional links and references
Link | Description |
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Supplementary Information
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