Case study:RSPB Fowlmere Nature Reserve

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Location: 52° 5' 26.27" N, 0° 2' 59.69" E

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site
Themes	Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Social benefits, Water quality
Country	England
Main contact forename	Nick
Main contact surname	Elbourne
Main contact user ID	User:NickRRC
Contact organisation	River Restoration Centre
Contact organisation web site	http://www.therrc.co.uk
Partner organisations	Environment Agency
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

Faggots on the restored Fowlmere

Project summary

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The river had been heavily dredged in the past, resulting in a distinct lack of gravel within the river, and the channel was over-deep and filled with silt. Long profile surveys also indicated that the natural profile of the river had been significantly altered. Habitat restoration work progressed in three phases:

- Riffle creation in March 2006 (~30m) - Marginal habitat enhancement in 2007 (~150m) - Bed raising combined with channel narrowing in 2009 (~250m)

Monitoring surveys and results

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Lessons learnt

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Catchment and subcatchment

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(affects all case studies in this subcatchment)

Catchment

River basin district	Anglian
River basin	Cam and Ely Ouse (including South Level)

Subcatchment

River name	Shep
Area category	10 - 100 km²
Area (km2)
Maximum altitude category	100 - 200 m
Maximum altitude (m)	167167 m <br />0.167 km <br />16,700 cm <br />
Dominant geology	Calcareous
Ecoregion	Great Britain
Dominant land cover	Arable and Horticulture
Waterbody ID	GB105033038080

Site

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Name	Fowlmere Nature Reserve
WFD water body codes	GB105033038080
WFD (national) typology
WFD water body name	Shep
Pre-project morphology	High width:depth, Single channel, Straight
Reference morphology	Sinuous, Pool-riffle
Desired post project morphology
Heavily modified water body	Yes
National/international site designation
Local/regional site designations
Protected species present	No
Invasive species present	No
Species of interest
Dominant hydrology	Quick run-off
Dominant substrate	Silt, Sand
River corridor land use	Grassland
Average bankfull channel width category	2 - 5 m
Average bankfull channel width (m)
Average bankfull channel depth category	2 - 5 m
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

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Reach length directly affected (m)	600 m0.6 km <br />60,000 cm <br />
Project started	2006/03/01
Works started
Works completed	2009/12/01
Project completed
Total cost category	10 - 50 k€
Total cost (k€)	14 k€14,000 € <br />
Benefit to cost ratio
Funding sources	Environment Agency

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

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Mitigation of a pressure
Hydromorphology	Width & depth variation, Quantity & dynamics of flow, Substrate conditions
Biology	Fish: Abundance, Invertebrates, Macrophytes
Physico-chemical
Other reasons for the project	Landscape enhancement, Nature development, Recreation

Measures

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Structural measures
Bank/bed modifications	Cut back of plants, Riffle creation, Placement of log steps to prevent erosion from deer, Bed raising, Placement of faggots
Floodplain / River corridor	Riparian enhancement
Planform / Channel pattern	Increase in sinuosity, Narrowing of channel
Other
Non-structural measures
Management interventions	Easier management
Social measures (incl. engagement)
Other

Monitoring

Hydromorphological quality elements

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quality elements

Element	When monitored		Type of monitoring		Control site used	Result
	Before measures	After measures	Qualitative	Quantitative
Width & depth variation		Yes	Yes			Improvement
Quantity & dynamics of flow		Yes	Yes			Improvement
Substrate conditions		Yes	Yes			Improvement

Biological quality elements

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quality elements

Element	When monitored		Type of monitoring		Control site used	Result
	Before measures	After measures	Qualitative	Quantitative
Fish: Abundance	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes		Improvement
Invertebrates	Yes	Yes		Yes		Improvement
Macrophytes	Yes	Yes		Yes		Improvement

Physico-chemical quality elements

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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

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Element	When monitored		Type of monitoring		Control site used	Result
	Before measures	After measures	Qualitative	Quantitative
Public awareness of river	Yes	Yes	Yes			Improvement

Monitoring documents

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Image gallery

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Narrowing of the channel at Fowlmere, April 2008

Narrowing channel at Fowlmere, April 2008

Additional documents and videos

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Additional links and references

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Link	Description
http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/GEAN0910BSPO-E-E.pdf	WFD Classification for River Shep - See page 231.
http://http://www.therrc.co.uk/case studies/rrc%20fact%20sheet shep%20at%20rspb%20fowlmere.pdf	River Restoration Centre Case Study

Supplementary Information

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