Case study:River Nar Restoration Project

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Location: 52° 42' 8.53" N, 0° 38' 1.67" E

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site
Themes	Economic aspects, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Social benefits, Water quality
Country	England
Main contact forename	Mark
Main contact surname	Watson
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	WWF-UK
Contact organisation web site
Partner organisations	Coca-Cola, Natural England, Environment Agency, Norfolk Rivers Drainage Board, Castle Acre Fishing Syndicate, West Acre Fishing Syndicate, private landowners, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Mileham Common Charity Trustees
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	River Nar Castle Acre Common WEG project

Large woody debris - River Nar, West Acre

Project summary

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Chalk streams are a globally rare and threatened habitat. The Nar is 42 km long, the second longest chalk stream in Norfolk and designated a SSSI. This river catchment is in a rural area with intensive arable farming being the main land use. The upper half of the river flows over chalk, whilst the lower half descends into drained fenland, making the river catchment particularly diverse in form. The river fails to meet the standards of the Water Framework Directive for fish abundance, quantity and dynamics of flow. Poor morphology and poor water quality underpin this failure and require addressing. This project aims to deliver three large-scale reach restorations, improving morphology, water quality, biodiversity and hence ecosystem function.

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Image gallery

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LWD - River Nar, West Acre

Island in the river bed - River Nar, West Acre

Sediment deposition - River Nar, West Acre

Sediment deposition and woody debri - River Nar, West Acre

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 North West Norfolk Subcatchment River name Nar to confl with Blackborough Drain Area category 100 - 1000 km² Area (km2) Maximum altitude category Less than 100 m Maximum altitude (m) 9595 m <br />0.095 km <br />9,500 cm <br /> Dominant geology Calcareous Ecoregion Great Britain Dominant land cover Arable and Horticulture Waterbody ID GB105033047791 Other case studies in this subcatchment: Castle Acre Rehabilitation Project, Nar SSSI project, Narborough Rehabilitation Project, River Nar Castle Acre Common WEG project, River Nar, Mileham River Restoration Project, West Lexham Rehabilitation Project Site Edit site Name River Nar WFD water body codes GB105033047791 WFD (national) typology WFD water body name Nar to confl with Blackborough Drain Pre-project morphology Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body No National/international site designation UK - Site of Special Scientific Interest 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 Edit project background Reach length directly affected (m) Project started 2012/05/01 Works started Works completed Project completed 2014/10/31 Total cost category 500 - 1000 k€ Total cost (k€) 965965 k€ <br />965,000 € <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 Edit reasons for restoration Mitigation of a pressure Morphology, Water quality Hydromorphology Quantity & dynamics of flow, Channel pattern/planform, Structure & condition of riparianzones Biology Fish: Abundance, Macrophytes Physico-chemical Nutrient concentrations Other reasons for the project Social – reduced costs of cleaning water at point of abstraction, conservation of landscape and wildlife for recreation and enjoyment of all; Economic- more sustainable food pro-duction, improved trout fisheries. Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications Floodplain / River corridor Floodplain reconnection Planform / Channel pattern Channel naturalisation; Creation of new meandering channel Other Non-structural measures Management interventions Social measures (incl. engagement) Some maintenance of completed restored sections is carried out by local fisherman. This allows them to contribute to the health of the catchment. A sense of wider public ownership is fostered by river walks, talks and consultations. A River Nar Conservation Group has also been organised to encourage community involvement in the River Nar restoration project, where we have discussed ideas such as getting school children involved with monitoring fresh water invertebrates. Other The Project Officer is working with farmers to help them put in place measures to retain soils and prevent run-off of nutrients and pesticides. 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 No Yes No No No Awaiting results 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 RRC Monitoring table - River Nar Additional documents and videos Upload additional documents CRF Project briefing note - River Nar Additional links and references Edit links and references Link Description Supplementary Information Edit Supplementary Information