Case study:Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy 2
Project overview
| Status | In progress |
|---|---|
| Project web site | |
| Themes | Economic aspects, Environmental flows and water resources, Fisheries, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Social benefits, Spatial planning, Water quality |
| Country | England |
| Main contact forename | Heb |
| Main contact surname | Leman |
| Main contact user ID | User:Heb leman |
| Contact organisation | Environment Agency SSD |
| Contact organisation web site | http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency |
| Partner organisations | Natural England |
| This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
Project summary
The Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy is a long-term project being carried out on these two world-renowned chalk streams in Hampshire. The Rivers Test and Itchen are legally protected as SSSI’s as they are two of the best remaining examples of chalk stream river types and associated habitats and species. However, condition assessments undertaken by NE of the riverine Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) units in March 2006 on the River Test and March 2010 on the River Itchen, the outcomes showed that both the SSSI’s are in unfavourable condition. The key reasons for this include historical modifications to the physical structure of the channel, banks and riparian zone. The Wildlife and Country side Act 1981 and the Water Framework Directive (WFD) require the rivers are returned to favourable condition and good ecological status, respectively.
The aim of the T&I Strategy is to appraise the geomorphological condition of the rivers, identifying the condition of the rivers in relation to their ‘natural benchmark’. From this starting point river restoration, rehabilitation and conservation/ enhancement actions can take place to restore the SSSIs and bring them into favourable or unfavourable (recovering) condition. This includes the following specific objectives.
1. Determine the impacts of physical modification on the geomorphology and ecology of each river;
2. Provide an outline restoration plan for each river on a reach by reach basis;
3. Identify potential delivery mechanisms to help achieve this.
The focus of any restoration project within the T&I Strategy is to ensure the condition of the habitat rather than the preservation of the species directly, with the principle being that good chalk stream habitat is more likely to support characteristic flora and fauna. Although the Strategy is primarily aimed at in-river characteristics, it’s also recognised that land management adjacent to the rivers has the potential to affect the quality of the in-river habitat and has been given due consideration to this throughout the project.
The main objective of the T&I Strategy is to deliver the recommendations and aims above by working collaboratively with landowners and fishery interests.
The T&I Strategy was first initiated in 2010 then due to unforeseen and tragic circumstances stopped. It was then re-started again in 2012. Given the scale of the T&I Strategy it is expected, all going well, that it will continue over the next 20-30 years.
Monitoring surveys and results
Surveys of macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, fish communities and juvenile salmonids are conducted by the Environment Agency before and after restoration work on some reaches. In some cases River Habitat Survey, HabScore, and MORPH surveys have also been carried out.
Extensive before and after surveys have also been carried out by external parties. For example, Southampton University PhD students have been monitoring some restored sites for several years (yet to be published) and Sparsholt College students have carried before and after fish surveys on the River Test.
One technique used to record change has been before and after photography. Images have the power to show dramatic change between before and after completion.
At one reach the Environment Agency asked anglers to complete a questionnaire which will be repeated to determine perceptions of the river before and after restoration. This is more than just a satisfaction survey, as it seeks to capture emotions and values.
Feedback from land and river-owners and river keepers is crucially important to evaluating the works and shaping future schemes.
To date all the flora and fauna survey work has shown the benefits of each restoration and that the goals and objectives of the strategy are being achieved.
Lessons learnt
Good communication with the numerous landowners on the Test and Itchen is key to the success of this project.
Image gallery
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Catchment and subcatchment
Site
Project background
Cost for project phases
Supplementary funding informationEach Test and Itchen River Restoration Strategy project is collaboratively funded 50/50 with the Environment Agency and landowners.
Reasons for river restoration
Measures
MonitoringHydromorphological quality elements
Biological quality elements
Physico-chemical quality elements
Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic
Monitoring documents
Additional documents and videos
Additional links and references
Supplementary InformationEdit Supplementary Information
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