Case study:River Wensum Restoration, Reach 3a Costessey

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Location: 52° 39' 58.73" N, 1° 12' 8.73" E

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site
Themes	Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology
Country	England
Main contact forename	Amy
Main contact surname	Butcher
Main contact user ID	User:Amy.butcher
Contact organisation	Environment Agency
Contact organisation web site	http://www.gov.uk/environment-agency
Partner organisations
Parent multi-site project	Case_study:Wensum River Restoration Strategy
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

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Project summary

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Reach 3a of the River Wensum Restoration Strategy involved restoring 1.2km of SSSI & SAC designated river at Costessey, west of Norwich, Norfolk. Improvements to morphological diversity were achieved here through the installation of gravel glides, pools and berms and woody material. Informal cattle drinks were enhanced to reduce poaching and sediment input whilst still providing water to the landowner's livestock. These cattle drinks also acted as fry bays whilst fields were not being grazed. Tree planting was also carried out in exposed stretches of the river.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Analysis of monitoring results pending. Post-restoration water vole surveys suggest that fenced tree enclosures which were no longer grazed provided additional habitat for water voles. Field signs (latrines and food stores) were observed in areas where they hadn't previously been seen.

Lessons learnt

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Natural un-milled and untreated timber for use as woody material was difficult to source at this location. Sourcing material for future schemes needs to be a consideration in the design. After an exceptionally dry summer the river level had dropped such that the fenced cattle drinks no longer allowed livestock to reach the water to drink (see photos). The scheme also included un-fenced drinks which the livestock could use. Consideration for livestock watering provisions in the event of low water levels must be included in future designs.

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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 Broadland Rivers Subcatchment River name Wensum US Norwich Area category 100 - 1000 km² Area (km2) Maximum altitude category Less than 100 m Maximum altitude (m) 9898 m <br />0.098 km <br />9,800 cm <br /> Dominant geology Calcareous Ecoregion Great Britain Dominant land cover Arable and Horticulture Waterbody ID GB105034055881 Other case studies in this subcatchment: Great Ryburgh End Restoration Scheme, Meander reinstatement on the River Wensum at the Ryburgh Loop, River Wensum Restoration, Reach 10 Lenwade, River Wensum Restoration, Reach 9 Attlebridge, River rehabilitation on the River Wensum at Swanton Morley, Sculthorpe Moor Restoration Scheme, Wensum River Restoration and Floodplain Enhancement, Wensum River Restoration and Floodplain Enhancement, Pensthorpe 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) 12001,200 m <br />1.2 km <br />120,000 cm <br /> 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 10 - 50 k€ Environment Agency Stakeholder engagement and communication 1 - 10 k€ Environment Agency Works and works supervision 100 - 500 k€ Environment Agency Post-project management and maintenance 1 - 10 k€ Environment Agency Monitoring 1 - 10 k€ Environment Agency Reasons for river restoration Edit reasons for restoration Mitigation of a pressure Hydromorphology Channel pattern/planform, Width & depth variation, Flow velocities Biology Physico-chemical Other reasons for the project Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications Creation of gravel deflectors, Gravel berms, Re-introducing gravel Floodplain / River corridor Tree planting Planform / Channel pattern Introducing large woody debris Other Cattle drinks, fry bays 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 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 RWRS Fact Sheet 8 - Costessey.pdf FryBay.MOV Additional links and references Edit links and references Link Description Supplementary Information Edit Supplementary Information