Case study:Logie Burn Restoration Project
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Project overview
| Status | Complete |
|---|---|
| Project web site | |
| Themes | Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Monitoring, Water quality |
| Country | Scotland |
| Main contact forename | Estelle |
| Main contact surname | Gill |
| Main contact user ID | |
| Contact organisation | Scottish Natural Heritage |
| Contact organisation web site | http://www.snh.gov.uk/ |
| Partner organisations | |
| Parent multi-site project | |
| This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
No |
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Project summary
The Logie Burn is graded as poor for its ecological status due to diffuse sediment and nutrient inputs in addition to morphological alteration. These issues are related to agricultural and drainage improvement over many decades that have also led to a deterioration of water quality in Loch Davan into which the Logie Burn flows.
During the 1960s, two meanders in a lower part of the channel were cut-off through the creation of a straight 187 m reach leading to a localised loss of morphological and habitat diversity. The restoration project aimed to re-connect the two old meanders that had filled in with fine sediment and organic material but which essentially remained intact. The primary purposes of the re-connection were to restore morphology, improve habitat quality in the National Nature Reserve, improve water quality and reduce sedimentation in Loch Davan, enhance riparian habitat diversity and demonstrate this meander restoration to river managers. It is expected that the reconnected meanders and newly created backwaters will help to capture nutrient rich fine sediment and in turn reduce its transfer into Loch Davan.
A monitoring program conducted by the James Hutton Institute, commenced in July 2011 to assess how the morphology, habitat, phosphorous storage and the flood attenuation capacity of the reach change over time. Topographical and sedimentary surveys were undertaken before and after the re-connection and will be repeated annually. In addition, stream flow is being continuously monitored to allow assessment of the flood attenuation capacity and to help understand the morphological changes observed. In 2012, a control reach upstream was established to facilitate comparison of changes in the impact (re-meandered) reach with those that occurred within the existing, degraded stream.
The River Restoration Centre would like to thank Estelle Gill and Stephen Addy, from Scottish Natural Heritage and The James Hutton Institute respectively, for providing the information and photographs for this case study.
Monitoring surveys and results
Lessons learnt
Catchment and subcatchment
Site
| Name | Logie Burn |
|---|---|
| WFD water body codes | 23372 |
| WFD (national) typology | Mid-altitude, Small, Calcareous |
| WFD water body name | Logie Burn / Loch Davan |
| Pre-project morphology | Straightened, Single channel |
| Reference morphology | Low gradient passively meandering, Single channel |
| Desired post project morphology | |
| Heavily modified water body | No |
| National/international site designation | |
| Local/regional site designations | National Reserve, National Park, SAC |
| Protected species present | Yes |
| Invasive species present | No |
| Species of interest | Brook lamprey, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Brown trout (Salmo trutta) |
| Dominant hydrology | |
| Dominant substrate | Fines, fine gravel, organic material |
| River corridor land use | Improved/semi-improved grassland/pasture, Broadleaf/mixed woodland (semi natural) |
| Average bankfull channel width category | 5 - 10 m |
| Average bankfull channel width (m) | 5.65.6 m <br />0.0056 km <br />560 cm <br /> |
| Average bankfull channel depth category | 0.5 - 2 m |
| Average bankfull channel depth (m) | 0.480.48 m <br />4.8e-4 km <br />48 cm <br /> |
| Mean discharge category | 0.1 - 1.0 m³/s |
| Mean annual discharge (m3/s) | |
| Average channel gradient category | Less than 0.001 |
| Average channel gradient | 0.0016 |
| Average unit stream power (W/m2) | 3.44 3.44 W/m² <br /> |
Project background
| Reach length directly affected (m) | 250250 m <br />0.25 km <br />25,000 cm <br /> |
|---|---|
| Project started | |
| Works started | 2011/09/09 |
| Works completed | 2011/10/15 |
| Project completed | |
| Total cost category | |
| Total cost (k€) | |
| Benefit to cost ratio | |
| Funding sources | Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage. |
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 | The James Hutton Institute | Stephen | Addy |
Reasons for river restoration
Measures
Structural measures
| |
|---|---|
| Bank/bed modifications | Re-profiling, construction of bunds, small wooden revetments to prevent excessive bank erosion |
| Floodplain / River corridor | Creation of backwater structures, Creation of wetlands, Construction of perimeter fence to exclude cattle |
| Planform / Channel pattern | Re-meandering of main stream |
| Other | The meanders were cleared of sediment, vegetation and organic debris |
Non-structural measures
| |
| Management interventions | |
| Social measures (incl. engagement) | |
| Other | A information board has been erected at the site |
Monitoring
Hydromorphological quality elements
| Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative | |||
| Flow velocities | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Awaiting results |
| Quantity & dynamics of flow | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Awaiting results |
| Width & depth variation | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Awaiting results |
| Substrate conditions | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Awaiting results |
| Continuity of sediment transport | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Awaiting results |
Biological quality elements
| Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative | |||
| Fish | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
Physico-chemical quality elements
| Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative | |||
| Nutrient concentrations | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Awaiting results |
Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic
| Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative | |||
Monitoring documents
Image gallery
Additional documents and videos
Additional links and references
| Link | Description |
|---|---|
| http://www.hydrology.org.uk/assets/2012%20papers/Addy 01.pdf | Addy, S.; Ghimire, S. and Cooksley, S. (2012) Assessment of the multiple benefits of river restoration: the Logie Burn meander reconnection project |
| http://www.snh.gov.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/press-release-details/?id=648 | Scottish Natural Heritage (2012) Logie Burn back to its meandering ways |
| http://http://www.therrc.co.uk/2012%20Conference/Outputs/Gill%20Final.pdf | Gill, E.; Cooksley, S.; Janes, M. and Reid, C. (2012) The Logie Burn Restoration Project: In the RRC 13th Annual Conference |
Supplementary Information
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