Case study:Crane Meadows Meander Connections
Project overview
Status | Complete |
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Project web site | http://www.cranevalley.org.uk/projects/crane-aquatic-refuge.html |
Themes | Environmental flows and water resources, Fisheries, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Social benefits, Urban |
Country | England |
Main contact forename | Tom |
Main contact surname | White |
Main contact user ID | |
Contact organisation | London Wildlife Trust |
Contact organisation web site | http://www.wildlondon.org.uk |
Partner organisations | |
Parent multi-site project | |
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
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Project summary
London Wildlife Trust have undertaken meander reconnection works at Crane Meadows Nature Reserve in Cranford, Hounslow.
The meanders were cut off from the river over 100 years ago when the river was subject to heavy modifications. The London Borough of Hounslow and the Environment Agency had previously reconnected three meanders at the site. LWT's input now brings this total to five.
In addition to the meander connections a backwater area was created to improve the river's resilience to pollution events and to enhance habitat for juvenile coarse fish.
Aims of this Project
1. To increase morphological and flow diversity in the river channel leading to better quality habitat for macrophytes and benthic invertebrates and improved habitats for fish.
2. To decrease flow conveyance and increase water storage capacity, contributing to the rivers hydrological response time being reduced during periods of high flows.
3. To provide new back water areas for aquatic organisms to shelter from the main flow of the river during times of disturbance, including pollution events.
4. To increase public awareness and appreciation of the issues affecting the Crane Catchment and the techniques used to solve them via a volunteer engagement programme.
A gravel riffle will be placed just downstream of the meander inflow to ensure all water flows through the meander when river levels are low.
The bund blocking the inflow of water to the meander will be removed.
Monitoring surveys and results
Lessons learnt
Image gallery
Catchment and subcatchment
Site
Project background
Cost for project phases
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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