Case study:Eden Crayfish Restoration Project

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Location: 54° 36' 24.80" N, 2° 36' 16.53" W
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Project overview

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Status In progress
Project web site http://trust.edenriverstrust.org.uk/white-clawed-crayfish-page-3.html
Themes Economic aspects, Fisheries, Habitat and biodiversity, Land use management - agriculture, Monitoring, Social benefits, Water quality
Country England
Main contact forename Joanne
Main contact surname Backshall
Main contact user ID User:Joannebackshall
Contact organisation Eden Rivers Trust
Contact organisation web site http://www.edenriverstrust.org.uk/
Partner organisations Defra, Environment Agency
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project
encompassing the following
projects
No
Fencing and tree planting along the River Lyvennet, a tributary of the River Eden in Cumbria

Project summary

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This project will improve the habitat and water quality of rivers within the Eden catchment in Cumbria. The River Eden is of international importance for its wildlife and is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It supports many significant species including white-clawed crayfish, salmon, trout, eel, bullhead, lamprey, otter, water vole, invertebrates of river shingle and water crowfoot. The Eden is the best remaining stronghold of the endangered white-clawed crayfish, which is threatened and declining across the UK and Western Europe. The Eden catchment comprises 98 water bodies. Under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) classification 59% of these fail to achieve Good Ecological Status and none of them are in “high” condition. Problems within the Eden are due to agriculture, sewage, septic tanks, urbanisation, invasive species and poor quality habitats along and within rivers. The project will restore more natural features in and around rivers and reduce the impact of diffuse pollution arising from agriculture. It aims to protect and expand populations of white-clawed crayfish as well as those of other valued river species. This will be achieved by installing riverside fencing (20 km), planting riverside trees (6,000), producing 20 farm assessments in areas of crayfish populations, carrying out improvement work on 20 farms to reduce diffuse pollution and carrying out in-stream habitat improvements at 5 locations.

Community Involvement - There will be a greater understanding and stewardship of the river environment amongst farmers and other land owners, volunteers and the general public.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Annual juvenile salmonid electro-fishing surveys - see Eden Rivers Trust website for published reports. Annual white-clawed crayfish manual hand search surveys - see Eden Rivers Trust website for published reports. Fixed point photography monitoring of river habitat improvement projects (on-going - see examples under Monitoring below). Repeated individual farm assessments with advice on reducing diffuse pollution, including farm infra-structure improvements where applicable (confidential to the land owner/tenant). A proportion will be reassessed at the end of the project.

Lessons learnt

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Image gallery


Eden Catchment - ecological status
River Eden white-clawed crayfish Copyright LindaPitkin/2020Vision
River Lyvennet fencing and tree plantinig
Crayfish surveying River Eden catchment
Crayfish surveying River Eden catchment
Volunteers crayfish surveying River Eden catchment
Crayfish survey training day 2013 River Eden catchment
Riverside fencing and tree planting on Croglin Water, River Eden catchment
Morland Beck weir before removal
Morland Beck weir after removal
River Eden white-clawed crayfish Copyright LindaPitking/2020Vision
River Eden at Bolton Willows near Penrith in Cumbria
Dipper on River Eden at Kirkby Stephen
Morland Beck weir removal
Riverside fencing on Croglin Water, River Eden catchment
Fencing and tree planting project on Howe Beck in the River Eden catchment
Newly created sediment pond on Howe Beck in the River Eden catchment
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Catchment and subcatchment

Catchment

River basin district Solway Tweed
River basin Eden and Esk

Subcatchment

River name River Eden (lower)
Area category 1000 - 10000 km²
Area (km2) 24.6324.63 km² <br />2,463 ha <br />
Maximum altitude category 200 - 500 m
Maximum altitude (m) 286286 m <br />0.286 km <br />28,600 cm <br />
Dominant geology Calcareous
Ecoregion Great Britain
Dominant land cover Improved grassland
Waterbody ID GB102076073940



Site

Name Rivers Leith, Lyvennet, Lowther, Hoff and Helm Becks, Croglin Water and Hayber Beck
WFD water body codes GB102076070900, GB102076070870, GB102076070830, GB102076070820, GB102076070710, GB102076070690, GB102076071010, GB102076070720, GB102076073830, GB102076073860, GB102076073850, GB102076070750
WFD (national) typology
WFD water body name Rivers Leith, Lyvennet, Lowther, Hoff and Helm Becks, Croglin Water and Hayber Beck
Pre-project morphology
Reference morphology
Desired post project morphology
Heavily modified water body No
National/international site designation EU - Special Area of Conservation
Local/regional site designations
Protected species present Yes
Invasive species present Yes
Species of interest Atlantic salmon, brown trout, white-clawed crayfish, brook lamprey, sea lamprey, river lamprey, otter, eel, water crowfoot
Dominant hydrology
Dominant substrate
River corridor land use Intensive agriculture (arable, dairy cattle, beef cattle and sheep)
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

Reach length directly affected (m)
Project started 2012/07/20
Works started
Works completed
Project completed
Total cost category 500 - 1000 k€
Total cost (k€) 550550 k€ <br />550,000 € <br />
Benefit to cost ratio
Funding sources Defra

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

Mitigation of a pressure Agriculture, Urbanisation, Sewage, Invasive species
Hydromorphology
Biology
Physico-chemical
Other reasons for the project


Measures

Structural measures
Bank/bed modifications
Floodplain / River corridor Planting, Installing riverside fencing
Planform / Channel pattern
Other Agricultural/Farming improvements, Best practice for river habitat restoration
Non-structural measures
Management interventions
Social measures (incl. engagement)
Other Public consultation, Work with farmers and land managers


Monitoring

Hydromorphological quality elements

Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result
Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative

Biological quality elements

Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result
Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative

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

Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result
Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative


Monitoring documents







Additional documents and videos


Additional links and references

Link Description

Supplementary Information

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