Case study:Long Eau (Great Eau)
Project overview
Status | Complete |
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Project web site | |
Themes | Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Land use management - agriculture |
Country | England |
Main contact forename | Nick |
Main contact surname | Elbourne |
Main contact user ID | |
Contact organisation | Lincolnshire Chalk Streams |
Contact organisation web site | http://www.lincswolds.org.uk/chalk-streams/lincolnshire-chalk-streams |
Partner organisations | |
Parent multi-site project | |
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
No |
Project summary
Flowing from the Lincolnshire Wolds to the North Sea, the Long Eau drains a small catchment of 22.3 km2, but together with the Great Eau has a catchment area of 112.3 km2.
Before restoration, the river had become embanked and channelised to protect adjacent agricultural land from flooding. The flood banks were steeply sloped directly into the channel. Dredging and removal of bankside vegetation was part of the maintenance regime, which had removed morphological features, in channel habitats and natural substrate. Historically the Long Eau had a history of washlands, regularly flooding the land adjacent to the river.
Three sites were chosen along the Little ands Great Eau to demonstrate the relocation of flood banks and the provision of flood storage areas on neighbouring land. A secondary objective was to enhance habitats.
An environmental stewardship scheme offered a ten year grant scheme to farmers/landowners, some of whom were already supportive of the idea of nature conservation.
Long Eau at Manby-
Left floodbank was lowered to just above ground level. The adjacent field was widened and flattened to act as an over spill area (1 in 10 slope). Material generated from embankment removal was used to infill and Internal Drainage Board drain which ran through flood storage area. This drain was re located behind the new embankment to maintain land drainage. The new embankment slopes were 3:1 to a height of 2.5-2.7 meters.
Ledges and berms were created along the channel to increased habitat potential.
Performance 1995-2001-
Since completion flood protection has increased, as water spills onto new floodplain when channel reaches 2.6m or above. Below this level 75% of floodplain will retain water up to 0.5m for up to 4 months. This provides an important habitat for wetland birds. Lapwing and redshank have bred at the site.
The Environment Agency estimates a saving of £400-500 a year on the previous maintenance regime.
Monitoring surveys and results
Lessons learnt
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Catchment
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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