Case study:The Lugg & Arrow, Leader +
Project overview
| Status | Complete |
|---|---|
| Project web site | http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/projects/luggandarrow.php |
| Themes | Environmental flows and water resources, Fisheries, Habitat and biodiversity, Land use management - agriculture, Social benefits, Water quality |
| Country | Wales |
| Main contact forename | Stephen |
| Main contact surname | Marsh-Smith |
| Main contact user ID | |
| Contact organisation | Wye & Usk Foundation |
| Contact organisation web site | http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/ |
| Partner organisations | The Lugg and Arrow Fisheries Association, Environment Agency, Herefordshire Rivers, The Wye Salmon Fishery Owners Association |
| Parent multi-site project | |
| This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
No |
Project summary
Herefordshire Rivers LEADER+ Programme:
A Fisheries Improvement Scheme
The essential features of the project were:
• Engaging with local people and explaining the importance of their rivers, the problems affecting them and the value their rivers bring.
• Restoring and correcting some of the factors that limit Lugg and Arrow fisheries - fish passes and habitat restoration.
• Education - salmon in the classroom. Reared salmon were released by children at various local schools into the Arrow to help restore the run, a useful introduction to biology. This was in combination with the removal of obstructions to migration. The four schools involved in this aspect of the project were: Kingsland CE School; Kington Primary School; Marden Primary and Pembridge Primary School.
At the outset, we identified a need for fencing on some of the lowland tributaries where excessive stock poaching and grazing was causing a serious siltation problem. Our efforts to tackle this put us in direct conflict with the Lugg Internal Drainage Board, whose prime objective is not principally concerned with the good ecological status of the streams in their domain.
Weirs were originally constructed for many reasons ranging from providing water power and irrigation, via a series of carriers, to flood and erosion prevention. Many are either an intrinsic part of the Herefordshire countryside and still functional and so removal is either too costly or unacceptable. Fortunately, providing fish access does not necessarily require this as there are simpler ways using the natural ability of salmonids to ascend obstacles by fitting fish passes on the weirs or by using existing leats to bypass the weir.
14 fish access schemes have been completed to ease upstream movement. Where EAW is the weir owner, they have led the work and WUF has taken the lead on privately owned structures.
On the Lugg the project has completed fish passes on Yatton Court, Ballsgate and upper Lye weirs and there have been alterations to the blockstone weirs at Crowards, Coxall and Eyton. This takes forward the work done with the fish passes at Leominster and Hampton Court built prior to the project. Salmon now have access to the Welsh headwaters for the first time in at least 30 years.
On the Arrow, fish passes have been installed on Grove Farm weir and bypass channels re-established on Mowley, Hunton and Malhollam. In addition, obstructions have been eased on the Stansbach stream, an important trout spawning stream.
At Folly farm and Glanarrow weirs, structural surveys, planning, listed building and flood risk management consents have been obtained and fish passes "built". However, the high flows of summer 2007 delayed the final "bolting down". These will now be installed in the spring of 2008 at the Foundation's expense.
Access and Economics
As with all schemes to enhance the natural environment, encouraging people to enjoy, appreciate, use but above all share concern for the rivers must be accompanied by raising awareness of the opportunities available balanced against the threats facing the rivers. The inclusion of sections of the Herefordshire Lugg and Arrow in the Wye and Usk Passport has proved to be a great success. The booklet detailing the scheme now has a circulation of over 10,000 and the availability of Herefordshire's natural resource and the Leader + Project work is a feature of the publication.
The 2006 edition of the passport included 2 Arrow beats which brought in 122 rod days. In 2007 the Passport expanded with the inclusion of 7 more Lugg and Arrow fisheries and in total they generated 278 visits. Surveys in both 2006 and 2007 within the Passport showed that 64% of the rod days were associated with a least 1 nights accommodation within the county. In 2008 a further 4 fisheries joined the scheme and early sales of vouchers in 2008 are showing considerable growth (137% over the first 2 months). It is anticipated that these beats will accommodate in excess of 800 rod days in 2008.
Achievements:
• Community groups/trusts/forums established or assisted
• 9 Environmental / cultural appraisals carried out
• 1 Community environmental / cultural activities established or assisted
• 18 Environmental advice or assistance facilities provided for business
• 3 Information facilities provided
• 11 Sites made available for tourism activity
• 2 community initiatives developed
• 50+ People involved in groups / trusts / forums on activities
• 287 People involved in studies or appraisals
• 44 People undertaking enhancement projects
• 230+ People participating in local cultural and recreational events or festivals
• 14 Environmental enhancements on historic and cultural features completed
Monitoring surveys and results
Lessons learnt
Image gallery
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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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