Anglian Water to embark on river restoration projects in East Anglia this Autumn
Over £7 million has been earmarked to help select streams across the region, including in Bedfordshire
Anglian Water have announced plans to restore select streams across certain East Anglian rivers this autumn, including in Bedfordshire.
They have put in place 16 different schemes, investing over £7 million, to improve the ecology of and the biodiversity found, in these rivers.
Martin Bowes is the Water Resources Environment Manager at Anglian Water.
He said:
"What we're going to be doing is working with local people and organisations on these rivers and reinstall the natural processes that occur in them."
These plans come at a time when a report issued by the Rivers Trust highlighted the importance of restored healthy rivers for climate resilience, particularly in drought vulnerable areas such as East Anglia.
The rivers selected for works include tributaries of the region’s most iconic chalk streams, including south-western tributaries of the River Lark (Kennett-Lee, Tuddenham, Cavenham, Linnet) and southern tributaries of the River Little Ouse (Sapiston and Black Bourn) in Suffolk, and the northern tributaries of the River Wissey (Old Carr, Gadder, Stringside), and the Rivers Heacham and Gaywood in Norfolk.
Besides these, restoration work will also take place on River Gwash, East Glens and West Glens in Lincolnshire, and the Broughton Brook in Bedfordshire.
"We'll be looking at how the river flows, their river beds, how it meanders and work with environment and ensure that its functioning in a way that is good for the ecology", says Mr. Bowes.
The projects seek to change the river's shape, so as to resemble how they flowed before manual management and modification.
It is hoped that by doing so, habitat diversity can be increased.
In particular, they aim to see an increase in the species of invertebrates in the water, often regarded as a good sign of water quality.
"By increasing the amount of available habitat and by increasing variability of flows within the river, what you'll find is that you have pockets of booming population of invertebrates, which basically supports the whole ecosystem of the river", he says.
It is also hoped that these projects can help reinvigorate chalk-streams found commonly in the South and East England.
These are ecologically rich habitats found on rivers, that are coming under increasing pressure, owing to changes to water quality as well as climate change.
There could also be more tangible, visible benefits to these projects.
"If you are enjoying walking down these rivers or associated local amenities, you will see a physical improvement to the beauty of these rivers, that you can enjoy" Mr. Bowes adds.