Assistant Project Officer Luke Beckett reports on a week-long series of events with volunteers in mid-March, putting gravel into a stretch of a River Loddon tributary to improve conditions for river wildlife.
Anglers and conservation enthusiasts were among more than a dozen volunteers who joined us for the exhausting but rewarding task of installing more than 19 tonnes of gravel into the River Blackwater. In joining us earlier this month, they added a vital resource to help nature thrive into a 200 metre stretch of the river in Aldershot.
The newly seeded gravel, which is the final part of our Blackwater Valley river restoration work, will provide improved habitat for macroinvertebrates such as beetles, dragonflies and mayflies. It will also help aquatic plants thrive, as well as increasing spawning habitat for fish.
The River Blackwater at Ivy Road has historically suffered from bank and riverbed modifications. This section of the River Loddon catchment has been widened and deepened, leaving a uniform channel with little variation in water depth.
The channel has lacked flow energy and habitat diversity and subsequently, silt and fine sediments had built up, smothering the riverbed. Moreover, the site is just downstream of the Aldershot sewage treatment plant, which regularly discharges sewage effluent into the channel.
Since 2021, the South East Rivers Trust has worked with support from the Environment Agency and the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, plus local volunteers, to improve this stretch of river.
The in-channel deflectors and berms previously installed have helped to narrow the channel and increase water flow velocity, as well as habitat complexity. The increased velocity has already cleared much of the fine sediments and silt.
The newly-seeded land-based gravel will move around with the natural ebb and flow of the river, settling to form natural river features, such as bars, riffles and deeper pools.
This clean gravel and variety of river habitats is essential for river life: the River Blackwater supports a number of fish species – such as chubb, roach, perch, dace, gudgeon and rudd – all of which should benefit from this improved spawning habitat.
Gravel seeding is not the most glamorous of tasks. This site delivery was no different and was made difficult by the lack of access routes.
Large vehicle access to the river was not possible, which meant a lot of moving wheelbarrows loaded with heavy gravel from our drop off location to the channel itself.
The distance was at least 75 metres and up to 200 metres to push the gravel to the correct places, making this tough physical work. Wader wearing volunteers also had to rake the gravel once in the riverbed, sometimes having taken it to an appropriate location in a dinghy.
It was slow going at times, leaving us questioning whether the gravel pile was even going down! But, after four days, including a lot of rain, not enough sunshine and many teas, coffees and biscuits, the gravel pile was finally gone and the last wheelbarrow and boat load were emptied.
The team took a moment to look over their hard work from Ivy Bridge, where a few curious fish were already checking out the new riverbed, before the heavens opened once again!
This brings our river restoration work at Ivy Road Recreational Ground to a close, but we look forward to returning over the coming months and years to see how the channel responds.
Activity description: The South East Rivers Trust would like your help with introducing gravels into the River Blackwater at Ivy Road Recreational Ground in Aldershot.
This is the final part of delivering our river restoration plan for this section on the River Blackwater, complementing the in-channel brash berms and deflectors already installed over the past couple of years.
NB: A decision on whether gravel seeding will take place on this day will depend on progress made during the preceding three days.
The newly seeded gravel will create riverbed features, such as pools and riffles, providing improved habitat for aquatic species. This habitat is essential for aquatic plants, invertebrates and fish as it offers refuge and spawning areas.
Come and enjoy this fantastic opportunity to put on a pair of waders and gloves, make a big difference to nature and meet new people also interested in conservation!
You will be moving gravel into the river at designated spots, using shovels and wheelbarrows, and spreading it with a rake along the riverbed.
All tools and equipment, inc. waders and gloves will be provided.
Tea and coffee will be provided but please bring your own lunch.
Time: 9.45am to 3pm
Meeting Point: end of Field Way, Aldershot GU12 4UG. Google map HERE.
What to Bring:
Your own gardening gloves, if you prefer (note, they will likely get wet!)
Your own lunch
Plenty of water
Appropriate outdoor clothing, extra layers and waterproofs
Booking essential!
Please specify your UK shoe size (for waders provided by SERT)
Booking for this event will close at: 5pm on Friday 8th March 2024
To read our Health and Safety Guidelines for this event please click HERE.
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The launch of our River Loddon Storymap, on behalf of the catchment partnership, allows residents across the area to see the problems faced by the river and the collective actions of around 20 partners in trying to improve the waterways. Residents can also sign up to join in, as individuals or to join the partnership as a group. Lou Sykes, catchment officer for the Loddon, introduces the new Storymap.
Capturing the work of catchments
The Whitewater, a tributary of the Loddon
Since its inception in 2000 as the Wandle Trust working on one river, the South East Rivers Trust (SERT) has grown exponentially and now cares for and maintains watercourses across 12 catchments in the south east of England.
SERT is also long established in the Beverley Brook and Hogsmill catchments, hosting and chairing the catchment partnerships. These lead a variety of organisations to devise ways to assess the issues faced by rivers and create plans to improve them using the Catchment Based Approach (CaBA).
Our growth is such that we now partially or fully host and chair 11 of the 12 catchment partnerships throughout the south east. This area stretches from the Kent coast to the Sussex coast, meandering through Surrey and encompassing much of Berkshire and north Hampshire.
It is for this latter area, the 680 km2 River Loddon catchment, that SERT has now launched a Storymap, capturing the partners, issues and plans to improve the whole network of watercourses. This will be the first in a series of new Storymaps on various catchments that will be released in 2023, funded by Thames Water.
The ArcGIS Storymap portal is a story authoring, web-based application, that enables an organisation to share maps in the context of narrative text and other multimedia content.
Using this facility, SERT’s catchment partnerships can detail the pressures faced by the river networks and introduce objectives for improving rivers and the surrounding areas, as identified by the partnership.
Bringing different groups together to solve the river’s issues
A scene from the Lyde tributary
By creating this presence online, the catchment partnership raises awareness and becomes a supportive group, speaking with one voice. In the case of the Loddon catchment, this brings about 20 different groups together: this better empowers collaborative working and helps to ensure all issues affecting the river are noted, captured and addressed under one umbrella. By working together, the catchment partnership can plan and deliver positive actions that will improve the riparian environment across a whole river network, as opposed to working on sections in isolation.
Leading on the Loddon catchment partnership, SERT brings together people from various local organisations and interest groups including water companies, government bodies, local flood groups and angling clubs.
Giving communities and groups the chance to have their voices heard is crucial to the Catchment Based Approach, empowering them with a sense of ownership as the partnership delivers action on the ground.
Summaries of issues affecting the river range from the general to the specific, such as under water quality. Did you know, for example, that road runoff can carry more than 300 different pollutants which can cause short and long-term damage to watercourses?
Consented discharges on the Loddon
Meanwhile, one of many bespoke maps details the phosphate status of the river network, which rises from chalk-fed streams in Basingstoke and goes all the way to Reading and stretches across to Aldershot. Another map shows the pollution from waste water. Another details the topical issue of sewage spillages.
The extend to which the catchment is affected by flooding, low flows and abstraction is also outlined, with a warning: “The primary risk of flooding in the Loddon catchment is from rivers – and flooding events are being projected to become more frequent and more severe as the climate changes.”
Flood zones and areas most susceptible to flooding, from both rivers and surface water, are shown in another map.
The site also reports the extent to which physical modifications have impacted river health. Like many rivers, the Loddon has been modified over centuries – straightened, widened or deepened – to improve drainage for land, housing, industry and farming.
Habitat quality on the Loddon
River habitat quality is also shown, with just one area rated as having a truly diverse habitat, according to River Habitat Survey methods. Many areas across the catchment have good ranges of habitat, but others are rated as poor. Another map outlines the results of fish surveys, compiled as indications of river health, allowing readers to click on specific areas.
The issues section ends with a warning: “The number of people living in Basingstoke, Wokingham, Sandhurst, Fleet and Aldershot is rapidly growing and these towns have multiple areas of new development proposed between 2023-2040.
“The south east of England is in the midst of a water shortage crisis. Growing populations together with our changing climate pose a severe risk to the health of our rivers. Many of the challenges faced by our river catchments are likely to be intensified by the demands of a growing population.“
So what can be done?
Perch found at Tice’s Meadow in Loddon Rivers Week 2022
A key section of the Storymap is the action plan, outlining “natural processes opportunity mapping” that includes the potential for “floodplain reconnection”, for example lowering artificially incised riverbanks, the potential for riverside woodlands and such opportunities across the wider catchment.
Key priorities are to identify habitat improvements, deliver restoration or enhancements, improve fish passage by tackling barriers, keep rivers cool in the face of a changing climate and tackling invasive species.
It also outlines the benefit of natural capital mapping. “Taking a GIS-based catchment approach to understanding the location, condition and potential of natural assets,” the portal says “allows us to target action to protect water resources and communicate change. This enables us to integrate a catchment-scale nature-based solutions approach with water company plans, catchment partnerships, and landowners.”
Mentioning work that has been carried out on the catchment so far, the portal highlights Loddon Rivers Week, which takes place every September. Last year, residents witnessed instant improvements after taking part in gravel seeding in Hook and installed large woody materials at Tice’s Meadow and Ivy Recreation Ground in Aldershot. Other work on the Loddon involves a long-standing effort to remove Floating Pennywort and creation of the Charvil Meadows backwater in 2020.
Lastly, the Get Involved section prompts people who see issues with their river to report them to the relevant authority, to suggest enhancement protects, join the partnership as a group, volunteer for events or invest in the river by financially supporting enhancement work.
Whatever you want to know about the Loddon, visit the Storymap and get involved!
Almost a year to the day that the South East Rivers Trust constructed a backwater on the River Loddon in Charvil Meadows, we were back to do further enhancements as part of Loddon Rivers Week 2021.
This was just one of a series of river work that took place during this celebration of the River Loddon and its tributaries, between 18th-26th September. The work to co-ordinate the week was funded by the Environment Agency.
During the week, volunteers planted native plants to stabilise the banks of the previously constructed backwater, put in gravel to a chalk stream, tackled invasive species and enjoyed learning about bats.
Several partners were involved in the week, including Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, the Loddon Fisheries and Conservation Consultative, Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, Hampshire County Council and Dinton Pastures County Park.
