RIVER INGOL WETLAND CREATION a Partnership to Benef T All the RIVER INGOL – $UDUHFKDONULYHU Revitalising Water Quality
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RIVER INGOL WETLAND CREATION A partnership to benef t all THE RIVER INGOL – $UDUHFKDONULYHU Revitalising water quality The River Ingol is one of only 200 chalk rivers and streams in the world, providing an extremely rare habitat for a diverse group of plants and wildlife. Chalk rivers derive most of their ÁRZIURPFKDONIHGJURXQGZDWHU Anglian Water explored a number Trust to assess the feasibility and 7KH¶FODVVLF·FKDONVWUHDPKDV RIRSWLRQVLQFOXGLQJXVLQJH[SHQVLYH FRQVHTXHQFHVRIVXFKDVFKHPH FKDUDFWHULVWLFVRIDONDOLQHFU\VWDO KLJKFDUERQWUHDWPHQWHTXLSPHQW FOHDUZDWHUZKLFKÁRZVFRQVLVWHQWO\ or pumping the water away for Following a full assessment of the RYHUFKDONRUFOHDQJUDYHOEHGV treatrment elsewhere. SURSRVHGSURMHFW·VYLDELOLW\LQWHUPVRI delivering the required improvements ,QDGGLWLRQWKHFRXUVHRIWKHULYHU +RZHYHUWKH\HYHQWXDOO\GHFLGHGRQ WRWKHZDWHUTXDOLW\LQWKH5LYHU,QJRO UXQVYHU\FORVHWRWKH1RUIRONFRDVW DQDOWHUQDWLYHVROXWLRQWKHFUHDWLRQ DORQJVLGHIXOOEXGJHWDU\DQDO\VLVWKH – an area of international natural RIDQDWXUDOZHWODQGDGMDFHQWWR 5LYHU,QJRO:HWODQG3URMHFWZDVJLYHQ LPSRUWDQFHRZLQJWRWKHKDELWDWV WKH5LYHU,QJROWRQDWXUDOO\ÀOWHU WKHJUHHQOLJKWWRSURFHHG it provides to migrating birds and the water downstream from the EUHHGLQJZDGHUVPDQ\RIWKHP Anglian Water site. When the A true partnership HQGDQJHUHGRUUDUHVSHFLHV7KH SRVVLELOLW\RIDQRQLQYDVLYHZHWODQG mouth of the River Ingol enters the solution to improve water quality The project was entirely funded VHDFORVHWRWKH6QHWWLVKDP563% ZDVUDLVHG$QJOLDQ:DWHUVRXJKW by Anglian Water as part of their 1DWXUH5HVHUYH WKHDVVLVWDQFHRIWKH1RUIRON5LYHUV strategic commitment to improve water quality in affected rivers. All of this makes the quality of water With extensive previous experience ÁRZLQJGRZQWKH5LYHU,QJRORISULPH in the creation of wetland projects, LPSRUWDQFH+RZHYHUVFLHQWLÀF land drainage and environmental The quality of water VWXGLHVE\WKH(QYLURQPHQW$JHQF\ experts William Morfoot partnered úRZLQJGRZQWKH were showing that water quality in the with the Norfolk Rivers Trust to Ingol had deteriorated downstream deliver the project for Anglian Water. of the outlet from the Anglian Water 5LYHU,QJRO UHF\FOLQJFHQWUHDW,QJROGLVWKRUSH Following a full project-planning As it meanders through the beautifully scenic process, involving not only Anglian Armed with the data from the Water, Norfolk Rivers Trust and is of prime North Norfolk landscape, the River Ingol might (QYLURQPHQW$JHQF\$QJOLDQ:DWHU William Morfoot, but also local only be 10.4 km in length, but this belies its ZHUHH[WUHPHO\NHHQWREHSURDFWLYH landowner James Wilson, the project LPSRUWDQFH LQGHYHORSLQJDVROXWLRQWRHQKDQFH began in the autumn of 2017 and importance to the wider environment. water quality in the River Ingol. was completed in spring 2018. 2 3 Wetland CREATION 7KH5LYHU,QJRO:HWODQG3URMHFW A natural solution to an unnatural problem 7KHVLWHDW,QJROGLVWKRUSHOHQWLWVHOIWRZDUGVD Q 7KH5LYHU,QJRO:HWODQG SURMHFWVXFKDVWKLV– the area being low lying and wet 3URMHFWFRPSULVHVIRXUµFHOOV¶ – already, and set in a valley bottom, making it unsuitable which are essentially ponds. for arable crop production. The woodland present on Q (DFKFHOOLVSODQWHGXSZLWK the proposed site had also been badly affected by ash DTXDWLFSODQWV– carefully selected dieback fungal disease, and by Norfolk Rivers Trust – which many of the remaining trees grow within the wetland. within it were infected. Q 7KHVHOHFWHGSODQWVDUHQDWLYH WRWKHGHOLFDWHFKDONVWUHDP YDOOH\LQZKLFKWKH\JURZ– these include iris, sedges, rushes, marsh marigold and watercress. Q 7KHZDWHUIURPWKH$QJOLDQ :DWHU5HF\FOLQJ&HQWUHIORZV LQWRWKHZHWODQG]RQH – via a newly installed pipe, connecting the treatment plant directly to the wetland. 7KHFUHDWLRQRIDZHWODQGWRùOWHU and improve water quality is not new Q 7KHZDWHUWKHQGLVFKDUJHV WKLQNLQJEXWLWUHSUHVHQWVDWUXO\ LQWRWKHZHWODQG²ÁRZLQJWKURXJK innovative solution to the problems IDFHGE\WKH5LYHU,QJRO each cell in turn. Q 7KHZDWHULVVORZO\ILOWHUHG Wetlands are used all over the world by the plants, which remove as a natural way of treating and HQKDQFLQJZDWHUTXDOLW\DQG:LOOLDP undesirable properties – in this Morfoot has been involved in land case, phosphate and ammonia – GUDLQDJHDQGZHWODQGSURMHFWVLQWKH UK for over 50 years. IURPWKHZDWHUDVWKHZDWHUÁRZV through each cell. 7KHSULQFLSDOLVDOVRYHU\VLPSOH Q By the time the water exits DQHQWLUHVLWHLVVHWXSVRWKDWWKH SRRUTXDOLW\ZDWHUGUDLQVWKURXJK WKHILQDOFHOOWKHZDWHUTXDOLW\ DVHTXHQFHRIQDWXUDOO\SODQWHG LVGUDPDWLFDOO\LPSURYHG – it can SRROVZKLFKVXFFHVVLYHO\ÀOWHURXW 7KHFUHDWLRQRIDZHWODQG WKHQÁRZIURPWKLVFHOOGLUHFWO\EDFN the undesirable elements within the ZDWHU2QFHWKHSURFHVVLVFRPSOHWHG WRùOWHUDQGLPSURYHZDWHUTXDOLW\ into the River Ingol. WKH¶FOHDQHG·ZDWHUWKHQÁRZVRXW IURPWKHÀQDOSRRODQGFRQWLQXHV UHSUHVHQWVDWUXO\LQQRYDWLYHVROXWLRQ LWVMRXUQH\ 4 5 The project was delivered in four Q The edges of each cell were distinct, but connected phases: carefully created with gradually Delivering VORSHGEDQNVLQFOXGLQJVLJQLÀFDQW Phase 1 – Site/tree clearance YDULDWLRQVLQWKHDOLJQPHQWVSHFLÀFDOO\ WRFRQVWUXFWDQLGHDOKDELWDWIRUELUGV Q Despite the ravages of ash and other wildlife to live and thrive. diebackWKHLQLWLDOZRUNVLQYROYHG THE PROJECT IHOOLQJWKHWUHHVRQVLWHDQGFOHDULQJ Phase 1 Phase 4 – Pipework WKHVLWHRIRWKHUREVWDFOHV connection Getting the timing right in challenging conditions Q Trees needed to be felled and transported out from within the Q 7KHùQDOSKDVH saw the wetland site – no easy task given the LQVWDOODWLRQRIDQHZIHHGWRSLSH nature of the saturated soils at that the water supply from the Anglian Although funded by Anglian Water time of year! :DWHUUHF\FOLQJSODQWLQWRWKHQHZ WKHSURMHFWZDVPDQDJHGE\ River Ingol wetland. 1RUIRON5LYHUV7UXVWDQGGHOLYHUHGE\ Phase 2 – River diversion Q A new spillway was also installed :LOOLDP0RUIRRW²ZRUNLQJWRDVWULFW DWWKHLQOHWWRWKHZHWODQGWRSUHYHQW timetable – to ensure that the required Q In order to ensure that the erosion to the banks and to disperse SODQWLQJFRXOGWDNHSODFHDWWKHULJKW Phase 2 project deliveredWKHQHFHVVDU\ DQGVORZWKHÁRZRIZDWHUDVLW WLPHRI\HDUVRHQDEOLQJWKHFUXFLDO LPSURYHPHQWVLQZDWHUTXDOLW\ HQWHUHGLQWRWKHFHOOV plants to be in the wetland in time WKURXJKWKHFHOOV\VWHPWKH5LYHU,QJRO Q This feed had to be installed to thrive in the spring. ZDVUHTXLUHGWRKDYHLWVFRXUVHDOWHUHG over the top of the River Ingol. Q The new line of the river was Q Each cell was then $OWKRXJKWKHVFLHQFHDQGWKLQNLQJ positioned away from the site of the interconnected by large diameter EHKLQGWKHSURMHFWZDVERWKYLDEOH new wetland – providing segregation SLSHV²ZLWKHDFKSLSHFDUHIXOO\VHW DQGVRXQGLWUHTXLUHGDQHQRUPRXV EHWZHHQWKHZDWHUFRXUVHDQGWKH DWH[DFWO\WKHUHTXLUHGOHYHOWRFRQWURO DPRXQWRIZRUNHQHUJ\DQGVNLOOWR lower quality water entering the wetland. ZDWHUKHLJKWVDQGÁRZ deliver the solution: Q The William Morfoot Team then FDUHIXOO\FUDIWHGWKLVQHZOLQHIRUWKH Phase 3 Q Specialist plant and machinery ULYHUWRIROORZFUHDWLQJQDWXUDOFXUYHV IURP:LOOLDP0RUIRRW¶VúHHWZDV DQGPHDQGHUVWRPLPLFDQDWXUDOO\ required, including the use of ultra- RFFXUULQJULYHUDQGWRHQKDQFHWKH low ground pressure equipment, habitat available to wildlife who would designed for use on saturated land. make this their home. Q An experienced, highly-skilled Phase 3 – Cell creation team worked in waterlogged conditions where the cells were to be built. Q The creation of the four cells was DPDMRUHDUWKZRUNVSURMHFWUHTXLULQJ Q ,QDGGLWLRQGLIùFXOWDQGKLJKO\ DVLJQLÀFDQWOHYHORIFXWRXWVSRLOIURP variable soil types made for within the proposed areas where the challenging working conditions. FHOOVZHUHEHLQJEXLOW Q This mammoth digging exercise Q William Morfoot’s GPS surveying ZDVFRQGXFWHGWKURXJKRXWWKH equipment and specialist wetland KLJKO\FKDOOHQJLQJZHDWKHUFRQGLWLRQV software was used to survey and FDXVHGE\WKHH[FHSWLRQDOO\ZHW adjust the design of the site, as it FRQGLWLRQVRIZLQWHU took shape and developed. Q GPS technology was usedWRFXW WKHFHOOVWRYHU\SUHFLVHOHYHOV²WR FUHDWHWKHFRUUHFWUDWHRIZDWHUÁRZLQJ Phase 4 VORZO\WKURXJKWKHFHOOV 6 7 %HQHÀWVFOR ALL Community experience and opportunity A real-life example of how GHYHORSLQJQHZZHWODQG KDELWDWVFDQERWKLPSURYH ZDWHUPDQDJHPHQWDQGGHOLYHU DKLJKELRGLYHUVLW\LPSDFW IDFLOLW\GHPRQVWUDWLQJDUHDOOLIH example of how developing new ZHWODQGKDELWDWVFDQERWKLPSURYH water management and deliver a high ELRGLYHUVLW\LPSDFW <RXQJVFKRROFKLOGUHQKDYHDOUHDG\ EHHQDFWLYHO\LQYROYHGE\KHOSLQJ to plant the wetland with the new wetland plants. All stakeholders in this innovative 1RUIRON5LYHUV7UXVWKDVDOVREHHQ project are keen that it should not LQWURGXFLQJVWXGHQWVIURPWKH8($ MXVWEHRIEHQHÀWWRWKHZLOGOLIHZKLFK DQGRWKHUKLJKHUHGXFDWLRQIDFLOLWLHV LQKDELWWKHULYHUDQGWKHQHZZHWODQG to the site – to learn more about what but that it also provides a wider is being done. EHQHÀWWRWKHORFDOFRPPXQLW\ ,QDGGLWLRQLWZDVDOZD\VLQWHQGHG 7KHVLWHRIWKHQHZZHWODQGLVDGMDFHQW that the site should be utilised as a WRDIRRWSDWKZKLFKLVUHJXODUO\ ÁDJVKLSSURMHFWWRSURPRWHWKHLGHD XVHGE\ORFDOVDQGYLVLWRUVWRWKH RIZHWODQGFRQVWUXFWLRQDVDQDWXUDO area. The footpath provides an ideal method of improving water for use in RSSRUWXQLW\IRUPHPEHUVRIWKHSXEOLF RWKHUSURMHFWVDURXQG1RUIRON1RUIRON WRH[SHULHQFHWKHVLJKWVDQGVRXQGVRI 5LYHUV7UXVWLVFRQVWDQWO\PRQLWRULQJ WKLVVSHFLDOSODFHIRUWKHPVHOYHV WKHZDWHUTXDOLW\DWWKH5LYHU,QJROVLWH VRWKDWWKHDFKLHYHGOHYHOVRIZDWHU 7KHÀQLVKHGSURMHFWLVSURYLQJDYHU\ TXDOLW\FDQEHXVHGDVDFDVHVWXG\ KHOSIXOWRRODVDOHDUQLQJUHVHDUFK H[DPSOHIRURWKHUSURVSHFWLYHVLWHV 8 9 We want this type Improving of scheme to become ‘‘ more commonplace WATER QUALITY as a water treatment Partnership and commitment ‘‘option in the future. 5HJDQ+DUULV$QJOLDQ:DWHUSOF 7KHIDFWWKDWWKLVSURMHFWZDVHYHQFRQWHPSODWHG,