Action for River Kennet Newsletter 35 SUMMER 2016 PAGE 8

ARK People Dates for Your Diary Sunday 7 August, 2–5pm Sam Marshall Life of the River at Marlborough College Science Department. The Kennet to me is the epitome of Friday 19 August, 7pm a chalkstream. I feel privileged to be Drinks by the River at Howe Mill, Ramsbury. ARK members one of the handful of keepers who and guests only. £25 per ticket. Limited places, advanced get to nurture its banks every day. booking essential, 01672 861 444. Taking over the Chilton Water at the end of 2015, I strive to improve the Wednesday 17 August, 8.15pm habitats for fish and invertebrates. Moth Night at the Scrub Area, Stonebridge Meadow, Marlborough. Glyn Horn Saturday 27 August, 2pm (last starting time 3pm) It’s nearly two years since I donned Summer River Walk with tea and home made cakes. Start at waders and Anna, with great Elcot Mill, Marlborough walking to Axford. Return transport patience, showed me how to wire available throughout the afternoon. faggots into revetments. Now I am a river fly monitor and a water vole Monday 19 September, time to be confirmed surveyor. My latest venture is going Moth Night at the Scrub Area, Stonebridge Meadow, early in the morning to check mink Marlborough. rafts. My horizons have been really widened – retirement is great! For more details on all these events see our website or contact [email protected] Adam Hilliard

I am the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Officer for the Kennet. My job is very varied; one day I can be giving advice to a fishery owner and Websites Worth Visiting the next responding to a fish kill. My primary role is to improve the fishing through external funding or getting my own hands dirty. I love the Kennet and I feel very privileged to be given River Obstacles the opportunity to make a difference. There are thousands of man made and natural obstacles in the rivers of the UK. Many of them perform important functions but they can restrict the movement of fish and damage river banks and beds. River Obstacles is a brand new mobile app that allows Learn how you can support ARK every time people to send in photos and details of obstacles that you shop online just visit: they see when they’re out and about either on, in or www.easyfundraising.org.uk/arkactionfortheriverkennet by the UK’s rivers. www.river-obstacles.org.uk

Members of ARK receive a copy of this We hope you have enjoyed this newsletter newsletter either by mail or email. and if you have any comments or ideas for future issues, do please pass them on! Action for the River Kennet If you’d like to find out more about Upper Office, The Dutch Barn, Elm Tree Park, ARK, volunteering opportunities or Edited by Rowan Whimster Manton, Marlborough SN8 1PS membership please visit our website ([email protected]) at www.riverkennet.org or email Designed by Helen Llewelyn t: 01672 861 444 e: [email protected] [email protected] Printed on 100% recycled paper Registered charity number: 1120725 SUMMER 2016 35

Action for the River Kennet River talk A PARTNERSHIP OF PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THE KENNET

Save water to Unique help the Kennet treasure That’s the message that ARK is sending to local opened children and their families. Save time and money with these Fix leaking taps – a dripping tap top tips from Thames Water. And  can waste more than 60 litres of help the Kennet’s flora and fauna to water per week, increase scale flourish as well with more water in on the tap and add to your water the river! bill. Keep a jug of water in the Turn off the tap when brushing  fridge – planning ahead means  your teeth – a running tap can there is no need to run the water use 6 litres of water per minute. until it gets cold. By turning off the tap while Don’t leave the tap running to brushing your teeth, a family of  clean dishes or vegetables – four could save up to £36 use a bowl of water instead, dirty on metered water bills, and veg cleaning water can water 17,520 litres of water per year. your plants too. A running tap Take shorter showers – we uses 6 litres of water per minute.  recommend four minutes. An Order a water butt – collect average shower uses 10 litres of  rainwater to use on your plants water a minute. and lawn. Skip the car wash – a dirty car  shows you’re doing your bit to And finally, here is ARK’s own special In May ARK Chairman Geoffrey save water and saves time too. tip for helping the environment. Findlay welcomed Claire Perry Fully load your washing Check your loo to see if water is  MP to declare the new integrated machine – a full load uses less leaking from the cistern into the bowl Wetland at Stonebridge Wild River water and energy than two half- after the flush has stopped. Leaky Reserve open. Over fifty people loads. loos are almost invisible and they joined us and Marlborough Town  Only flush the toilet if you need waste up to 400 litres of water a day Council for drinks to celebrate this to – on average, each flush uses and can add £300 to your annual wonderful asset to the community 7 litres of water. water bill for metered customers. and haven for wildlife. Claire  Make your garden water described Stonebridge as a ‘unique efficient – less watering doesn’t Thames Water are offering free treasure’. have to mean less gardening! leaky loo fixes in the Kennet Valley Opt for plants that don’t mind for a limited time. Call 0800 043 3277 Anna Forbes going without a drink for a while. to book. Garden centres can recommend drought tolerant plants. Juliet Bonser Action for River Kennet Newsletter 35 SUMMER 2016 PAGE 2

News from the Chairman The Referendum vote to leave the EU has created uncertainty over the UK’s future environment policy.

So we must recall how much the As well as enshrining the public and pollution control authorities to form EU’s Environmental Directives have benefit of healthy rivers in UK law, the Environment Agency. In parallel, the helped to protect to the UK’s rivers the Water Framework Directive Drinking Water Inspectorate was formed and vital water supplies. Accordingly gives interested NGOs such as ARK to regulate water quality, while OFWAT we devote this page to this one issue the right to challenge government was created to regulate the commercial rather than our usual round-up. for not taking these requirements aspects of the water industry. The seriously enough in their River combined effect of all these measures Basin Management Plans. This has has been a dramatic improvement in EU Directives have already resulted in several rounds of rivers, coastal waters and water supply “ government funding for third sector over the last three decades. created the context organisations, mainly Rivers Trusts for most of the and Wildlife Trusts, to deliver river- What next? UK’s most valuable related improvements in a highly cost efficient way. It has also led to ARK environmental being invited by the Environment The EU Directives have until now been protections. Agency to play the lead role in the vital to pressure groups such as ARK in ” Kennet Catchment Partnership challenging this country’s policies and Tony Juniper (www.kennetcatchment.org). achieving local improvements. At the (Distinguished writer and time of writing (late July) it is too early sustainability adviser) One early response to these EU to predict how far future environmental Directives was the privatisation in policy under a new Government will 1989 of the former water authorities. build on this EU model in the wake of In the early 1970s, before the UK Another has been the expenditure Brexit. What is certain is that all those joined, the EU started to establish of £100bn by the water industry interested in the environment – in a series of Directives on water. A on improvements to wastewater particular NGOs such as ARK and the Directive is a legal act that requires disposal and the quality and Rivers Trust – must urge politicians member states to achieve a particular reliability of water supplies – all to ensure that the best features of EU result without dictating how it is funded through customer water bills policy, especially the key long term to be delivered. The Directives that rather than the taxman. Directives, are reflected in future most concern us in ARK are ‘The national UK legislation. ARK intends to Urban Waste Water Directive’; ‘The Since their establishment, the play its part. Drinking Water Directive’; ‘The Water monopolistic activities of the water Framework Directive’; and ‘The companies have been heavily Meanwhile as ever I extend ARK’s sincere Habitats Directive’. The first two have regulated. Environmental protection thanks to Charlotte and her team, and led to substantial improvements was initially the responsibility of the our members, volunteers, partners and in the quality of water in the River National Rivers Authority, formed supporters for their continued support. Kennet. The latter two are vital to our out of the previous regional water work in restoring river habitats and authorities, but In 1994 the NRA was Geoffrey Findlay seeking reductions in abstraction. merged with the waste management Action for River Kennet Newsletter 35 SUMMER 2016 PAGE 3

Dangerous Tesco Bags of Help insecticide Earlier this year, ARK was the most popular choice with Chlorpyrifos Tesco shoppers in this area under the new Tesco Bags of banned Help scheme. Our Ramsbury with native Yew tree From 1 April 2016 the Community River and hedging to enhance this only permitted use of Wildlife Project has area both visually and for biodiversity. Two new the organophosphate been awarded £12,000 of funding. The money recycled-plastic dipping insecticide Chlorpyrifos is available thanks to platforms, one for the will be ‘protected brassica the new 5p charge on pond and another for seedling drench treatment carrier bags. the river, along with new steps will be installed at applied via automated The ARK-led project the Ramsbury Meadow. The gantry sprayer’. is collaborating with Scouts will also have a safe and Ramsbury Parish Council, Ramsbury permanent new fire pit within their Recreation Ground, Ramsbury grounds. Meadow (owned by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust) and Ramsbury Scouts. This All of these improvements will have money will enable important river aspects of community involvement conservation and restoration work and practical volunteering. Contact All other uses are now revoked in to be carried out at the Ramsbury anna@riverkennet if you’d like to be the UK. Chlorpyrifos has been widely part of this project. used as an insecticide by lawn care Triangle where the eroding public specialists, groundsmen, pasture footpath will also be improved. The managers, arable farmers and fruit recreation ground will be supplied Anna Forbes farmers, although it was readily accessible to anyone to buy online. It had several trade names including New Zealand Pigmy weed (Crassula Dursban and Lorsban. helmsii) found in Wilton Water Chlorpyrifos is the pesticide that polluted the upper Kennet in 2013, Classified as an invasive killing invertebrates for a 15km stretch of the river. The pollution species New Zealand was discovered and tracked by ARK’s Pigmy weed is very team of volunteer riverfly monitors, who have also been monitoring the difficult to get rid of once river’s recovery. it has a foothold.

The Chlorpyrifos ban is good news A tiny fragment (10mm) can easily be for the environment and for human transported on a boot or by wildlife and mechanical removal has the health. Anyone who still has products and that’s enough to re-establish it. potential to spread the stems to containing Chlorpyrifos should other bodies of water. The best dispose of them safely via their local The plant grows around damp option is containment, and this is household waste recycling centre. how it’s being dealt with in Wilton To find your nearest safe place to margins. It first appears as small light dispose of garden chemical see: green tussocks that spread rapidly Water. For more information visit http://gardenchemicaldisposal.co.uk/ to create dense mats of vegetation www.nonnativespecies.org that out-compete all other aquatic Charlotte Hitchmough vegetation. Chemicals aren’t effective Linda Nemeth Action for River Kennet Newsletter 35 SUMMER 2016 PAGE 4

The Lambourn: a case for treatment? A new report shines disturbing light on the health of this nationally important chalk stream.

The River Lambourn is one of the largest tributaries of the River Kennet. It rises near the village of Lambourn and flows south-south-east for around 30km through the Kennet Valley to its confluence with the Kennet in Newbury.

A report released by Salmon & Trout Conservation revealed that the River Lambourn ranked a lowly 10th out of twelve English rivers studied in terms of ecological health. The study, described as a Riverfly Census, showed worryingly low riverfly richness and abundance in the Lambourn despite its status of one of England’s most highly protected chalkstreams.

The work complements the regular 9,500 properties were at moderate catchment to help them to farm surveys our riverfly volunteers have or high risk of causing phosphate in the most river friendly ways. been doing but takes the study of pollution, with a further 2000 at low There is also plenty of positive work riverfly to a more detailed level. risk. happening on the Lambourn itself, particularly in terms of habitat The Riverfly Census report came Householders can play their own restoration, with major projects out just as the first draft of Natural part by choosing phosphate- completed and more planned by England’s pollution risk assessment free products. This is particularly the Environment Agency. As we for the Lambourn Catchment was important for those on septic tanks know from our experience on the released for consultation. The or small domestic sewage treatment Kennet, rivers can recover if we preliminary findings confirm that units. Thanks to our friends at treat them well. sediment and phosphate are the Ecover we have another three packs main causes of river pollution, of Ecover products to give away These new reports provide us with a coming from farming and treated this summer. Just email hello@ much clearer understanding of what sewage. There is growing evidence riverkennet.org with the title ‘no the problems are and about the kinds to suggest that small domestic phosphate’ for your chance to win. of direct action that now need to be discharges, in practice mainly from The closing date is 30th September. taken by statutory bodies, businesses septic tank systems, may pose and communities to make sure that a significant environmental risk It’s not all doom and gloom, however. our chalkstreams are in the best to freshwater habitats in certain Catchment Sensitive Farming has a possible health. situations and under particular big role to help improve the river, conditions. The Natural England and ARK’s farm advisor Tim Clarke Charlotte Hitchmough study showed that in the Lambourn and Natural England’s Karen Davies catchment almost 500 of a total of are working with farmers in the Action for River Kennet Newsletter 35 SUMMER 2016 PAGE 5

Lending our expertise and knowledge

Eels on the Lambourn! Three schools in Newbury and Thatcham have been taking part in our Eels in Schools Project.

In April, Spurcroft, Whitelands Park ARK is working in partnership with Newbury- and Shaw-cum-Donnington Primary Schools each received a batch of based charity The RENEWAL Project to restore a around 100 eels caught by elvermen in the Severn and kindly donated by 2.4km (1.5 mile) stretch of the River Lambourn. UK Glass Eels. Since then students have learned about the amazing Over twelve months we are lending in the revetments so you not only lifecycle of the European Eel which our expertise, knowledge and have a cleaner river but a good begins in the Sargasso Sea. experience of river restoration marginal habitat of established techniques, along with our plants, including flag iris and marsh In a two-year journey the tiny and equipment and volunteers to work marigold. Lampreys will live within translucent leptocephylus (larva) alongside the RENEWAL staff and the silt and small fish including young is transported 7000km on Atlantic volunteers on a monthly basis. Both trout hide amongst the stems of the Ocean currents to European charities with their volunteers are marginal plants that provide a safe coastlines. Bio-chemical changes playing a key role in maintaining haven from larger predators. enable the two-year-old glass eel to and improving the riverbank along a transition from salt to fresh water public reach of the river by restoring Creating better habitats for chalk then darken and develop adaptations revetment work installed by the stream wildlife is hugely rewarding as an elver. It then lives for up to 15 Environment Agency about six years and fun; you meet new people years in our rivers until it matures as a ago. The revetment helps improve and learn new skills. We are also silver eel, when it then returns to the the flow, which in turn means the looking for local people around Sargasso to spawn and die. water is properly oxygenated – an the Newbury area who would like essential requirement for many chalk- to help with water vole surveying For over two months this captivating stream indicator species. The riverbed and riverfly monitoring. Training story has inspired nearly 400 children gravels are kept clean and fish are workshop days are running in August to visit and value the Kennet or able to successfully spawn. and September. To find out more, to Lambourn and their wildlife and book a training place or become a environment. Each school organised Coppicing sections of riverbank to Lambourn volunteer contact a release event, including one at this create a balance of light and shade [email protected] site on the River Lambourn where and planting up the brushwood dozens of young elvers have enriched mattresses with native flora helps Anna Forbes the river’s eco-system. establish a more natural and sinuous riverbank. Silt gets trapped Juliet Bonser Action for River Kennet Newsletter 35 SUMMER 2016 PAGE 6

Restoring Keeping the river Foudry Brook to better health clean for wildlife ARK is leading a new Keeping the river clean usually means identifying a programme of work source of pollution and then looking for pathways into to enhance this urban the river. tributary of the River At West End Brook just upstream Kennet. from Stratfield Mortimer, a bridleway leading from Simms Farm down Foudry Brook rises on heathland to the river was providing such an east of Tadley and flows through the effective pathway that it looked like a villages of Stratfield and Wokefield river itself when it rained. This was a before joining the River Kennet problem not only for the users of the below Fobney. On the outskirts bridleway but it also meant that the of Reading it flows through the river was receiving dirty water from Green Park industrial estate and is the stables as well as sediment from the backdrop to offices and the eroding track. conference centres. Foudry Brook The solution was to divert water off is joined by its own tributary, the the bridleway at regular intervals character. To help keep water clean West End Brook, just upstream from into an area of natural wetland that in this area we have begun to mark Stratfield Mortimer. will filter out sediment and nutrient drains with our ‘Yellow Fish’ logo allowing clean water to seep gently to alert people that drains are for Its fish populations have been into the ground and the river. rainwater only. dramatically reduced by two pollution incidents at Silchester In urban areas, the most direct Our grateful thanks to Englefield Sewage Treatment Works in 2010 pathways for pollution to reach the Estate, particularly Richard Edwards who provided excellent support and 2013, both causing extensive river are road drains. Not everyone is aware that road drains are designed through both of these projects, and fish kills. just to manage rain water. The to the Thames Water volunteers who downstream section of Foudry will be helping to mark drains. With the Kennet Catchment Brook is surrounded by houses and Partnership, ARK embarked on two businesses and is very urban in Charlotte Hitchmough projects to help the fish population recover by removing barriers to their movement up and down the river, and two projects to improve Opening the river for fish to water quality. move freely again Charlotte Hitchmough Adam Hilliard, Environment Agency The second barrier was created by a Fisheries Officer for the Kennet and pipe that had been sunk into the river Pang, identified two structures that to allow farm vehicles to drive over were preventing fish from moving it. This piped culvert had been set freely along the river. The first, by the slightly too high to allow fish to swim church at Stratfield Mortimer, was through it when river levels were low. a weir that was no longer required. We adopted the same technique of Rather than removing the structure building a series of stepped pools to Windrush AEC Ltd designed a solve this problem. solution that created a series of pools and riffles, gradually raising the water Charlotte Hitchmough level and removing the leap that fish had to make. Action for River Kennet Newsletter 35 SUMMER 2016 PAGE 7

What on earth are SuDS?

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (or SuDS) are fantastic, but have a terrible and uninspiring name.

Could you be a water quality tester?

We are looking for volunteers to test water Once built, they are rain gardens, kept urban runoff out of the Pymmes quality in the river near flowerbeds, wetlands, ponds, green Brook and created amazing new roofs, permeable paving or pocket spaces in playgrounds. where they live four parks and they add green beauty times every year. whilst providing incredible benefits. In a natural system, rainwater doesn’t They prevent water pollution, slow travel very far. It soaks into the soil and We are particularly interested in down surface water run-off and is taken up by plants and recharges finding people to test sites around reduce the risk of flooding. They also aquifers. This natural infiltration Reading, Newbury and Thatcham, as recharge groundwater to help prevent prevents water from transporting well as any of the Kennet tributaries. drought; provide habitats for wildlife, contaminants, diminishes flash-flood and create green spaces for people. risk in rivers and reduces the threat Testing is very simple and takes only of overloading combined sewer around 15 minutes to do. Before you Most importantly, good SuDS are networks. start there is a short online training not a water-filled, fenced-off hole video to complete and then you will in the ground in the corner of a Our wetland at Stonebridge Meadow be able to upload your data either new housing development. When is an example of SuDS – it was built to via a smartphone or a computer (or designed imaginatively they make clean road runoff before it reaches the if you prefer you can just send it by water a feature and an asset instead of river – but SuDS can be applied at any email or post). The tests show Nitrate, a threat. scale from a single planter to deal with Phosphate and turbidity levels. runoff from a roof, to a whole system Philadelphia is leading the way of streams and wetlands for a housing The information you collect will be with their ‘Green City, Clean Waters’ estate. used on two levels. At the global scale programme, but there are plenty of it will become part of the international excellent UK examples. One of my If you’d like to find out more about Freshwater Watch project, and at a favourites is the Springhill Cohousing good SuDS CIRIA (www.ciria.org) has local level ARK will use the information Project in Stroud Gloucestershire produced an excellent free manual to better understand the health of the (pictured above), where planted rills, which you can download and the river and to target work to improve dramatic cascades, and a communal landscape architects Robert Bray water quality. pond all celebrate the flow of Associates have details of innovative rainwater through the site. Another schemes on their website If you would like to take part please is the Pymmes Brook catchment in www.robertbrayassociates.co.uk email [email protected] London, which includes 10 schools that have been retrofitted with SudS. Charlotte Hitchmough These have reduced localised flooding, Charlotte Hitchmough