WHAT MAKES A HEALTHY RIVER? Humans have been modifying the rivers of the Stour Catchment for centuries. A few parts of the system are Introducing the Kentish Stour still near-natural but many rivers have been artificially Water levels straightened and deepened, enclosed by artificial flood banks, The Kentish Stour is the major river catchment of East with man-made structures obstructing fish movement. Kent. Its largest river is the Great Stour, which has its You have probably noticed source near the village of Lenham and flows out to sea at the level of water in a river Some of these modifications were intended to prevent Pegwell Bay, but it encompasses many other watercourses fluctuates naturally. In flooding, but they can make this problem worse. Flooding is from the smallest streams to major tributaries like the many rivers this variation a river’s natural response to heavy rain. If we straighten and Banded demoiselle - a good East Stour. The centre pages of this leaflet feature a map will be small, in others build banks in one place this often causes flooding elsewhere. The Nailbourne indicator of a healthy river of the Catchment and information about individual rivers. more pronounced. Some chalk rivers, known as at Bourne Park Invertebrate ‘winterbournes’, are naturally Water quality of a river’s health. Aquatic plants are also essential as The Kentish Stour is an important river system, of great value survey dry in the summer and will only flow in winter. oxygenators and sources of food and shelter. to human and natural communities alike. It supplies water A number of things are for agriculture and industry, provides drainage, recreation looked at when assessing Problems arise when demand for water – for domestic use, This is the basis for a complex ecosystem. The presence of and wildlife habitat. Some of its rivers are chalk streams of the water quality of a river. agriculture and industry – puts pressure on these natural diverse native flora and fauna indicates the river is healthy. global significance. Some flow through areas of international Monitoring river chemistry levels. In the Stour Catchment, the same water used by Conversely the presence of non-native species can be a importance for conservation. Most pass through settlements; can flag up pollutants like people feeds our rivers. Water companies ‘abstract’ water from sign of problems. loved and celebrated in some places, flowing underground ammonia or metaldehyde. aquifers using bore holes. and forgotten in others. They are part of the history and Levels of dissolved The Stour Catchment has serious issues with a number folklore of this part of Kent and have powered industries in oxygen are important to We are now seeing some rivers suffering from periods of of invasive non-native species. North American mink the past. support aquatic animal ‘low flow’, due to ‘over-abstraction’ of water. This can be have devastated the water life. Phosphorous and nitrate levels are measured and raised devastating to fish and other aquatic wildlife. Rivers that have vole population. The disease In an ideal world, all the rivers of the Stour Catchment would quantities of these nutrients can indicate pollution from always been intermittent, like the Nailbourne, now flow less carried by the signal crayfish has be shaped by natural processes, with good water quality and agricultural fertilisers, or domestic sewage. frequently, with some stretches dry for several years at a time. reduced white-clawed crayfish abundant wildlife. In a few places these conditions exist but distribution to just a handful for the most part, these rivers face many challenges: pollution, High levels of nutrients adversely affect the whole balance of sites. Himalayan balsam has low flows due to the demand for water supply, invasive A river’s shape of the river ecosystem and can have a knock on effect on colonised riverbanks in many White -clawed species and the legacy of structures left by old industry. dissolved oxygen. Rivers polluted with phosphates will usually places, shading out native plants. crayfish have degraded plant and animal life. Despite these pressures, the Stour Catchment’s rivers are still great places for walking, recreation and wildlife watching. While pollution from fertilisers and pesticides is invisible, The Water Framework Directive In many places they have tremendous beauty and natural the problem with silt is plain to see. Where water is cloudy The Water Framework Directive aims to bring diversity. They are homes for many well-loved and sometimes this is probably down to silt - essentially tiny particles of improvements to rivers (as well as lakes and coastal declining species. soil. Problems arise when excess silt, often from cultivated waters). Rivers are assessed in the four areas outlined in farmland or building sites, enters watercourses. Man-made this section and given a status of good, moderate, poor This leaflet looks at the rivers of the Catchment, the work A straightened modifications interfere with natural flow and lead to silt or bad. The aim is for all to achieve good status. Currently, being done to meet the challenges they face, and the section of the dropping out of the water. It smothers natural habitats like none of the rivers in the Stour Catchment are rated good. organisations involved. It also highlights what every one of Little Stour gravel beds where fish spawn, and can also lead to flooding. us can do in our daily lives to help look after these rivers that flow through our towns and villages. A natural river channel will have a varied shape – shallow in There are various reasons they are failing - for example, Native flora and fauna pollution from phosphates, poor fish populations or The Great Stour at Godmersham. Here the Stour is a chalk some places, deeper in others, varying in width. It will not be lack of dissolved oxygen. The task now is to tackle these The Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership is at the forefront of river. Chalk rivers are very special. There are only about 200 straight but meandering. It will be ever changing as the river A natural river will be a habitat for abundant wildlife. The problems. Catchment Improvement Partnerships (CIPs) efforts to improve rivers in the Catchment, working together with on the planet and the UK is home to 85% of them. They are erodes in some places, deposits material in others. This variety foundations of this ecosystem are aquatic invertebrates like have been set up to work together on making our rivers a range of other bodies, with landowners and the community. rich in wildlife, with clear waters and abundant plants but most provides habitats for aquatic wildlife of all kinds, including mayflies, caddisflies and freshwater shrimp. The presence of healthier. Find out more about the East Kent CIP and other have been altered by human activity. migratory fish. these species is monitored as they are a very good barometer organisations improving rivers under Useful Contacts. USEFUL CONTACTS Water companies Our Stour River Restoration What you can do Responsible bodies Affinity Water The The Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership has been carrying Everyone can play a part in helping the rivers of the Stour Water supply emergencies 0345 357 2407 out river restoration projects for many years. The aim of these Catchment. Making relatively small, simple changes in www.affinitywater.co.uk everyday life can make a world of difference! Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership (KSCP) projects is to return rivers to a more natural state. Some We work with landowners and local communities to conserve, projects involve large-scale Southern Water SAVE WATER enhance, and promote countryside and urban greenspace reshaping of rivers, but in Water supply or sewage emergencies 0330 303 0368 Kentish Using less water is 4, Javelin Way, Henwood, Ashford TN24 8AD many cases relatively small www.southernwater.co.uk perhaps the biggest 03000 410900 [email protected] changes can kick-start the thing we can all do to www.kentishstour.org.uk South East Water river’s natural processes. Our Stour Officer help rivers. There are Water supply helpline 0333 000 0002 Lauren Baker with the East Kent Catchment Improvement Partnership (EKCIP) Stour Some of the methods so many simple things www.southeastwater.co.uk Aqualab vehicle Partnership working on catchment based approaches to used are shown in the you can do from taking Floating digger creating a shower instead of a bath, to using a watering can improve the health of rivers. Includes many of the bodies Recreation Our Stour is the Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership’s photographs. pools and channels to make instead of a hose to water the garden. For a full list of listed below community project about enjoying and improving the rivers the river bed more diverse tips go to waterwise.org.uk. Contact via KSCP Canoe Wild and streams of the Stour Catchment. Others include: 07947 835688 [email protected] www.canoewild.co.uk • ‘Deflectors’ used to alter flow Environment Agency (EA) CHECK YOUR PLUMBING The National Lottery Heritage Fund along with other sponsors • ‘Revetments’ protect eroding banks with natural material The main body in charge of the maintenance of the River Grove Ferry River Trips If your house has a ‘separate’ sewage system, waste supported a three year programme of activities (see below). • Shallow ‘bays’ in river banks provide sheltered habitat Stour and other main rivers 07985 273070 [email protected] pipes from appliances, sinks or toilets connected to A guide to the rivers and streams Thanks to the support of the Environment Agency, Kent County • Dead wood fixed into the river channel creates diversity Kent, South London and East Sussex Area www.groveferryrivertrips.co.uk surface water sewers could be polluting local rivers.