Safeguarding the waterway environment: Priorities for research Report of the AINA Working Group on the Environmental Impacts of Waterways Uses Foreword About AINA It is clear that there are gaps in our knowledge of the However, the benefits to be gained from undertaking The Association of Inland Navigation Authorities AINA’s key objectives are to: environmental impacts (positive and negative) of the research recommended in this report are such that (AINA) was set up in December 1996 with strong waterways use. This report goes some way towards new income will be created for re-investment in the encouragement from Government to provide, for the • provide a forum for the sharing of best practice, identifying those gaps and proposes specific measures waterways contributing to the sustainability of the first time ever, a single voice on waterway advice and expertise, to fill them for the benefit of waterway managers and waterways and their environs for the benefit of all. management issues. The broad purpose of AINA is to all waterway stakeholders. facilitate the management, maintenance and • represent the views of the Association to development of the inland waterways for navigation Government, EU, statutory agencies and other As the representative body for navigation authorities as an economic, environmental, recreational and relevant bodies, nation-wide, AINA believes it is well placed to procure social resource. and coordinate the required research work and to • develop links with its European neighbours, convert the outputs in the form of guidance for good AINA has 29 members including the three large • secure adequate investment in inland waterways, waterway management practice. Dr D J Fletcher CBE Government-sponsored navigation authorities – British Chairman Waterways, the Environment Agency, the Broads Funding the proposed work will inevitably be an issue. Authority – and also local authorities, drainage • promote public awareness of the value and potential Currently there is inadequate provision of funding for April 2003 commissioners, property development companies, port of inland waterways and gain support for their the management and operation of inland waterways authorities, original canal companies, national parks, development and conservation, and the need to integrate requirements for use the National Trust, and other charitable trusts. and the natural environment will place an even • enhance the amenity and environmental quality of greater demand on limited resources. Between them, AINA members own, operate and inland waterways, manage some 5,000 km of waterway representing almost a complete UK coverage. Each member has its • coordinate aspirations and to plan, in the context of own constitution, aims and objectives and, in many a national strategy, for exploiting the potential of cases, Acts of Parliament regulating the operation of inland waterways. its waterways. 1 Contents 1. Introduction 1. Introduction 1.1 Today, the inland waterways are used for 1.3 Specifically, the report seeks to: many purposes. Each use has the potential to 2. The impact of waterway management and use on the environment interact with the interests of the natural • identify the potential impacts of the many environment and may, if not well-managed, and varied uses of the inland waterways, 3. The approach detract from its value. In many cases this will and their related activities, on the natural not only affect efforts to conserve natural environment, 4. Socio-economic benefits resources; users themselves will experience a decrease in the attractiveness and interest of • identify gaps in our existing knowledge on 5. Legislation concerning nature conservation and waterways the waterway environment. the impacts of various uses, 6. Recommendations 1.2 This report reviews current knowledge of the • offer priorities for research, to be environmental impacts of the many different undertaken over the next decade, to fill the uses of the UK’s inland waterways. It major gaps in knowledge and thus Appendices identifies areas in which there is insufficient enhance the capability of waterway knowledge and proposes research to managers to achieve high and sustainable 1. Members of the Working Group remedy these shortcomings. environmental standards, in addition to delivering economic and social benefits. 2. Terms of reference 3. Bibliography 4. Negative and positive impacts of recreational and commercial uses of waterways, their maintenance and development 5. Matrices showing groups of flora and fauna and the nature of negative impacts for various uses/activities on British inland waterways 6. Glossary of terms 7. Nature conservation legislation and waterways in the UK 2 3 2. The impact of waterway management and use on 2.5 The successful integration of environmental 2.7 There is significant scope for introducing conservation with other waterways uses imaginative management tools to assist in the environment requires an adequate knowledge of the interpretation and enjoyment of the waterway ecology, its management and the natural environment for waterway users, effects of each use of the system on habitats without compromising environmental quality. 2.1 Waterways for Tomorrow1 identifies the • there has been much research into the and their populations of plants and animals. This will raise the status of the wildlife considerable potential the waterways have impacts of leisure and recreation uses on Many of the past conflicts between nature component in users’ minds and help to for a wide variety of uses and activities. Most canals, although there are still gaps in our conservation and waterway development justify its maintenance in cases where this have environmental impacts some of which knowledge, have arisen through uncertainty about the ultimately requires some restriction of other pose issues of real concern. Steering a Fresh effects of the changes being proposed. aspects of waterway use and development. 2 • there is insufficient objective information Course identifies the issues relevant to the available in relation to effects on rivers Greater ecological understanding and hence natural environment as: which are not hydraulically uniform and are ability to predict impacts and provide 2.8 Ultimately the yardstick for measuring self-scouring, mitigation for them, can go a long way success must be sustainable development - • the effects of navigation on the natural towards removing such conflicts. The need development that meets the needs of the environment, including those due to craft • better co-ordinated research is needed to for this greater ecological understanding is present without compromising the ability of movement and those due to creating and understand the direct and indirect effects the major driving force behind this report. future generations to meet their own needs. maintaining navigability, of the variety of waterways uses, In the case of the waterways, this can be • more work is needed to determine 2.6 The wildlife value of the waterway interpreted as making sure that the economic • the impacts of non-navigational uses, e.g. protocols for environmental impact environment is a major attraction to many growth of the waterways is achieved in such access for walking and development such assessments, users. Indeed, the natural environment is a manner that will not jeopardise, and could as the building of marinas stimulated by fundamental to the character of the even enhance, natural resource systems.4 • there is a perception that environmental the presence of navigation, waterways. impact assessment on navigable rivers is under-developed. • the need for environmental appraisal for all projects and full environmental impact assessments for major projects, 2.3 Before assessing the environmental impacts associated with the uses of waterways it is • the recognition of major gaps in important to understand that canals and river knowledge of the natural environment in navigations are inherently managed the context of waterways, and of the environments. Canals are wholly complexity and fragility of natural systems, man-made and navigable rivers have been subject to significant human modification. • the need to determine the ecological balance for those waterways with 2.4 It follows that any use of or development significant environmental interest while along waterways needs to be considered on understanding the maintenance the basis that the existing system is not requirements for a safe navigation, entirely natural. Moreover, continuing human intervention will often be necessary to • the need to balance the needs of maintain the quality of the habitats and navigation and wildlife, biodiversity which have developed in them. • the use of the waterways as a major resource for environmental education. 2.2 The Waterways for Tomorrow National 3 Conference report states that there is a need for more research to achieve greater understanding of the human impacts on the waterways environment. Specifically, the report states that: 1 4 Waterways for Tomorrow. Department of the Environment, Transport & The Regions, June 2000. Recreational Navigation and Nature. International Navigation Association (PIANC). Report of Working Group 12 of the Recreational Navigation Commission, 2000. 2 Steering a Fresh Course: A Strategy for the Inland Navigations of the United Kingdom. AINA 1999 3 Waterways for Tomorrow National Conference 19 March 2001. Conference Report, Department of the Environment, Transport & The Regions May 2001 4 5 3. The approach 3.7