Latest news with #TrentRiversTrust
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Call for greater monitoring of £12m Colwick fish pass
A charity is calling for greater monitoring of England's largest fish pass, which cost £ described as a "motorway for fish", it was installed at Colwick Country Park in Nottinghamshire by the Environment Agency (EA) and opened in November aim was to "make it easier for salmon and other fish to reach their spawning and feeding grounds" along the River Trent, boosting declining EA has no legal obligation to monitor the effectiveness of the structure and will carry out short-term checks during key migratory windows, but the Trent Rivers Trust fears it is not enough. 'Canary in the coal mine' Wild Atlantic salmon were once native to the River Trent and are the main species the fish pass was designed to help fell rapidly during the industrial revolution when weirs and dams prevented them from reaching breeding grounds and water pollution destroyed their habitats."They've been referred to as the canary in the coal mine," said Alison Baker, restoration director at the Wild Atlantic Salmon Trust."Salmon require cold, clean water and if there's no cold clean water, then we all suffer."The fish pass is built around Holme Sluices, part of a 1950s flood defence scheme owned by the EA on the notoriously unpredictable structure is 210m (656ft) long, 6m (19.7ft) deep and 6.5m (21.3ft) is divided into 20 ascending chambers - each slightly higher than the previous ones to match the slope of the landscape - into which water flows through narrow slots. The EA said the pass - built under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 - was "carefully designed and is relevant for all fish species, including salmon".It is yet to carry out any monitoring and plans to perform short-term checks using underwater cameras to "better understand fish migration" in autumn of this year and spring Dr Scott McKenzie, head of rivers and nature-based solutions at the Trent Rivers Trust, said it was not enough to know how efficient the fish pass is or to learn from it."We don't just want a snapshot into whether they can get through at certain times of year," he added."A fish pass like this costs a lot of money; we want to make sure it's worth it."Dr McKenzie said monitoring should involve counting salmon at key breeding sites to check they were "not only navigating the structure, but actually reaching their breeding habitats", and include other recovering species. Dr McKenzie said monitoring should involve counting salmon at key breeding sites to check if they were "not only navigating the structure, but actually reaching their breeding habitats", and include other recovering species. The Trent Rivers Trust is leading a recovery of a 75km stretch of the river - a project that could see further fish passes McKenzie said the facility at Colwick was "only worth it if it's part of a bigger recovery plan which should include monitoring".The EA said: "For salmon monitoring, funding is concentrated on those rivers designated as 'principal salmon rivers', which the River Trent is not."Therefore, a strategy of monitoring at key migration windows is being applied here."Should further funding become available, the monitoring will be enhanced."
The Star
09-06-2025
- Climate
- The Star
A fluid solution: British towns harness nature to combat rising flood risk
In a stream near Leicester in central England, six volunteers in waterproof overalls and boots busily reinforced mini wooden structures designed to combat the rising flooding threat. The city, like many others in Britain, has experienced several intense rainfall events in recent years, which have caused significant damage. Alert to climate change, which intensifies these events, authorities are strengthening their defences and turning to solutions more sympathetic with the environment. With their feet firmly planted on the bed of the Saffron Brook, a tributary of the River Soar that runs through Leicester, the volunteers ensured the structures' wooden bundles were securely anchored. These structures create bends that "change the behaviour of the river" and slow down water in stretches where it currently flows "straight and very fast", said Dan Scott, who leads the programme at the Trent Rivers Trust, a local group working to protect rivers. He regularly oversees the installation of new facilities. An aerial view of volunteers constructing a natural flood management feature on the Saffron Brook. A few months ago, the trust dug a pond on a river near the town of Loughborough and installed dozens of leaky wooden barriers to better protect downstream houses that flooded in the past. These techniques are "complementary to traditional flood defences" such as retention basins and canals that are increasingly under strain, Scott said. They "help to store some of that water upstream so that those traditional flood defences don't get overwhelmed, and if they do, it's not as quickly as if these features weren't in place," he added. They also help to maintain biodiversity. A natural flood management feature is pictured on the Saffron Brook. 'Urgent problem' More than 6.3 million properties are at risk of flooding in Britain, and this figure will rise to more than eight million by 2050, according to a recent government report. "Flooding is a really urgent societal problem," said Steven Forest, director of the Flood Risk Management Program at the University of Hull. Climate events resulted in Britain insurance payouts of more than £400mil (RM2.3bil) in 2022 and more than £570mil (RM3.3bil) in 2023 and 2024, half of which was related to flooding, according to the Association of British Insurers. Beyond traditional defences, "we need to think about living with water, and we need to think about integrating water within our urban spaces", Forest added. He cited the Netherlands, which allocates space for rivers to drain during heavy rainfall, and the United States, where vegetation "buffer zones" were created after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. "Straight-jacketing" waterways with various infrastructure is no longer sufficient, Forest said, especially since 7% of such structures were assessed to be in "poor" or "very poor" condition by the UK Environment Agency in 2022. Scott, project lead for the Trent River Trust, regularly oversees the installation of new facilities. Overcoming scepticism But convincing residents and authorities is not always an easy task as it often needs explaining that "just because we've not built a concrete solution, that it isn't going to be as effective", Scott said. "It's also about re-educating people in government because it's easier for them to sell something (to voters) that's physical and much more prominent within the landscape," he added. Traditional developments attracted the lion's share of the £2.6bil (RM14.9bil) announced by the government in March to fund new flood defence systems over the next two years. But Scott noted a greater interest in natural flood management over the past five years, with the previous government launching a £25mil (RM143mil) programme last year. As a result, Leicester will be able to develop several waterways southeast of the city, and 35 other projects have been selected in England. "It is encouraging that our successful approach to natural flood management measures is continuing to be supported," Geoff Whittle, a local councillor responsible for the environment, said. Contemplating the fruits of her labour in Saffron, 50-year-old volunteer Lis Gibbs said that "it feels like you can make a difference", in contrast to climate change in general, which "can feel really overwhelming". – AFP
Japan Today
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Japan Today
UK towns harness nature to combat rising flood risk
By Marie HEUCLIN In a stream near Leicester in central England, six volunteers in waterproof overalls and boots busily reinforced mini wooden structures designed to combat the rising flooding threat. The city, like many others in the UK, has experienced several intense rainfall events in recent years, which have caused significant damage. Alert to climate change, which intensifies these events, authorities are strengthening their defenses and turning to solutions more sympathetic with the environment. With their feet firmly planted on the bed of the Saffron Brook, a tributary of the River Soar that runs through Leicester, the volunteers ensured the structures' wooden bundles were securely anchored. These structures create bends that "change the behavior of the river" and slow down water in stretches where it currently flows "straight and very fast," said Dan Scott, who leads the program at the Trent Rivers Trust, a local group working to protect rivers. He regularly oversees the installation of new facilities. A few months ago, the trust dug a pond on a river near the town of Loughborough and installed dozens of leaky wooden barriers to better protect downstream houses that flooded in the past. These techniques are "complementary to traditional flood defenses" such as retention basins and canals that are increasingly under strain, Scott said. They "help to store some of that water upstream so that those traditional flood defenses don't get overwhelmed, and if they do, it's not as quickly as if these features weren't in place," he added. They also help to maintain biodiversity. More than 6.3 million properties are at risk of flooding in the UK, and this figure will rise to more than eight million by 2050, according to a recent government report. "Flooding is a really urgent societal problem," said Steven Forest, director of the Flood Risk Management Program at the University of Hull. Climate events resulted in UK insurance payouts of more than £400 million ($532 million) in 2022 and more than £570 million in 2023 and 2024, half of which was related to flooding, according to the Association of British Insurers. Beyond traditional defenses, "we need to think about living with water, and we need to think about integrating water within our urban spaces," Forest added. He cited the Netherlands, which allocates space for rivers to drain during heavy rainfall, and the United States, where vegetation "buffer zones" were created after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. "Straight-jacketing" waterways with various infrastructure is no longer sufficient, Forest said, especially since seven percent of such structures were assessed to be in "poor" or "very poor" condition by the UK Environment Agency in 2022. But convincing residents and authorities is not always an easy task as it often needs explaining that "just because we've not built a concrete solution, that it isn't going to be as effective," Scott said. "It's also about re-educating people in government because it's easier for them to sell something (to voters) that's physical and much more prominent within the landscape," he added. Traditional developments attracted the lion's share of the £2.6 billion announced by the government in March to fund new flood defense systems over the next two years. But Scott noted a greater interest in natural flood management over the past five years, with the previous government launching a £25 million program last year. As a result, Leicester will be able to develop several waterways southeast of the city, and 35 other projects have been selected in England. "It is encouraging that our successful approach to natural flood management measures is continuing to be supported," Geoff Whittle, a local councillor responsible for the environment, told AFP. Contemplating the fruits of her labour in Saffron, 50-year-old volunteer Lis Gibbs told AFP that "it feels like you can make a difference," in contrast to climate change in general, which "can feel really overwhelming". © 2025 AFP
Malay Mail
12-05-2025
- Climate
- Malay Mail
With floods on the rise, one English city is turning to beavers' wisdom and wooden barriers
LEICESTER, May 12 — In a stream near Leicester in central England, six volunteers in waterproof overalls and boots busily reinforced mini wooden structures designed to combat the rising flooding threat. The city, like many others in the UK, has experienced several intense rainfall events in recent years, which have caused significant damage. Alert to climate change, which intensifies these events, authorities are strengthening their defences and turning to solutions more sympathetic with the environment. With their feet firmly planted on the bed of the Saffron Brook, a tributary of the River Soar that runs through Leicester, the volunteers ensured the structures' wooden bundles were securely anchored. These structures create bends that 'change the behaviour of the river' and slow down water in stretches where it currently flows 'straight and very fast,' said Dan Scott, who leads the programme at the Trent Rivers Trust, a local group working to protect rivers. He regularly oversees the installation of new facilities. A few months ago, the trust dug a pond on a river near the town of Loughborough and installed dozens of leaky wooden barriers to better protect downstream houses that flooded in the past. These techniques are 'complementary to traditional flood defences' such as retention basins and canals that are increasingly under strain, Scott said. They 'help to store some of that water upstream so that those traditional flood defences don't get overwhelmed, and if they do, it's not as quickly as if these features weren't in place,' he added. They also help to maintain biodiversity. The trust dug a pond on a river near the town of Loughborough and installed dozens of leaky wooden barriers to better protect downstream houses that flooded in the past. — AFP pic 'Urgent problem' More than 6.3 million properties are at risk of flooding in the UK, and this figure will rise to more than eight million by 2050, according to a recent government report. 'Flooding is a really urgent societal problem,' said Steven Forest, director of the Flood Risk Management Program at the University of Hull. Climate events resulted in UK insurance payouts of more than £400 million (RM2.27 billion) in 2022 and more than £570 million in 2023 and 2024, half of which was related to flooding, according to the Association of British Insurers. Beyond traditional defences, 'we need to think about living with water, and we need to think about integrating water within our urban spaces,' Forest added. He cited the Netherlands, which allocates space for rivers to drain during heavy rainfall, and the United States, where vegetation 'buffer zones' were created after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. 'Straight-jacketing' waterways with various infrastructure is no longer sufficient, Forest said, especially since seven percent of such structures were assessed to be in 'poor' or 'very poor' condition by the UK Environment Agency in 2022. Overcoming scepticism But convincing residents and authorities is not always an easy task as it often needs explaining that 'just because we've not built a concrete solution, that it isn't going to be as effective,' Scott said. 'It's also about re-educating people in government because it's easier for them to sell something (to voters) that's physical and much more prominent within the landscape,' he added. Traditional developments attracted the lion's share of the £2.6 billion announced by the government in March to fund new flood defence systems over the next two years. Leaky dams which form part of a natural flood management scheme at Beacon Hill near Loughborough. — AFP pic But Scott noted a greater interest in natural flood management over the past five years, with the previous government launching a £25 million programme last year. As a result, Leicester will be able to develop several waterways southeast of the city, and 35 other projects have been selected in England. 'It is encouraging that our successful approach to natural flood management measures is continuing to be supported,' Geoff Whittle, a local councillor responsible for the environment, told AFP. Contemplating the fruits of her labour in Saffron, 50-year-old volunteer Lis Gibbs told AFP that 'it feels like you can make a difference,' in contrast to climate change in general, which 'can feel really overwhelming'. — AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
12-05-2025
- Climate
- Asharq Al-Awsat
UK Towns Harness Nature to Combat Rising Flood Risk
In a stream near Leicester in central England, six volunteers in waterproof overalls and boots busily reinforced mini wooden structures designed to combat the rising flooding threat. The city, like many others in the UK, has experienced several intense rainfall events in recent years, which have caused significant damage. Alert to climate change, which intensifies these events, authorities are strengthening their defenses and turning to solutions more sympathetic with the environment. With their feet firmly planted on the bed of the Saffron Brook, a tributary of the River Soar that runs through Leicester, the volunteers ensured the structures' wooden bundles were securely anchored. These structures create bends that "change the behavior of the river" and slow down water in stretches where it currently flows "straight and very fast," said Dan Scott, who leads the program at the Trent Rivers Trust, a local group working to protect rivers. He regularly oversees the installation of new facilities. A few months ago, the trust dug a pond on a river near the town of Loughborough and installed dozens of leaky wooden barriers to better protect downstream houses that flooded in the past. These techniques are "complementary to traditional flood defenses" such as retention basins and canals that are increasingly under strain, Scott said. They "help to store some of that water upstream so that those traditional flood defenses don't get overwhelmed, and if they do, it's not as quickly as if these features weren't in place," he added. They also help to maintain biodiversity. 'Urgent problem' More than 6.3 million properties are at risk of flooding in the UK, and this figure will rise to more than eight million by 2050, according to a recent government report. "Flooding is a really urgent societal problem," said Steven Forest, director of the Flood Risk Management Program at the University of Hull. Climate events resulted in UK insurance payouts of more than £400 million ($532 million) in 2022 and more than £570 million in 2023 and 2024, half of which was related to flooding, according to the Association of British Insurers. Beyond traditional defenses, "we need to think about living with water, and we need to think about integrating water within our urban spaces," Forest added. He cited the Netherlands, which allocates space for rivers to drain during heavy rainfall, and the United States, where vegetation "buffer zones" were created after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. "Straight-jacketing" waterways with various infrastructure is no longer sufficient, Forest said, especially since seven percent of such structures were assessed to be in "poor" or "very poor" condition by the UK Environment Agency in 2022. Overcoming skepticism But convincing residents and authorities is not always an easy task as it often needs explaining that "just because we've not built a concrete solution, that it isn't going to be as effective," Scott said. "It's also about re-educating people in government because it's easier for them to sell something (to voters) that's physical and much more prominent within the landscape," he added. Traditional developments attracted the lion's share of the £2.6 billion announced by the government in March to fund new flood defense systems over the next two years. But Scott noted a greater interest in natural flood management over the past five years, with the previous government launching a £25 million program last year. As a result, Leicester will be able to develop several waterways southeast of the city, and 35 other projects have been selected in England. "It is encouraging that our successful approach to natural flood management measures is continuing to be supported," Geoff Whittle, a local councilor responsible for the environment, told AFP. Contemplating the fruits of her labor in Saffron, 50-year-old volunteer Lis Gibbs told AFP that "it feels like you can make a difference," in contrast to climate change in general, which "can feel really overwhelming".
