The BART team have been busy this week removing several large blockages from the course of the Norton Brook. The blockages were deemed barriers to fish at most flow conditions and impound the waterbody, limiting habitat diversity throughout this stretch of the brook (approx. 300m).
Removing the blockages has opened up a large stretch from the confluence of the Wellow Brook to fish and aquatic life. The brook will now be given time to geomorphologically adjust before BART assess the stretch for further habitat improvements.
Before blockage removal – impounded flow conditions, very little light penetrating the stream, barrier to fish.
After blockage removal – riffle creation (potential fish spawning habitat), sinuosity re-instated, light penetrating the stream, fly life has already started to return.
Before blockage removal – reduced flow conditions due to impounding effect of sleepers and other debris that has collated; barrier to fish during most flow conditions.
After blockage removal – riffle creation (potential fish spawning habitat), sinuosity re-instated, light penetrating the stream, fly life has already started to return.
This work is part of the first delivery phase of BART’s Restoring the Wellow, Midford and Cam Brook project funded by the Environment Agency’s Water & Environment Improvement Fund.
Follow BART’s progress via our Twitter page https://twitter.com/BristolAvonRT and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bristolavonrivers/
For more information with regard to this project, please get in touch with simon@bristolavonriverstrust.org.
