Today (19th Aug) the Government has revealed its initial thoughts around setting the targets they aim to use to measure the success of the 25 year Environment Plan.
These are the INITIAL THOUGHTS only – the full scope of the target setting involves setting metrics, consultation and drafting the legislation. This should all be in place by 31 October 2022, when Government approval will be sought.
Targets for the Water Environment
There are no mention of Water Framework Directive targets – but then this is European legislation so possibly not surprising. The overarching vision seems to be:
“To achieve clean and plentiful water by improving at least three quarters of our waters to be as close to their natural state as soon as is practicable.”
And this will be achieved by :
Implementing better and more innovative ways to prevent agricultural pollutants damaging water bodies, whilst maintaining a competitive agricultural sector
Proposing a wastewater target which focuses on phosphates and nitrates in order to ensure that rapid progress is made in reducing their environmental impact.
Maintaining the government target for a 50% reduction in leakage by 2050, and endorsed the industry’s commitment to this reduction. Setting a demand target to encourage water companies to go further in reducing the demand for water and to also reduce non-household water use in conjunction with the retail market.
And possibly by:
Reducing the impact of pollution from abandoned metal mines on the water environment
Reducing the impact of physical modification on the water environment
The Environment Agency and RiverCare have a range of resources (posters and postcards) for river based organisations, towns and villages to use to highlight the problem of Floating Pennywort in our waterways. Order your resources here.
You can also help out with an ambitious citizen science project to spot Pennywort on the River Great Ouse – if you spot any click on this link to report it.
Welney Flood Barrier Consultation – closes 30 September 20
It isn’t too late to reply to the Environment Agency consultation about the installation of a flood barrier across the A1101 at Welney. This is to protect the village in case of over topping of the Old Bedford River. The EA need to know the best time to close the road in order to do this.
The Environment Agency are inviting people to a drop-in event to find out more about the Ouse Washes bank raising works and the Welney Wash Road barrier works.
You will have the opportunity to meet the project team, see details of the barrier and discuss this year’s work. The drop-in event will be held:
The purpose of this Environment Agency project is to maintain the protection from flood risk for homes and businesses along the Ouse Washes.
What are the Ouse Washes?
The Ouse Washes is defined, under current legislation, as a ‘large raised reservoir’ more commonly known as Ouse Washes Flood Storage Reservoir. It is approximately 33km (22 miles) long and 1.7km (0.5 mile) wide providing about 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of land between the banks and it’s in Cambridgeshire. The Dutch Engineer ‘Sir Cornelius Vermuyden’ originally constructed it in 1653 for the purpose of draining the fens. It is designed to store floodwater that would otherwise cause overtopping of riverbanks.
Over time the Washes has evolved into an important area for a variety of species and subsequently received local, national and international conservation status. It is also important from an agricultural aspect and is heavily grazed during the summer. This grazing serves a dual purpose, it facilitates the management of the Washes by controlling vegetation and maintaining the effective transfer of floodwater; it also acts as an effective technique to manage the grassland habitats of the Washes, providing best conditions for the vast array of bird species visiting the area.
Aerial view of the Ouse Washes flooded
What work is required to maintain the Ouse Washes?
A qualified civil engineer completed an inspection in 2013 and recommended a number of Measures in the Interests of Safety under Section 10 (6) of the Act. These resulted in a project to raise the Middle Level Barrier Bank to address changes to the bank crest level caused by settlement.
The Middle Level Barrier Bank is lower where the Welney Wash road crosses into the Ouse Washes Flood Storage Reservoir. This low spot reduces the safety and stability of the bank and increases the flood risk to the communities. Historically the Environment Agency have created a temporary flood barrier across the Welney Wash road using large sand bags. Installing large sand bags is costly in terms of labour and waste, as the sand bags cannot be reused.
The existing bank protects surrounding areas from flood water stored in the reservoir. A recent assessment of the bank height shows that flood water could overtop the bank at isolated locations in the equivalent of a 1% probability event.
Overtopping could lead to erosion and subsequent collapse of the bank. Under the Reservoirs Act 1975 the Middle Level Barrier Bank needs to be safe for a 0.1% probability event. Where communities are immediately adjacent to the bank, the Middle Level Barrier Bank needs to be safe for a 0.01% probability event.
Aerial view of the Ouse Washes and the Welney Wash road flooded
What work is taking place?
The Environment Agency are raising the Middle Level Barrier Bank between Earith and Welmore Lake Sluice. Other associated works include building barrier works at Welney, a new wall at Welches Dam Pumping Station, extending a retaining wall at Sutton Gault, and decommissioning the Black Sluice culvert (near Earith).
This work is taking place over 4 summers (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020). Due to the overwintering and breeding bird population found on the Washes, there is a narrow timeframe to do any work on the banks, from mid-July to end of October each year.
You can find out about the latest progress of the project through the link below:
We are pleased to announce that Cambridgeshire ACRE has received Anglian Water’s Flourishing Environment Fund grant to deliver a project that offers Primary School children a hands-on experience of rearing endangered eels in their classrooms in order to create a long-term legacy of eel conservation in the region.
European eels once thrived in the UK’s rivers, but their numbers have declined by over 95% since the 1980s and the species has been classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN since 2008. Constructed weirs, tidal gates and dams all act as barriers to migration, while pollution, climate change, overfishing and habitat loss all have a negative impact on eel survival. Specifically, in the River Ouse the number of elvers (young eels) trapped through Environment Agency (EA) monitoring has declined every year since 2013 (2018 populations were down 83% compared to 2013). This ‘Eels in the Classroom’ project will help more eels to reach their adult life-stage in the Cambridgeshire Fens, contributing to their future viability.
Working in partnership with the EA and Over Primary School and Little Thetford Primary School in the Old West river catchment, two Primary School classes will be given a hands-on experience in rearing endangered eels in their classrooms, releasing them into local rivers and streams after 5/6 weeks to help boost eel populations in the fens. In addition, the project will provide an opportunity for the children to learn about the fascinating life cycle of the eel, and the current environmental issues they face.
We acknowledge the grant we have received from the Anglian Water Flourishing Environment Fund,a charitable fund managed by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation
In rural river catchments such as the Old Bedford and Middle Level catchment, septic tank effluent contains a wide variety of pollutants including pathogens, faecal bacteria, phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), organic matter (OM), suspended solids (SS), pharmaceutical compounds and household detergents and chemicals that pose risks to fresh water resources. The extent of this impact depends on how well your septic system is maintained and if it is used properly.
Homeowners with septic tanks that discharge directly into ditches, streams, canals, rivers, surface water, drains or any other type of water course will need to replace or upgrade their drainage either when they sell their property or before 1 January 2020 whichever is sooner.
What are your options?
There are two main ways in which you can comply with the new regulations:
Swap your septic tank for a sewage treatment plant – sewage treatment plants produce a cleaner form of water, and it’s considered clean enough to discharge straight to a watercourse.
Install a drainage field or soakaway system – this will take the waste water from your septic tank, and disperse it safely into the ground without causing pollution. It’s not all doom and gloom, there’s still plenty of time to make the switch. And let’s face it, no one wants to think about the inhabitants of the local streams or rivers hanging out in the dirty water from septic tanks, so it’s a positive change for the environment.
Come to a Community Day on Friday 29 March in Ely to find out about the Scottish Soldiers who helped make (another word for dig!) our drained landscape. Not much is known about these men and this project aims to piece together this forgotten story from the 1650s.
If you have any information about this fascinating local history please come along and share your stories or bring anything that might tell about the draining of the Fens, Maps, Articles, Family Stories, Objects.
