Eddleston Water Project: introduction to research aims & monitoring Eddleston Water: • Eddleston Water scoping study • Eddleston Water restoration Phase II • Eddleston Water restoration Phase III Chris Spray, Alan Werritty, Tom Ball, Andrew Black, Michael Bonell, Nicole Archer & students HNS Cbec Ltd NFU(S) Forest Research Tweed Foundation Environment Agency Partnership project, begun in 2009
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Eddleston Water - CREW...Eddleston Water catchment ± 69 sq km Main river flows c 17 kms North-South in to the Tweed at Peebles Largely rural with two settlements ± Eddleston and
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Eddleston Water Project: introduction to research aims & monitoring
Eddleston Water:
• Eddleston Water scoping study
• Eddleston Water restoration Phase II
• Eddleston Water restoration Phase III
Chris Spray, Alan Werritty, Tom Ball, Andrew Black, Michael Bonell, Nicole Archer & students
HNS
Cbec Ltd
NFU(S)
Forest Research
Tweed Foundation
Environment Agency
Partnership project, begun in 2009
Eddleston Water catchment – 69 sq km
• Main river flows c 17 kms North-South in to the Tweed at Peebles
• Largely rural with two settlements – Eddleston and Peebles
• Long history of river and flood plain
management – for agriculture mainly – and of flooding (1723, 1777, 1792, 1831, 1846, 1865, 1881, 1891,
type river, and Atlantic Salmon, Lampreys and Otters. SSSI interest also on beetles of riverine gravels
• Fails WFD status for Morphology (bad) and for
aquatic macrophytes (moderate)
Policy drivers for river restoration: Eddleston Water
Two main policy drivers:
• EC Water Framework Directive => Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003: Eddleston Water characterised as
having “poor” ecological status
• EC Directive on the Assessment and Management of Floods => Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009: section 20 requires SEPA to assess whether the “alteration ... or restoration of natural features and
characteristics ... could contribute to management of flood risk” often referred to as natural flood management
Plus an over-riding Total Catchment Approach => added multiple benefits for other ecosystem services – water quality, fisheries,
biodiversity, recreation & tourism, etc
AND the question of stakeholders “permission to act”
Eddleston Water Project – initial scoping report 2010
Looked at the whole catchment, not just
flooding and habitats solely along the river
Output Recommendations:
• Characterisation of the catchment
• Locations and plans for physical restoration of
channel and floodplain
• Locations and plans for interventions to achieve
flood risk reductions
• Value for money and priorities for action
• Detailed monitoring
• Community consultation and engagement
Characterisation and current status:
landscapes, habitats, ecology.
Sources
Pathways
Proposed measures: locations and types
Selected groups of measures:
A: breach/set back embankments,
new fence margins, riparian
woodland, wet woodland, large
woody debris
C: re-meander channel, riparian
woodland
L: Reduced stocking density, tributary
woodland, floodplain forest
N: create ponds, wetlands, riparian
woodland block ditches, large woody
debris
Planting up hillsides & river banks
Log jams on tributaries
Working with Forestry Commission
Natural flood management: -
Influencing “sources” by intervention in the upper catchment, tributaries and hill slopes
Breach in embankments could permit temporary
flood storage on left bank during high flow events.
Re-meandering opportunities - Cringeltie
Natural flood management: Influencing “pathways” by interventions in the floodplain itself
Intensive monitoring programme
Proposed measures: flood storage u/s Eddleston (site A)
Natural flood management: -
Understanding the connectivity between hill-slopes, groundwater, floodplains and rivers
BGS and Dundee University joint study
Unique integrated hillslope-to-floodplain study
• Interviews with key stakeholders:
Scottish Govt, SEPA, Tweed Forum,
Scottish Borders Council, SNH, Tweed
Foundation, Scottish Water,
NFU(Scotland), Scottish Wildlife Trust,
RSPB, Country Landowners Business
Association.
• Interviews with landowners (three
floodplain and two upland famers)
middle-aged, male, long-term
landowners in the valley (>30 years) with
several sources of income.
• Literature review
Josselin Rouillard
Opportunities, constraints and barriers
Opportunities, constraints and barriers: farmers
• local expert knowledge must be
factored in to any planning;
• financial incentives must be set
at the right level – to sustain farm
units and to attract engagement;
• long-term, guaranteed
contractual arrangements to
deliver focused outcomes;
• simplicity in any contractual
arrangements.
Summary: - Aims & Objectives of Monitoring Strategy
Aim: to assess the effectiveness of the proposed measures for restoration
and natural flood management
Existing Monitoring programmes: - provided elements of the original Characterisation and baseline data
• Hydrometric monitoring – Shiplaw and March street; and Shiplaw rain gauge
• Landuse and habitat data – from aerial surveys done for SBC
• Water quality, ecology and fisheries data – for WFD water body compliance
– Establish the baseline before implementing measures. 2 years baseline is recommended.
– Select monitoring sites carefully - site selection
affects data accuracy.
– Aim to maximise accuracy: it's vital that uncertainty in data collection < magnitude of the change you're
trying to detect
– Monitor as comprehensively as possible from the outset: level, flow, rain, water temperature, stable isotopes.....?
Aspects of practice
• Water level recorder siting - much to consider! – Safe access/operations – Suitable location for the intended purpose – Sensitivity of level to flow – Control stability – Can full range of levels be recorded? – Avoidance of impact risks arising from entrained debris – Avoidance of waterfalls: severe hysteresis effects – Viable flow gauging opportunities – Proximity of vehicle access – Not visible or vulnerable to potential vandals – etc etc
Aspects of practice
• Level recording: Hobo U2O in secure steel wells
Aspects of practice
• SonTek ADV for mid-range flow measurement
• Ott C-2 for shallow flows
• Or Valeport 802
Aspects of practice
• ADCP for high flow measurement
• Performance depends on water surface conditions
Aspects of practice
• Use of floats for validating velocities in peak flows