Thames launches smarter plan for the River Evenlode

Thames Water has launched its Smarter Water Catchments plan for the River Evenlode.

The plan sets out a ten-year commitment to help the Evenlode gain good ecological status, boost biodiversity and help address water quality issues, as well as providing wider benefits for local communities through natural flood management schemes, better access, schools programmes, volunteering opportunities and health and wellbeing benefits. It has been co-created with local stakeholders.

Projects include:

• creation of new wetland habitats upstream of the Evenlode to help reduce phosphorus run off from farm land, create natural flood management and boost biodiversity and recreational opportunities;

• working with Thames Water’s operations teams, farmers and stakeholders to encourage water sensitive farming;

• assessing the impact of the sewage treatment work process on the river and identifying sustainable solutions to mitigate potential problems;

• focused water quality monitoring and wet grassland surveys to update priority habitats mapping.

• Installing and creating natural flood management schemes including 14 retention ponds and 27 woody dams; and

• developing a bespoke programme of activities such as river restoration projects to engage communities in environmental activities and supporting nature recovery.

For details on this and Thames’ wider Smarter Water Catchments work, see the November edition of

THE WATER REPORT.