Case Studies
Upper Worfe River Restoration
Burlington Brook and Neachley Brook water bodies have been heavily modified for agricultural drainage (straightening and deepening), resulting in low in-channel habitat diversity. Besides, high suspended sediment loads from diffuse pollution runoff and poor agricultural practices, resulting in the siltation of bed substrates and a functional absence of spawning habitat for Brown Trouts. Consequently, a river restoration project was designed to deliver ecological benefits to the Upper Worfe. A key objective of the project was to maximise ecological value by restoring and enhancing natural hydro-morphological processes that support key riverine habitats and ecological communities. Five Rivers was hired to engineer the hydro-morphological features to provide diversity in the bed and bank profiles. Moreover, these features will create dynamism inflows to support the existing biological community and encourage further biodiversity to settle.
ViewBrooklands Lake Restoration
Adur & Worthing Councils appointed Five Rivers to remove silt and debris from the lake and the Teville stream. The silt was utilised on site to create marginal habitats. In addition, Adur & Worthing Councils wanted to significantly enhance the existing environment and ecology of the lake and its environs whilst providing a manageable solution for reducing the siltation and pollution of the lake and the watercourse.
ViewRiver Lambourn remedial works
The Environment Agency required the implementation of remediation works in response to previous dredging of the channel. Loose material was placed in heaps on the banks. A substantial amount of bed and bank material from the left bank has been piled upon and against the right bank creating a steep raised bank of loose material up to 0.5m above the existing bank top. Consequently, the channel was over-sized. Part of the work consisted to stabilise and reduce the height of the material on the right bank by using dredged material to reform the toe of the bank. A light dressing of the dredging was spread on the bed of the dredged section of the river to return some of the rhizomes and seed material which was fully stripped from the bed. Additionally, the bed was lined with a new washed flint gravel of a 20-40mm grade as the bulk of the removed material was not suitable as a top layer for the channel.
ViewDischarge Monitoring
Five Rivers were contracted by Andigestion Ltd to undertake biological monitoring of a consented discharge from their renewable energy plant that converts food waste to energy. Our experienced team of consultants provided survey design, delivery and analysis required by the regulator for the the clients environmental permit.
ViewHarnham Riverbank Restoration
A stone wall situated on the riverbank of a private garden was damaged, resulting in the loss of the client’s back yard. Therefore, Five Rivers were employed to remove the existing dilapidated wall and install a hardwood edge protection to enable the creation of an inclined garden. Stabilisation of the front edge was achieved by reprofiling the riverbank and through the plantation of native plant species. Furthermore, a hardwood decking was installed over the new bank with posts placed at the line of the marginal area to ensure that the main channel was not encroached upon.
ViewFlexMSE Bank Protection – Waterside.
Five Rivers were engaged as principal contractor to design and proceed with the installation of a FlexMSE® bank protection system to replace an impaired wood and post-revetment in-channel on the Fovant Brook at Waterside. The installation covered the 37m of the existing riverbank and was set at 6 bags high (0.75m) to prevent further bank erosion.
ViewRiverbank enhancement with FlexMSE – Beaminster
Five Rivers was hired by a residential riparian landowner to repair an eroded riverbank located at the back of their garden. The old wooden revetment and drainage pipe were heavily suffering from erosion and needed to be replaced. FlexMSE geo-modular blocks appeared as the best solution to replace them. Furthermore, the new bank was hydroseeded with a mix of marginal species to create a diverse habitat.
ViewLow Cost Baffle installation – Isle of Wight
The Environment Agency contracted Five Rivers to install two low cost fish baffles onto the Caulbourne based on the Isle of Wight. The first site is located at Woodbrook, this project aimed to increase longitudinal connectivity by installing recycled plastic baffles. Secondly, a rock pre-barrage was installed at Yew Tree Cottage to re-establish fish migration on this watercourse.
ViewRiver Habitat Survey (RHS)
Our in-house accredited RHS surveyor carried out a River Habitat Survey (RHS) as part of an assessment of a river enhancement scheme undertaken by Five Rivers in 2018. The enhancement works were intended to increase the diversity of flow and habitat types and create suitable spawning grounds for salmonid and rheophilic cyprinid species. Features were established through the addition of large wood in various forms as well as gravel. This in turn diverted and deflected flow to create riffles, glides, pools, and backwaters where appropriate.
ViewReservoir Fish Removal
A two-phase fish removal and translocation, undertaken on a large reservoir in 2019. The reservoir was to be discontinued, so fish were successfully captured and transported to a suitable water body nearby.
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