Case Study
Low Cost Baffle installation – Isle of Wight
Location
Caul Bourne, Isle of Wight
Date
December 2018
Client
Environment Agency
Tasks
- Removing the failing wooden boards at the top of the off-take and then installation of new oak boards.
- Installing recycled plastic baffles on each of the steps in the new off-take and secure them with through chemical anchoring.
- Installing the rock barrage with an upstream facing arch and ensuring that the larger rocks are at the downstream face of the arch.
- Creation of brushwood mattress that will be secured into the bed using chestnut posts.
Key remarks
- Locally sourced boulders and site-won wood were used during the construction phase to reduce our carbon footprint.
- All heavy plants are fueled with bio-degradable hydraulic oil and cleaned with a pressure washer before the commencement of works for bio-security reasons.
Effects
- Restoration of a fish passage that allows aquatic species to reproduce, feed and complete their life stages.
- Installing fish baffles increases genetic diversity, ecological resilience and habitat connectivity.
- Fish baffles are a cost-effective solution when weir removal are financially and logistically infeasible.
