Sub catchments

Some of the Eden Rivers Trust’s planned habitat and conservation projects involve targeting work to improve whole sub catchments. In the immediate future work will be carried out on five sub catchments, which have been selected for a number of reasons;

• The River Pettril; this has the worst fisheries results in the catchment and is heavily impacted by diffuse pollution, riparian bank side damage, and run off from the M6 motorway.
  

• Hoff Beck & Helm Beck; these becks have the highest concentration of riparian damage, poor fisheries results and poor stocks of trout. This is an important habitat for lamprey and the rare White-clawed Crayfish.
  

• River Leith and River Lyvennet; As well as fisheries this area is very important for the rare White-clawed Crayfish but is at high risk of pollution from Shap sewages works, the M6 motorway and agricultural runoff. Quarrying in the upper catchment and water abstraction are also believed to be a problem. Eden Rivers Trust is working with the Catchment Sensitive Farming initiative in this area of the Eden Valley.
  

• Trout Beck; following a three year targeted restoration and conservation project this is now one of the most productive trout becks in the catchment. Eden Rivers Trust plan to continue working in this area to increase its success.
  

• Small trout streams in the Irthing catchment; as populations throughout the Eden catchment are low work will initially be targeted at one sub catchment. The results from the 3 year Trout Beck project have shown this to be an effective way of allocating time and resources.
  

Why is targeting so important?

To achieve catchment wide improvements in the Eden Valley an ecosystem approach is needed. This looks at pressures on habitat and ecology throughout the whole Eden catchment including local in-stream pressures (e.g. barriers), riparian management issues (e.g. stock access and grazing) and landscape pressures (e.g. diffuse pollution). By taking this approach the Trust aims to treat the causes of degradation not just the symptoms so that restoration projects are sustainable.

Taking an ecosystem approach helps the Trust to;

• Identify which factors are affecting the ecology of the Eden catchment and where these pressures are located.

• Identify the true level of restoration work required and where it is needed.

• To raise appropriate funding and maximise the benefits of investment

This approach helps to achieve real improvements as problems in a sub catchment are addressed as a whole rather than individually. This has benefits over a project by project approach, for example, fencing a beck may improve cover for aquatic species but if there is still poor water quality an improvement in ecology is unlikely to be seen so both problems need to be addressed.

Targeting whole sub-catchments aims to restore habitats in that area for the benefit of all of the species in it. Connecting up areas of improved river, stream and riparian habitat creates a bigger area for aquatic species to colonise.

This helps to create sustainable populations that are less vulnerable to extreme events (e.g. floods and droughts) or pollution incidents. Focusing on sub-catchments also enables communities living within those sub-catchments to be involved in making a real difference to their area.