The project at Thrimby is just one of many being delivered by the Environment Agency, Natural England and the 3 Cumbrian Rivers Trusts. The river restoration programme is directly managed by the Environment Agency who in partnership with Natural England, task the Rivers Trusts to undertake the landowner negotiations as well as the delivery elements of the various projects. Eden Rivers Trust were an obvious delivery route for this particular project, with it been located in the heart of their catchment and having established relationships with the local landowner and tenant farmer.
Richard Gordon is a tenant farmer, with beef and sheep at Little Strickland, near Penrith. He was approached by the Rivers Trust to see if he would be interested in taking part in this ‘river restoration’ project.
What has been done on your farm and why?
‘The River Leith (a major tributary of the River Eden) has been re-meandered back to its original course on the land that I far. The original idea came from a combination of the Environment Agency, Eden Rivers Trust, and Natural England. Planning and communication was done by Gareth a project officer at Eden Rivers Trust. A local contractor called Waitings delivered the civil works which included the digging out of the new channel and the construction of a new bridge’.
What were your initial thoughts on entering in to this project?
'I was extremely worried at first; anything that involves changing rivers across land makes me very nervous indeed. In Cumbria we've had some big flood events in the past so when you are approached to start changing things it makes me very anxious. However, so far so good, we have seen a positive impact rather than a negative one. I guess having the skills and knowledge of experts behind the scenes definitely gave me more confidence. The scheme was carefully designed by highly skilled EA geomorphologists and monitored throughout by the Eden Rivers Trust.'
How has this project benefitted you and your farm?
‘The Project has linked up the land at the other side of the railway line, we have an under-pass but could never move stock through the river in high flows, as a result we used to have to move livestock up the main roads, which often posed many problems in itself. This often involved many people and the passing of several houses. This was always a stressful and anxious time for us. The new bridge constructed as part of the restoration project has now enabled stock movements to be a one man operation and mush less stressful both for us and the animals’
When the river now floods which is less common than it was, it only follows the re-meandered channel rather than both which often used to be the case, this is safer for any stock in the field. (e.g. see attached pictures) and me!’
I think natural drainage has definitely improved since moving the river back to its lowest point and natural course. It will be interesting to see if this is still the case under even higher flow conditions.
How have things been different since the project?
‘Things at the moment are definitely much easier, and moving stock more easily allows me more time to undertake some of the many other daily farming duties’
Have you noticed more wildlife and less out of channel experiences as a result of the project?
‘There is definitely more wildlife already, we have our very own Kingfisher now which regularly flies the course of the new river and a pair of dippers, as well as a heron which visits the river most mornings. A sign there are more fish in there I guess! The river spills out of its channel less, but it’s hard to quantify just how much due to the dry weather we have had since the restoration took place. I guess we will just have to keep monitoring this and record any instances where it does break out, which I’m sure it still will in extreme flows. At least it will be less frequent than before’
Would you say that this project has improved your farm business for the better?
‘This project has been a definite success, it links up the farm better and the surrounding field is definitely drier as a result of the project. It allows me to gain better access to more of my land throughout the year, regardless of the weather’
Would you recommend this type of work to others if there were safe opportunities to do so?
‘I think in the right circumstances this type of project can be a real asset to a farming business. It won’t work everywhere but there are lots of places that it will and those should to be explored in more detail.’