River Monitoring Scheme
The Wiltshire River Monitoring Scheme was set up in 1992 at a time of growing concern about falling water-levels, particularly on the wildlife-rich chalk streams of the Salisbury Avon and on the River Kennet. Climatic conditions may have contributed to this but it was clear that these ‘low flows’ were closely linked to increasing levels of water abstraction.
Action to address the problem was hampered by a lack of basic information about the effects on plant and animal communities as rivers and streams were, at that time, one of the most under-recorded habitats in the county. It was to help fill this gap in knowledge that the River Monitoring Scheme was set up.
The Scheme requires monitors to make monthly visits to the same chosen stretch of river and sample across a fixed transect, ideally between the months of April and September. There they record a range of physical features such as flow-rate, any notable species of riparian mammals, birds or plants and, most importantly, they sample a number of key aquatic invertebrate groups that are known to be indicators of the health of rivers.
Over the last 15 years, a growing body of scientific evidence has built up to establish the importance of certain invertebrate groups as key indicators of the health of a river. In addition, new European and UK legislation require more structured and standardised monitoring data. Following consultations with ecologists from the Environment Agency and Wessex Water, and with existing river monitors, a new methodology for the River Monitoring Scheme was adopted at the River Monitors’ AGM held at Langford Lakes in January 2007.
The revised methodology incorporated many of the features of the old scheme but gave increased emphasis to the sampling of key invertebrate groups that are known to be good indicators of water quality in line with the methodology that is central to the National Riverfly Partnership.
Using it, river monitors can feed their own invertebrate data into a spreadsheet-programme that provides instant feedback on the quality of the water. If a pre-programmed threshold is exceeded, an alert is triggered and the river monitor then informs the Environment Agency who investigate. The effectiveness of the new methodology in picking up previously unrecorded pollution incidents was demonstrated by Steve Stephenson and Tim Bale who monitor a stretch of the River Nadder.
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, through the WSBRC, is the only wildlife trust in the UK to manage a local Riverfly Partnership and it is hoped that this experience will lead to other wildlife trusts taking the plunge so as to speak.
Information from the River Monitoring Scheme also provides invaluable information on the effectiveness of river enhancement and restoration work being undertaken throughout the county, particularly through the Wessex Chalk Streams Project that focuses on wildlife-friendly river enhancement work and wildlife-friendly management of the internationally important River Avon system that includes the tributaries of the Wylye, Nadder, Bourne, Till and Ebble.
Contact Ben Fitch, the project co-ordinator, using the form below if you’d like more information, or if you’d like to get involved.
Monitoring Forms
The monthly survey and invertebrate monitoring forms are now available to download
River Monitor Newsletter
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