Yorkshire Water starts work on first river restoration project

Yorkshire Water has started work on its first river restoration project on a section of the River Dearne.

The water company has been working on the project for four years, and has now started digging a new channel for the river to allow faster flowing water through land reclaimed from old pit spoil and landfill sites.

Yorkshire Water hopes the project will improve the water quality of the river and help it to meet European water standards. It will compare data collected over the last four years with data it will collect over the next four years to assess the impact of the scheme.

Yorkshire Water technical lead Kathryn Turner said: “Following years of investment by water companies to bring main river waters up to European standards, Yorkshire Water is now trailing innovative types of habitat restoration to see if a more natural approach can improve water quality in small post-industrial streams like Cudworth Dyke near Barnsley.

“This project will breathe new life in to the waters on site and create a home for many freshwater plants and animals such as fish and newts.”

The water company has been working with the Environment Agency; Dearne Valley Greenheart Nature Improvement Area; Yorkshire Wildlife Trust; the RSPB; the Rivers Trust; landowners The Land Trust and Barnsley Council; and managing agents Groundwork on the scheme.

The Environment Agency’s environment officer Anthony Downing said: “The design of this particular scheme works with natural processes to both address water quality problems and create greater diversity of river habitat which will be of benefit to plant and animal species.

“We have been delighted to be part of this project, which not only has provided a good model for partnership working and water quality improvements, but hopefully it will also provide a sound evidence base to support future projects addressing water quality problems around water company discharges.”