Protecting rivers and watercourses

Importance of watercourse protection

Watercourses are important for many biological services that are vital for biodiversity, and therefore stability, of the ecosystem.

They provide:

Many different important habitats e.g. lakes, marshes and wetlands
Vital habitats for species, including those that are protected e.g. otters, white clawed crawfish and water vole.
Wildlife corridors which connect fragmented habitats that allow species to safely migrate, feed and reproduce

There are also vital roles that watercourses play in natural flood management, reducing the vulnerability to flooding of nearby areas. These services include:

directing rainfall and groundwater away from urban areas
provision of some habitats which absorb and hold water, slowing down water runoff into rivers e.g. wetlands, bogs, moors

Environmental services Our watercourses provide valuable ecosystem services and therefore it is vital that watercourses are protected. This is due to their role as:

sinks, sources, and transformers of nutrients and organic matter within nutrient cycles, including the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous cycles. The proper functioning of these cycles is critical for the species which require these nutrients for survival
carbon storage sinks, since rivers are active participants in storage and fluxes of organic carbon
Flood defense

Human and community benefits

Protection of watercourses is not just vital for the environment and ecosystems, but also for humans. Community benefits of watercourses include:

Decreased risk of flood in vulnerable areas due to the natural flood management of watercourses
sources of potable water for human consumption and agriculture, often offering natural filtration
Access to water courses has been shown to boost both physical and mental health as watercourses are aesthetically pleasing and provide natural scenic landscape in the form of rivers, lakes and ponds.

How are watercourses protected?

In England, watercourses are protected under a number of relevant legislations such as the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017, Water Resources Act 1991, Land Drainage Act 1981, Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and Environment Act 2021. This legislation regulates pollution, flood risk, drainage activities and the maintenance of water quality and ecological status.

In the Forest of Dean, the Severn Estuary Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar and the River Wye SAC also hold international designations for high quality river eco-systems and extensive estuarine habitats (Severn Estuary).

Forest of Dean District Council Rights of River Charter

The Forest of Dean District Councils Rights of River Charter recognizes our rivers and their estuaries as living systems with fundamental rights. This means that the rivers have the right to:

Be free from pollution
Biodiversity
Regenerate
Representation
Flow and perform their natural functions
Be supported by a healthy catchment

It is reported that every river in England is polluted beyond legal limits and the council recognized the crucial role of watercourses and the importance of their protection for current and future generations.

More information regarding the council’s observations and the charter can be found here: Rights of Rivers in the Forest of Dean - Forest of Dean District Council

Local protection groups and their activities

There are many groups and organizations which also aim to protect our watercourses. These include but are not limited to:

Severn Vale Catchment flagship programmes:

Wilder Leadon plan focuses on collaborative working, engaging local communities and protecting and improving the water environment. It aims to tackle increased unwanted nutrients and pollution from agricultural runoff, low flow issues and the numerous barriers to fish migration
Forest to Sea plan is aimed to reduce flood risk and create free flowing, wildlife-rich landscape by linking the Severn Estuary with headwaters in the forest

More information on the Wilder Leadon and Forest to Sea plans, as well as the Severn Vale Catchment’s other plans, can be found at Severn Vale - CaBA

Severn Estuary Partnership:

promotes sustainable management and community engagement around the Severn Estuary
focuses on the activities of local government, statutory authorities and interested parties

More information on the Severn Estuary Partnership can be found here: Severn Estuary Partnership – Working in Partnership for the Future of the Severn Estuary

Environment Agency:

a public body that works to protect and improve the English environment, help people and wildlife adapt to climate change and tackle pollution
works to create better places for people and wildlife, supporting sustainable development
also responsible for flood management, waste management regulating land and water pollution, and conservation

More information can be found here: Environment Agency - GOV.UK

Lower Severn Internal Drainage Board:

an independent public body maintaining local watercourses and drainage, helping to build flood defense
every day they help the drainage system of 21,000 hectares of land along the River Severn

More information can be found here: Lower Severn Internal Drainage Board

Wye Catchment Nutrient Management Board:

provides a forum for all stakeholders to come together to influence , advise and challenge those having an impact on the River Wye or deliver improvements across the catchment
Identifies sources of high nutrient levels in the Wye and the steps required to manage them

More information can be found here: Committee details - Wye Catchment Nutrient Management Board - Herefordshire Council

Wye Valley National Landscape:

A dedicated team working to protect the Area of Outstanding National Beauty that is the Wye Valley
Advocates, communicates and manages national programmes aiming to conserve and enhance the area

More information can be found here: Welcome to the Wye Valley National Landscape - The Wye Valley AONB

Friends of the River Wye:

Recognizes the effects of pollution and climate change on the River Wye and aim to defend against them
Leads citizen science projects to help with data collection regarding the threats to the river

More information can be found here: Friends of the River Wye

Association of Severn Estuary Relevant Authorities:

Establishes management schemes for marine sites along the Severn Estuary
Ensures that habitats and species are sufficiently conserved in the area
More information can be found here: ASERA