There is a digger in the river! What is happening in Ravensbury Park side channel?!

The Wandle Trust have been working hard to get to the stage where we could remove the weir that is (was!) located at the top of the side channel in Ravensbury Park near the lake.  This weir and the automated weir that is located downstream on the main river at the bottom of the park block fish passage completely in this area.

Removing the weir in the side channel allows fish free access around the automated weir and into the main river upstream.  Once the weir is removed the bed will be regraded to give a more natural river bed.

Creating connectivity in rivers by removal of weirs is an important way to improve and maintain healthy fish stocks. It opens up habitat and spawning areas previously inaccessable and allows fish to repopulate areas that may have suffered a fish kill.

Cain Bioengineering, our contractors, will be putting these plans into action for us over the next week or so.  Expect to see more diggers down on the river this week!