more photos from 06-Sep-2010

Paul Stolk from Substance Coop sent these excellent photos

photo shows really clearly the logs at the "toe" of the revetment before the brash is added

"jig" used at the brash bundles factory...

Sett/Goyt confluence. 22-Jan-2008

Just found this photo on my computer; think it's worth sharing. Sent it to the EA back then but never did find out whether the drinking chocolate factory up the Sett was prosecuted

... and a new, improved bank revetment

Two weeks back we hit a problem securing the brash in place; the existing masonry wall extends about a meter back from the river. Today thanks to Kurt we had a powerful masonry drill which made light work of fixing eyed Hilti bolts

As we were revisiting the job, Mike, Graeme, Stuart and Brian got to work making another half-dozen Xmas tree brash bundles

Finally these are secured top and bottom with fencing wire.

Here is our new, improved bank revetment. Another job well done boys.

two more "V" flow deflectors ...

This morning Ross Lewis, Alan Marshall and I installed two more instream "V" flow deflectors at Strines.  It took the three of us just 4 hours on a beautiful September day. A job well done boys.

Tomorrow more revetment work; watch this space ...

more Forestry brash

Today we cut more forestry brash to complete the bank revetment. DNMAC member Roger Lombard met me at the Forestry Commission site in the Goyt Valley; Maurice from Derbyshire County Council Countryside Service helped us to move it down to Mousley Bottom

After a couple of rainy days, the flow deflectors are doing their work 

I've taken depth measurements downstream of each of the structures; will do comparison measurements in May 2011 to see the effect of the structures after one winter.
The scour can be clearly seen (the areas with the lighter stream-bed) in these pictures

River Goyt Phase#2 improvements Sep-2010

March to June this year saw a series of teleconference and on-site meetings and submission of project designs/specifications from the Wild Trout Trust for another series of habitat improvement works to follow on from initial trial works done in 2008.

On Monday 06-Sep-2010, Tim Jacklin and Paul Gaskell from the Wild Trout Trust, Paul Breslin (E.A. biodiversity) and myself had meetings  with four different landowners choosing suitable trees for introduction into the river to improve habitat for juvenile fish - as well as provide refuge from cormorant and goosander.

Wednesday saw first stage in practical works with tree felling for logs (walked downstream over riffles and pools into position for use on Saturday - sweaty work!). Tree "kickers" were also installed to complement/replace those put in two years ago.

On Thursday, assisted by Andy Heath from Trent Rivers Trust, and Maurice and John from Derbyshire CC Countryside Service, we felled Christmas Tree brash at a Forestery Commission site in the Goyt Valley and ferried them to our site, along with the fixtures, fittings and equipment for log and brash revetment work for use on Saturday.

Friday saw Tim, Paul and myself joined by Kev Casey at Strines where we installed LWD structures to promote the formation of adult holding lies (scour holes) and mounds of spawning gravel (deposition of scoured material). We will have to wait for the next decent spates before the river completes our work for us though.

A good spot for a mini upstream "V" flow deflector. Each 2-m length of rebar needs whacking a couple of hundred times to break through the cobbles - but they get there in the end (ask Kev).

We introduced sit up logs on low "legs" to provide overhead cover for trout. These are fixed roughly in line with the current alongside feeding lanes where there is insufficient bankside or in-stream cover.

On the Saturday a dozen DNMAC members joined us to build a "soft engineered" bank revetment at Mousley Bottom where a stone wall was collapsing after being eroded by the force of the river. Instead of expensive and difficult "hard" engineering (which often "reflects" spate flows and promotes bank erosion downstream), a cheaper alternative which will also create habitat for juvenile fish and "brake" or damp out spate flows is the use of log and brash. A line of logs is pinned to the stream bed at the "toe" of the bank using rebar. Brash bundles are stuffed into the gaps behind the log and wired to the logs using fencing wire; stakes are driven through the brash bundles and nailed to the tops of the logs help to strengthen the structure.