Improve Local Streams and Rivers

The information on this web page forms part of the 1999 'County Durham Sustainable Communities Initiative'. The campaign is currently being reviewed and developed as a region wide project.

The information on this web page is adapted from a fact sheet supplied by the Environment Agency.

There are a number of ways that you could become involved in improving a watercourse, from direct action within the watercourse itself to more remote action such as raising awareness of preventing pollution.

Groups or individuals intending to carry out a project are encouraged to seek the advice of the Environment Agency before commencing. It is possible that you will need to gain our permission depending on the type of watercourse and the nature of work intended.

The following is a selection of the leaflets and booklets that may be of use to a community group wishing to carry out work to improve a local watercourse or pond. Most of these are available free from the Environment Agency.

Conservation

• Freshwater Fisheries & Wildlife Conservation - Guidelines
• Freshwater Fisheries & Wildlife Conservation - A Good Practice Guide
• Ponds and Conservation - a rough guide to pond restoration, creation and management.
• Pond Heaven - how to create your own wildlife pond
• The New Rivers and Wildlife Handbook, RSPB (£19.95) ISBN 0 903138 70 0
• Rivers and Wetlands - Best Practice Guide (a collection of leaflets giving advice on river management, vegetation, bankside protection and pond design)
• The Urban Handbook - a practical guide to community environmental work, BTCV (£14.95) ISBN 0 946752 15 X

Plants

• Guidance for the control of invasive plants near watercourses
• Aquatic weed control operation - best practice guidelines

Plants

• Fisheries habitat improvements
• Management of specialist stillwater coarse fisheries

Physical Issues

• Understanding riverbank erosion - an information booklet
• Waterway bank protection - a guide to erosion assessment and management
• Desilting stillwaters

Pollution Prevention

• River Pollution and how to avoid It
• Home Pollution and how to avoid It
• Making the right connection - avoiding water pollution
• Designs that prevent pollution - nature’s way
• Bag It & Bin It (leaflet)
• Follow the Oil Care Code (leaflet)
• Incident hotline (credit card)

General Information

• Water Plants - their function and management
• Identifying freshwater invertebrate life
• River life - from source to sea

To find out more about environmental improvement work that the Environment Agency and its partners are carrying out within your area, contact the local office to request a copy of the Local Environment Agency Plan (LEAP).

Northumbria Area
Tyneside House
Skinnerburn Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 7AR
Tel: 0191 2034000

Further information regarding the Environment Agency’s activities and local environmental information can be obtained on our website: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk

The 24-hour emergency hotline number for reporting all environmental incidents relating to air, land and water:

Environment Agency Emergency Hotline 0800 807060

For general enquiries please call your local Environment Agency office. If you are unsure who to contact, or which is your local office, please call our general enquiry line:

Environment Agency General Enquiry Line 0645 333111