A massive project saw 1km of rivers restored to improve drinking water to a Cumbrian town after South Cumbria Rivers Trust teamed up with United Utilities.

This summer saw a significant river restoration project in the Poaka catchment which sits above Ulverston.

Project leader Hannah Teagle worked with the United Utilities clean water team to help improve the water quality of three reservoirs that provide drinking water to the local town.

The project is in its third year and aims to scope, identify and address diffuse pollution issues within the Poaka, Duddon and Levers Water Catchments. 

De-culverting works (Image: South Cumbria Rivers Trust) Diffuse pollution occurs when nutrients, pesticides, chemicals, faecal bacteria and sediments are lost from the land into local becks and rivers. It often occurs from a range of sources but the effect is cumulative.

Small amounts of runoff from one field, when combined with other sources of pollution, all add up to have a large overall effect on water quality.

A spokesperson for South Cumbria Rivers Trust said: "This summer has seen one of the biggest projects to date with one kilometre of river restoration works. A massive 750 metres of de-culverting, creating new habitat for a number of aquatic species.

"Not only is there now a daylighted beck, there are other new features too.

"We have installed three crossings to allow gateway access, which will reduce poaching and sedimentation of the beck. At existing tracks, several cross drains have been added. These will prevent water running over the tracks, frequently used by tractors, reducing sediment run-off."

A leaky dam (Image: South Cumbria Rivers Trust) In addition to these, two wetland scrapes and riffles were completed to increase floodplain connection and reconnect historic meanders.

A new fence line has also been added, increasing the riparian buffer zone. These interventions will reduce bankside poaching on the pre-existing and newly de-culverted channels, thus reducing sediment and nutrient run-off and improve biodiversity.

An existing pond was also cleared, creating a new area of water storage and habitat and finally, three leaky dams have been installed to trap sediments and slow flows.

John Gorst, Lead Catchment Partnership Officer for United Utilities, said: "We are pleased to have been working with South Cumbria Rivers Trust over the last four years on a range of catchment improvements.

"These interventions are not only good for safeguarding water quality but also provide benefits to wildlife and help local farmers to improve their land and facilities."