Major Northumberland river restoration completed

One of the UK’s largest river restoration projects

One of the UK’s largest river restoration projects has been completed in the Breamish Valley, Northumberland, according to the Environment Agency.

The River Breamish at Harehope Estate, south of Wooler, was historically straightened for agricultural purposes, with around one mile of river channel lost. This disconnected the river from its floodplain, leading to reduced biodiversity and increased downstream flooding risk, the EA said.

Floodplain reconnection and habitat creation

The project used ancient floodplain maps from the 1600s, held in Alnwick Castle’s archives, combined with modern LiDAR 3D terrain modelling to trace the river’s original meanders. Restoration work included excavating historic channels, installing silt traps, creating shallow ponds and wetlands and constructing woody dams.

The river is already responding to recent rainfall, spilling on to its floodplains and forming wetlands, the EA reported. Salmon and sea-trout are said to be moving freely through the site to upstream spawning grounds, while rare water crowfoot has been sighted in the restored sections.

Praise from Environment Agency and conservation partners

The EA’s Jim Heslop said restoring the river to “its dynamic and diverse natural state is a fantastic step forward for nature”, while Philip Kearney of Tweed Forum said the project “shows what can be achieved when conservation, science and farming come together to give rivers the room they need to help the landscape thrive”.

The project was delivered through the LIFE WADER nature-recovery initiative in partnership with the Environment Agency, Tweed Forum, Natural England and landowner Harehope Estate.