Burton Washlands Wetland Enhancements

Descriptions

You are being invited to tender to carry out a river and floodplain restoration project which will involve river channel excavation work. The objective of this contract is to restore diversity to the geomorphology of the Trent and create wetland features in its floodplain on the Burton Washlands. This project will re-naturalise two sections of the River Trent by reprofiling the river banks. This will create two gravel beach features on a shallow bank profile. This project will also engineer a small offshoot channel to the River Trent by lowering the ground to encourage wet vegetated margins rather than nettles. Some of the spoil generated will be used to create a series of berms along the existing channel in order to encourage flow in the channel when the water volume is at summer levels. Finally at six locations we are looking to carry out ground lowering in the floodplain to create ponds and scrapes and break open ditches to encourage water onto the surrounding area. The end result will be a very significant increase in habitat diversity for a multitude of wildlife including fish, invertebrates and birds. UK Priority species which may benefit will include Lapwing, Snipe, Spined Loach, Atlantic Salmon, Grass Snake, Otter and bat species. This work is funded by the Environment Agency and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.