Flooding Hits The Eden

Up here in Cumbria we have been affected by some of the worst flooding in living memory. For many in the Eden Valley the affects have not been too bad. However communities along the Eamont and on the main Eden at Appleby have been affected and my thoughts are with all those that have been flooded - it must be a very traumatic time. The Lakeland rivers have been particularly badly affected and the TV pictures showing the devastation in Workington, Keswick and Cockermouth are very distressing to see.

Is this climate change and the shape of things to come? If it is we will all have to learn to to adapt and allevaite against these big flood events.

Here at ERT we are leading on a project called ALFA (Adaptive Landuse for Flood Alleviation). The aim of the project is to develop innovative schemes that would aim to protect citizens within the Eden Catchment against the effects of flooding due to climate change. A major part of the project will be to look at ways of storing water or discharge of peak floods within the Eden. Flood Management is a Europe wide issue and we are part of a transnational consortium of organisations based in Germany, Holland, Belgium and France. We are also working with the Environment Agency on a major flood alleviation scheme on the Thacka Beck, on the north side of Penrith. The beck is being diverted which will allow the creation of a wetland storage area to be be brought into usage during flood events.

ALFA is a long term project (no quick fix's) and we are working with Durham University and the Environment Agncy to identify key rivers that have the biggest effect on the timing and peaks of flood flows. Once this has been completed we will then identify projects that could be undertaken in the upper reaches of the catachment that may help to reduce the impacts of flooding on communties in the lower part of the catchment such as Carlisle and Penrith. There will be a lot of buy-in required from a great many stakeholders to make this happen but events over the last 24 hours show that the stakes are very high indeed.

My thoughts go out to all those affected by these terrible events.

For more information visit www.alfa-project.eu

Any Willing Volunteers?

Volunteering for ERT is a great way to 'give something back' to your local environment. Each year we are on the look out for 'willing' volunteers to assist with a diverse range of conservation activities. These range from elctrofishing and crayfish surveying to water crowfoot planting and himalayan balsam control. Not only are doing something good but it's also a great day out in our wonderful catchment.

But don't take my word for it, here's what two ERT volunteers have got to say about their experiences.

John Rothwell, Burgh-by-Sands

“Having started aiding the Eden Rivers Trust as merely an attempt to complete the service aspect of my Duke of Edinburgh’s award it came as almost a surprise that I begun to enjoy my weekly commitment of crayfish surveying, filling the otherwise empty void of my summer holidays. The best site we surveyed contained about 40 crayfish under 50 rocks. Unfortunately however there was one week where I couldn’t make any of the crayfish surveying dates and so I tried my hand at electro fishing and to my surprise we caught approximately 60 trout and 40 salmon fry. Overall I found that Volunteering for the Eden Rivers Trust is a fun, useful and interesting way for anyone fill any spare days.”

David Peggs, Gamblesby

"You are standing calf-deep in a tributary of the Eden, peering through a foot of clear water at the riverbed. There's a warm sun on your back and you are in the company of a Trust Biologist and other volunteers, somewhere in the glorious countryside of the river’s extensive catchment. The object of your scrutiny is the elusive white-clawed crayfish – a suitably retiring native, now threatened by its more demonstrative American cousin, the signal crayfish.

On another day, your attention will be focused on trout and salmon fry, temporarily stunned by the electrode-wielding Fisheries Biologist – an opportunity to observe the pristine, individual beauty of these infant fish at close range.

There will be some friendly banter. There will certainly be a chance to learn more about the river and its inhabitants, and at the end of a stimulating day in the fresh air, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have contributed something towards the protection of your local environment. A degree of smugness is allowed.

It costs nothing other than your time. You can choose when and where you wish to go. And if neither fish nor crayfish appeal to your sensibilities, there are other Trust activities from water-plant management to the control of alien bank side vegetation (Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam) – which might appeal to gardeners!

Trust volunteers come in all shapes and sizes and range from the spring chickens to the geriatric (like me). You will not feel out of place. No skill, or specialist knowledge, is required and all equipment is provided, and since days on the river are only scheduled from June to October, you are unlikely to freeze to death.

I have been involved in a number of excursions over the last two summers – all of them a pleasure – and I look forward to more of the same next year.

There’s just one possible inaccuracy in this otherwise honest account: given the nature of the English summer, that warm sun on you back which I mentioned cannot be guaranteed!”


The picture heading-up this blog is of a recent volunteer crayfish training day - there must be a whitty caption out there?

BBC Radio Cumbria

Today Joanne Blackshall took part in a radio interview on the Gordon Swindlehurst Show. The subject was ERT's work on Invasive Species within the catchment. In five short minutes Joanne managed to cover Japanese Knotweed, Hymalayan Balsam, Signal Crayfish and then end of the trout fishing season.......quite a trick!

We also highlighted that one of our Corporate Sponsors Japanese Knotweed Solutions has just undertaken a whole of river survey of the River Eamont for Japanese Knotweed. More of this in a future blog.

The interview came accross very well and for me demonstates everything that a Rivers Trust should be about.

If you would like to listen to the interview you can do this by visiting BBC iPlayer over the next few days the link is http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p004nv4z/Gordon_Swindlehurst_14_10_2009/

and you should be looking for the interview that starts at 11 min and 10 seconds into the show.

My Favourite Fishing Magazine

The Drake is a very cool magazine published in the States. Within it's pages you'll find conservation taking centre stage along with fantastic articles about fishing. The images are superb. Makes you want to get out on the river.

This really is an aspirational publication and not a single how to do it article within it's covers...how refreshing!

The website has some breathtaking videos on it....and I promise you John Wilson isn't in any of them!

Visit www.drakemag.com

End of Season Reflections

Almost at the end of my first trout season on the Eden. It's difficult to draw any specific conclusions as I only got going in June and missed three months of early season trouting. To keep my enthusiasm going a good fishing friend of mine sent me this picture of a large wild trout he caught from a tributary of the Eden...although he won't tell me where...some friend?!

I have really enjoyed my season and have experienced some very absorbing and challenging fishing. Many times I have been left scratching my head. Having moved from lowland rivers that consistently perform throughout the season. The rivers in this neck of the woods are fickle beasts and it often boils down to being on the river at the right time. My best sessions have come when the river is finning down after a flood and during those last few minutes of fading light before darkness.

My last visit to the Upper Eden a few days back produced a brief flurry of late evening activity of about 15 minuets with hatch of olives that put the grayling in the mood. One of thse fish which fell to a dry was a stunning fish of nearly 2lbs.....and it doesn't come much better than that!

Next season I hope to explore more of the lower river to try for a 'big mamma' of a wild brown(4lb+)and I've also set my heart on making contact with an elusive Eden Sea Trout....they are there!

I've seen many wonderful sights on the river this year, but my most precious memory is standing in the river on a June evening with Ian Gregg watching Sea Lampreys spawn at Warwick Hall..it's moments like this that make you pause for thought and reflect on what an unbelievably special catachment the Eden is.

I feel an incredible sense of responsibility to ensure that ERT continues it's vital conservation work. It is a great river and I feel we can show that populations of wild trout and salmon can not just co-exist, but thrive, alongside development, agriculture and significant human populations. We still have a fantastic chance to improve things even more and we have new opportunities through the Water Framework Directive. To quote American Conservationist 'Boots Allen' "This is a place where hope and faith lives or dies"


......now I do believe it's Grayling time!

Wild Thing!

I have just returned from one of my favorite rivers in the UK, The Derbyshire Wye. I was lucky enough to be invited to fish on a tributary the Lathkill which runs through the Haddon Estate, by kind permission of Lord Edward Manners. I have been involved with this stretch of river for a number of years and have watched with admiration how the river keeper, Warren Slaney has transormed this water from put and take fishery into a wild trout utopia!

Warren and his team have undertaken a widespread programme of habiat restoration and stopped stocking the river some years ago. The results have been spectacular and the production of wild fish has been nothing short astounding. The river has been narrowed, had weirs removed, woody debris has been installed, spawning gravels re-introduced and bankside vegetaion allowed to flourish. The river is a shinning example of what can be achieved when everthing falls just right. Lord Edward Manners deserves special mention, for he has embraced this project with great gusto and has also supported changes in land management to benefit the river.

Many might say Haddon and the Lathkill are a one off and are on a scale small enough where all the variables can be controlled. However if we take a look around this isn't quite the case and many clubs and associations are also Going Wild.

The River Derwent Angling Association (Co Durham) took the decision a couple of seasons back to go wild. The results have been very encouraging an increase in catch returns and members.

Closer to home Kirby Stephen AA also undertook a similar approach in 1995. Recognising the increased interest in wild fishing and the savings to be made by not stocking, the KSA committee agreed to 'Go Wild'. Catch returns have been very encouraging showning that the club do not need to stock with adult fish. Catches have also increased per hour of effort as have number of juveille fish. Membership remains healthy aswell as have day ticket sales.

I will be the first to admit that this approach may not always be suitable due to habitat and water quality problems. However if there are no bottle-necks to wild fish production, surely going wild is worthy of some serious consideration?

The picture above is of a stunning Lathkill wild fish and is very much the product of the hard work of Warren Slaney and the Haddon Estate. Keep up the good work Warren!

We did it!

After 220 miles of calf busting effort we managed to complete the gruelling Coast to Coast Mountain Bike Challenge. The weather conditions were absolutely dreadful and I'm truly amazed I managed to complete the ride. It was simply the toughest thing I've ever had a go at. We made 14 seperate ascents over 1000ft in five days whilst pushing a bike up of most of them. In many cases we had to carry them, which is termed 'hand-bagging'.

Rather than go into too much detail here you can read all about it on our ride blog
http://www.c2cmtb.blogspot.com/

We are still looking for donations and these can be made through Just Giving at http://www.justgiving.com/c2cmtb/

Money raised will be used to develop an new and exciting education initiative (Mayfly in the Classroom) But more of that on my next blog.

Please support us!