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Severn Trent Water have signed an agreement with the Environment Agency in the form of a WINEP (Water Industry National Environment Programme) Agreement, which is a statutory commitment to improve the natural environment. They have agreed to deliver a range of habitat improvement works across Claymills landholding to increase biodiversity and enhance priority habitats and are working with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to deliver these improvements.
An extensive feasibility study was conducted between 2021 and 2022 with a range of opportunities to enhance priority habitats within the floodplain identified. The Living Floodplains team worked with Severn Trent Water, tenant farmers, Environment Agency and other user groups with an interest in this section of floodplain to devise the most suitable plan. The plan was a comprehensive suite of biodiversity improvements to the existing habitats was developed, which would fulfil the WINEP agreement, which is a statutory commitment to improve the natural environment. The proposals would see the enhancement of UK Priority Habitats; Wet Woodland and Reedbed and the creation of ponds and wetland communities within the floodplain. These enhancements were successfully delivered between August and September in 2023.
In addition to the statutory WINEP agreement Severn Trent Water has also funded, though its Great Big Nature Boost scheme, the restoration of 20 hectares of grassland across the wider TTTV scheme area via the introduction of locally sourced wildflower seed.
Restoration works delivered at Claymills
Wet woodland is a key habitat within the Trent Valley. Unfortunately, it is also increasingly sparse. Intensive land use, drainage, and flood defences have all contributed to its decline over the previous century.
At Claymills, we are providing space for the existing pockets of wet woodland to regenerate, and planting trees in a neighbouring field to increase the woodland habitat. As a predominantly transient habitat, wet woodland needs to be able to expand and develop as succession takes its course. Installing fences limits the access of the grazing cattle and grazing of new woodland growth. We have planted a mixed variety of broadleaf trees in random spacing.
We aim to re-instate natural features within our water courses. These have often been removed over time, through changes to land use and the desire to artificially deepen and straighten our waterways. We have created features such as backwaters and point bars provide variation within habitats and create opportunities for fish and invertebrates to live and reproduce.
An area along the former Mill Fleam which joins the River Dove was identified as a potential site where bank re-profiling would be beneficial. We have carried out some bank reprofiling as part of this project and hope to continue exploring further options to do more of this type of restoration around Claymills, beyond the completion of the initial TTTV scheme this March 2024.
Floodplains would naturally contain a mix of wetlands as the river’s path changes and floods the surrounding land filling depressions in the land. Pooling water creates opportunity of amphibians to breed and
We have increased areas of open water by the wet woodland through excavating scrapes and ponds. The material excavated used to enhance the existing pond on site by increase the bank edge shallows, aiming to encourage the reed habitat to grow.
The primary role of the WINEP is to provide information to water companies on the actions they need to take to meet the environmental legislative requirements that apply to water companies in England.
The Environment Agency has developed the WINEP methodology process in line with the UK government’s 5 environmental principles for building a greener future with the aim of offering the best opportunity to achieve environmental improvement.
River Dove at Claymills
Thistle in meadow grassland
Wet woodland creation in Claymills pumping station
Claymills effluent channel
Substrate lowering, and pond reconnection with River Dove
Bank reprofiling at Claymills pumping station
Bathymetry to determine depth of lagoons, this was part of the feasibility study
Long-reach digger arrives on site to provide spoil movement across unstable wet ground
Distribution of spoil to create shallow bank margins to a pool in order to encourage the spread of common reed
Creation of backwater with woody material. This will provide a resting are for fish and additional invertebrate habitat and shelter
Ponds and scrapes with woody material
