FAQs

Not in the Eden catchment. 
Nutrients and sediments are the biggest problems, but those that originate from agricultural runoff from fields are known as diffuse pollution. This type of pollution occurs from multiple sources along the length of the river. Additionally, ammonia in the air around intensive livestock farms dissolves in water, releasing nitrogen. 

However, sewage pollution is very damaging because it is highly intensive and is ‘point source’ pollution, originating from a single point (the end of a pipe); large concentrations of damaging nutrients enter the river in one place and wipe out all life.

Take a look at the Sewage Map produced by The Rivers Trust (the umbrella organisation for Rivers Trust's such as ourselves).

It shows near real-time Event Discharge Monitoring (EDM) discharge alerts from all English water companies.

Browse the Sewage Map

Nutrients become a problem in the water when they run off the land and build up. This process is known as eutrophication, where the water body becomes overly enriched with nutrients, mainly nitrates and phosphates. This leads to increased production of algae and macrophytes - often seen as blue-green algae blooms on the water's surface as well as other plants. This reduces the oxygen available to aquatic life, and the water quality deteriorates. 

These two actions are not as contradictory as they sound,  because the actions are for different goals and can work well together.

Fencing

We usually put up fences alongside watercourses to keep livestock out of the water or along new hedges to protect growing saplings from grazing. 

Crucially, when along watercourses, these fences should be a distance from the watercourse. Twenty metres or more would be great but is not always possible. They should be far enough away from the beck to allow an ungrazed ‘buffer’ of vegetation to develop along the riverbank – either naturally or 'helped' with tree and scrub planting.  

This protects the river from agricultural runoff which is nutrient-rich and damaging to the water. It also prevents livestock from pooing in the river, churning up the riverbank, and creating too much sediment. Vegetation buffers also slow the flow of water during floods. We encourage the use of water troughs instead for livestock; these can be filled using solar pumps to bring water from the river to the fields.

Access to the river

Where there are footpaths by the river, fences must have gates and stiles and we will always promote more access to rivers and wet habitats where it is safe and sensible to do so.  

What do we mean by access?

We wholeheartedly support access to the river for everyone. However, we do not support access to everywhere on the river for everyone. 

Why? We want to give opportunities for everyone to experience the river in a way that is best for them , wherever they live and whatever community they come from. This may be walking , swimming, fishing,  boating, cycling, on a school field trip, or through films or other art forms. 

However, it must be appropriate and shouldn’t damage the river or its wildlife, nor put undue pressure on farmers or damage their livelihoods. 

Currently, there are many places along the Eden where access could be improved without this damage, and by putting up fences and establishing buffers, we may even be able to increase this.

There are lots of things you can do! Here's a few to get you started:

1. Allow the river space to move across your land so that it remains connected with its floodplain, develops meanders that slow the flow as well as a mosaic of habitats that allow aquatic and riparian wildlife to thrive.
2. Let native riparian vegetation to flourish to provide a 'buffer' to runoff and pollution, food for wildlife and stability for your riverbanks, and
3. Limit any pollution entering the watercourse whether it's dirty water, sediment, chemicals, hot water, oil, milk or sewage.

If you've got bigger plans, give us a call - we may be able to signpost available grants and schemes, advise on any projects that might be suitable and provide information on nature-based solutions that increase the health and resilience of Eden's rivers.