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Restoring the Wensum

We have successfully completed a range of habitat enhancement schemes on the River Wensum, aimed at improving the sustainability of fish populations in the river.

Detailed investigations of fish numbers over the last few years indicate that two of the factors limiting fish species in the river are the availability and quality of spawning gravels and the extent of nursery and backwater habitats.

So we have been working closely with local landowners, Natural England and fishing clubs, to address those issues with the following projects:

  • At Swanton Morley, we have installed two gravel glides and reprofiled sections of the bank to improve angler access.
  • At the Lyng Mill bypass channel, we have installed gravel patches for fish spawning and reduced tree coverage to allow more light into the channel.
  • On the main channel downstream of Lyng, we have extended the existing riffle and desilted the entrance to a fish refuge.
  • At Attlebridge, we have developed the gravel riffles and glides, added fencing, planted trees and created fry bays.

We have also conducted detailed studies of another 30 kilometres of the river so we can carry out more schemes of this kind in the future.