If you are interested in implementing works to improve water quality, flood management and habitat quality or to discover more about environmental land management measures, read the specifications about each intervention below which have been used as part of the NatureBid Upper Aire Auction, March 2021.
—Resource #1
Leaky Dams
A leaky dam is a structure built from logs or branches installed across a ditch or small watercourse above the normal flow rate (base flow), to reduce water velocity and discharge during high water events. The distance between dams should be 7 times/ drop.
—Resource #2
Buffer Strips
Riparian buffer strips are fenced off areas of grasses, shrubs and trees planted alongside watercourses. In-field buffer strips are areas of planted grasses, shrubs and trees/ uncultivated or undrilled areas along field boundaries or across fields. Please account for fencing that encloses the entire buffer strip when considering this intervention. For instances where walls, hedgerows or fencing currently exist and would act to protect the proposed buffer strip from one side, or for riparian buffer strips adjacent to the river bank, single fencing only may be required.
—Resource #3
Wetland Scrapes
A wetland scrape is an area that area designed so that it will act as a temporary pond during periods of high rainfall and will slowly release water after flood events. They are designed to hold water that flows overland.
—Resource #4
New Hedgerow
Hedgerows should be planted with native species. New hedgerows should be planted across fields or on field boundaries perpendicular to overland flow pathways. Please account for fencing that encloses the entire hedgerow when considering this intervention. For instances where walls or fencing currently exist and would act to protect the proposed new hedgerow from one side, single fencing only may be required.
—Resource #5
Soil Aeration
Soil aeration involves using aerators which disturb compacted top layers of soil and are designed to increase surface aeration, which improves water infiltration into the ground.
—Resource #6
Riparian Fencing
Riparian fencing will restrict access for livestock to channel banks and watercourses and reduce the impact of trampling, poaching and bank erosion.
—Resource #7
Drinking Points
Stock drinking points can be provided as: gravity fed drinking troughs, solar pumps, pasture pumps or creating a formal drinking area along river using concrete railway sleepers or similar to reduce issues of over-widening and increased sediment load.
—Resource #8
Tree Planting
Tree planting of new woodland creation should be done using native species. Please account for fencing that encloses the entire new woodland when considering this intervention. For instances where walls, hedgerows or fencing currently exist and would act to protect the proposed new woodland from one side, single fencing only may be required.
Further Guidance...
For further guidance on natural flood management measures and how they may be employed, click the link below to read a handbook for landowners developed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority: 11301_flood_management_guide_WEBx.pdf (yorkshiredales.org.uk)
For more information on the catchment based approach and actionable plan in the Upper Aire, click the link below: https://aireriverstrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Actionable-Plan-v2-2018.pdf