Environment agency at Heeley

[craigmason]

found this on there website

River improvements benefit wildlife in Sheffield

 

21-Oct-2011

 

Environment Agency staff have been working on the River Sheaf in Sheffield to help improve habitat for fish and aquatic life.

 

Contractors have been working near Heeley Bridge, removing one of the weirs and constructing a channel to make it easier for fish to navigate up the river in low flows.

 

The river was once grossly polluted and lifeless, and the renewed movement of aquatic life along the river will be beneficial to other wildlife such as herons and otters.

 

Officers have also been removing shoal deposits from this part of the river. Silt and gravels carried by the river can build-up in some parts, reducing the amount of water that can get through and increasing flood risk.

Creating a natural river habitat

 

Simon Hinkins from the operations delivery team at the Environment Agency said: “This work will create a more natural river channel by completely removing the upper weir. This goes some way to restoring the former habitat and river bed levels.

 

“We hope that brown trout, which is a conservation species, endangered native crayfish and other small species such as bullhead will really benefit from this work.”

 

Last year, a new fish pass was built for the downstream weir at Heeley Bridge to replace the previous one which had been damaged.

 

The project is funded by money from the Water Framework Directive. The Environment Agency receives money from the government to implement this directive, which is European legislation designed to improve and protect all waters – on the surface and underground.

 

As a result of this funding, it has invested £20,000 into this work at Heeley Bridge.

 

Last year, the Environment Agency, Friends of Millhouses Park, and Sheffield City Council constructed a new channel to bypass two weirs on the River Sheaf at Millhouses Park.

[Runningman]

Where exactly has this work been carried out ?

[craigmason]

the area around the bridge inn at heeley

[Runningman]

Hi Craig and thanks, will have a nosey sometime this week.