A Rescue Mission for River Life at Wasdale Beck

The natural beauty of England's Lake District conceals a little-known threat to its rivers and streams: excess silt. As rainwater runoff carries sediment from the fells into the waterways, it can alter riverbeds, increase flood risk, and smother aquatic plants and gravel spawning grounds needed by migratory fish, such as salmon.

At Wasdale Beck in the Eastern Lakes, two companies have teamed up to combat silt and restore vital river habitat. Cumbria Wildflowers (www.cumbriawildflowers.co.uk) and OpenSpace (www.openspacegb.com) are putting their ecological and engineering expertise to work on an ambitious restoration project on the Beck.

Cumbria Wildflowers specialises in growing and suppling native flora and creating habitats, while OpenSpace designs and implements natural and sustainable river flood management schemes across the UK. Together, they are re-meandering the canalised river, reintegrating Wasdale Beck with its floodplain, improving flow conditions, and bringing back diverse plant life along the banks. The work also includes peatland and wetland restoration by blocking surface drainage and therefore improving the wetland habitat.

Before OpenSpace began moving earth, Cumbria Wildflowers first embarked on a rescue mission to take samples of some of the common wetland plants. Their team carefully dug up rushes, sedges, moisture-loving wildflowers, and other flora from areas to be disturbed by restoration work. These plants were transported to CWF nursery for temporary refuge before replanting.

Once OpenSpace alters the river's alignment and gradient, and adds beneficial features like riffles and pools, Cumbria Wildflowers will return and incorporate the rescued vegetation into the renewed habitat. Locally native plants will help stabilise the banks, filter runoff, provide cover for wildlife, and restore the area's natural biodiversity. They will also be sowing a native grassland and wildflower mix suitable for the site.

Beyond plants, the teamwork between the two companies will bring about broader gains for Wasdale Beck. By reconnecting the river to its floodplain, excess energy can dissipate across a wider area during high flood events. This will alleviate local flooding issues while also benefitting the overall watercourse.

Improved flow conditions and reduced silt will create cleaner gravel beds for salmonids to spawn. New pools, point bars and riffles add diversity to support more aquatic insects, which in turn become food for fish and birds. Point bars and bank foliage provide feeding and nesting opportunities for common sandpiper, dipper, and other riparian wildlife.

Collaborations like the one at Wasdale Beck show that when ecology and engineering come together, rivers can be revitalised in ways that benefit both human communities and natural ecosystems. The rescue mission for native plants is just the first step toward giving the Beck a new lease on life.