This manual was inspired by the success of two comprehensive restoration projects undertaken on the Rivers Cole and Skerne which were led by the RRC’s predecessor, The River Restoration Project, on behalf of key UK environmental organisations and the riparian owners. The projects demonstrate a range of practical river restoration techniques from which a great deal was learnt during the course of their design and implementation, as well as from the scientific monitoring of what they ultimately achieved. The project participants expressed their wish that the knowledge gained should be disseminated widely so that other river restoration initiatives may benefit from it. This manual is one of a series of RRC publications that help meet the participants wishes.
The Manual is aimed at all river restoration and river enhancement project practitioners who might include engineers, managers, environmental practitioners, planners and river trusts. It is an aid to identifying potential techniques for use in river restoration and enhancement projects across the UK.
The project examples are grouped into overall aims which link to the technique ID:
- Restoring meanders to straightened rivers
- Enhancing historic river features
- Improving sinuosity of current planform
- Green bank protection
- Improving channel morphology
- NFM: Managing overland floodwaters
- NFM: Creating floodplain wetland features
- Providing public, private & livestock access
- Enhancing outfalls to rivers
- Utilising spoil excavated from rivers
- River diversions
- Removing or bypassing barriers