Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

7. Fen Management and Restoration
– Water Management
Sufficient supply of water of appropriate quality is of fundamental
significance to all fens (see Section 3: Understanding Fen
Hydrology and Section 4: Understanding Fen Nutrients). On
many fens, intervention in the form of water management – or
hydrological remediation - is required to maintain or restore
the necessary hydrological conditions to support characteristic
fen vegetation and halt natural succession to less desirable
habitats. Guidance on deciding whether restoration is necessary,
appropriate or feasible is provided in Section 5: Fen Management
and Restoration.
This section focuses on the practicalities of water level
manipulation, including techniques for raising water levels relative
to the land surface, or lowering land levels relative to the water
table. Section 8 offers guidance on managing fen nutrient
enrichment. Legal and planning considerations are detailed in
Appendix V.
Before deciding on any action regarding water management, it is
essential to understand how a fen functions hydrologically (see
Section 2: Understanding Fen Hydrology), the role of nutrients
(see Section 4: Understanding Fen Nutrients) and to agree clear
objectives, target hydrological regimes and desired or feasible fen
types (see Section 5: Fen Management and Restoration).
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It is generally easier and less expensive to raise water levels than lower
land levels. Sometimes restoring a river or stream may be cheaper and
more sustainable than trying to lower land levels or raise the water table
of a fen.