Montgomery Canal Conservation Management Strategy (1.2MB PDF)

Figure 7.8. On-line conservation, Rochdale Canal, with silt screen protection.
Reserves will ideally be a minimum of 3 metres wide, but of variable length and will be located on the off-side. Reserves
in shaded sections, constructed primarily for Floating Water Plantain will not be expected to achieve plant cover or
diversity of the main standard.
8) A number of small on-line sites, previously classified as nature reserves in the 1980s, will be included in the
in-channel reserves programme.
These include:
Park Mill winding hole
Croft’s Mill Bridge
Wern Aqueduct
Abbey Bridges
9) Dredging programmes in sensitive sections will include a rescue and recovery programme for aquatic plants.
A proportion of recovered plants will be replanted in channel, in sheltered locations.
This system has been successfully employed on the Rochdale Canal.
10) In the main boated channel other suitable sites will be graded and seeded during restoration or dredging work, to
provide aquatic plant habitat.
As on the Rochdale Canal, the ideal is that aquatic plants will be able to grow in the margins. On the narrower
Montgomery Canal, the success of such an approach will have to be monitored.
Potentially suitable sites outside of the reserves will be graded during dredging, and other restoration work, and will have
invasive species, primarily Glyceria controlled. The sites will be seeded with locally sourced material and monitored for
establishment. If establishment is slow or inconclusive, these sites could be subsequently protected with a full silt curtain
to form an in-channel reserve.
This approach will have a particular benefit on the inside of bends, where reserve barriers are not practicable. Also,
partially shaded areas, in which Luronium is well adapted to compete, will be trialled.
11) Opportunities for on-line conservation zones, in conjunction with new on line mooring basins, will be explored and
implemented.
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