Celebrating 25 Years of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project

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PROJECT MANAGER’S VIEWPOINTA 25-year anniversary provides an opportunity not only to review achievements and progress, but also toreflect on the role the Project should play in shaping the future for the Chilterns chalk streams.Allen BeecheyProject ManagerChilterns Chalk StreamsProjectThe longevity of the Project is testament to both its record of delivery and the importance that its partnersand local communities have placed in it. The Project has grown from relatively humble beginnings with afocus on access, education and awareness. An early milestone was the employment of a dedicated projectofficer, enabling the Project to build momentum, and deliver an ever-wider range of work. The Project alsoworked closely with water companies and the Environment Agency on the investigation of low flows in almostevery chalk stream, gaining a detailed understanding of how these enigmatic rivers function and providingvaluable insight into the actions needed to keep them flowing into the future. More recently, the Project hashad a more strategic role, co-hosting catchment partnerships under Defra’s Catchment-based Approach andhosting Thames Water’s innovative Smarter Water Catchment initiative for the River Chess.Underlying the Project’s work at all times has been the support of local communities whose passion for theirlocal rivers remains undiminished. It is they who, when the Project’s future was under threat, expressed theirdesire for it to continue and grow to deliver more for chalk streams. Without their support and inspiration,the Project may well have foundered long before now.The severity of the 2019 drought brought the plight of the Chilterns chalk streams to a wider audience.The Project was a key part of the ‘Chalk Streams in Crisis’ campaign and the Chalk Rivers Action Group thatfollowed, to demand better protection for these rivers. The crisis was debated in the House of Commonsand there was a public protest on the River Ver. The resulting Chalk Streams in Crisis conference achievedcollective recognition by key organisations that the condition of the Chilterns’ streams was not acceptableand more must be done to reverse their decline. With this fresh mandate, and renewed investment fromAffinity Water, Thames Water and the Chilterns Conservation Board, the Project has been able to grow andincrease its impact both locally and strategically. As chalk streams face unprecedented pressures,the Project is well-placed to play its part in their recovery.2 | CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE CHILTERNS CHALK STREAMS PROJECT
CONTENTSIntroduction 4Milestones of the first 25 years 6Geographical coverage 10Cultural overview of Chilterns Chalk Streams 12Current and legacy threats 14Low flow: River Ver case study 16The changing national context over25 years of the CCSP 18Celebrating 25 years of impact 22Riverfly monitoring 24River restoration 25Tackling invasive non-native species 26Water vole surveys 27Trout in the Classroom 28Festivals, family events and conferences 29Working with local rivers groups 30River Bulbourne 32River Chess 34Ewelme Brook 36River Gade 38Hamble Brook 40Hughenden Stream 42River Misbourne 44River Ver 46River Wye 48Scarp slope streams 50Current activities 52Future vision 54Ways you can help 55Acknowledgements 56CONTENTS | 3
Page 1 and 2: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THECHILTERN
Page 3: FOREWORD2022 marks the 25th anniver
Page 7 and 8: THE REPORT HAS BEEN SPLIT INTOTHREE
Page 9 and 10: THE TIMELINE ALSOSHOWS HOW THECCSP
Page 11 and 12: 2001First watervole Survey2002Produ
Page 13 and 14: KEYChalk scarp andvale fringesPlate
Page 15 and 16: OVERVIEWChalk streams have not only
Page 17 and 18: The reasons for these chemicalfailu
Page 19 and 20: 5040Abstraction in the Ver Valley (
Page 21 and 22: WWF-UK, The Wildlife Trusts, The Ri
Page 23 and 24: OVERVIEWMISBOURNE‘Chalk Streams i
Page 25 and 26: RAISING AWARENESSOF THE NEED FORCON
Page 27 and 28: BEFORE DURING AFTERRIVER RESTORATIO
Page 29 and 30: WATER VOLE SURVEYSACTIVITIESWater v
Page 31 and 32: FESTIVALS, FAMILY EVENTSAND CONFERE
Page 33 and 34: ACTIVITIESProject workand school vi
Page 35 and 36: The earliest river flow records fro
Page 37 and 38: River Chess Smarter WaterCatchmentT
Page 39 and 40: The Ewelme Brook is a small chalkst
Page 41 and 42: The River Gade is under pressurefro
Page 43 and 44: The Hamble Brook is an ephemeralstr
Page 45 and 46: The 3.5 km Hughenden Streamis sprin
Page 47 and 48: The Misbourne is an intriguingchalk
Page 49 and 50: 1. Source of the VerThe embryonic R
Page 51 and 52: The Wye flows 17 km fromWest Wycomb
Page 53 and 54: Scarp slope streamsHorsenden BrookH
Page 55 and 56:
For the first time in its history,
Page 57 and 58:
WAYS YOU CAN HELPRiverfly monitorin
Page 59 and 60:
The River Chess at Sarratt BottomFo
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Celebrating 25 Years of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project

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