III. Species Action Plans - Newcastle City Council

6. Rivers & Watercourses
6. RIVERS & WATERCOURSES
General Description
This action plan covers all streams and
watercourses characterised by flowing
freshwater, as well as their associated
marginal and bankside vegetation.
In their natural state, rivers and streams
are dynamic systems which are
continually modifying their form. Many
small streams combine to form larger
rivers that flow from upland to lowland
areas and eventually find their way to the
sea. Streams and watercourses are
important for biodiversity at a national
and local scale, as they hold a mosaic of
habitats supporting aquatic and
terrestrial wildlife. These include riffles
and pools, which support a rich array of
aquatic invertebrates, as well as marginal
and bankside vegetation rich in
wildflowers and terrestrial fauna.
In an urban context, they contain areas
of semi-natural habitat and are extremely
important in functioning as links and
corridors for the movement of wildlife.
Most rivers in the UK have been
physically modified by man at some time,
for instance by flood defence measures
or flow regulation. This alters the
patterns of sediment transport and
nutrient exchange in river systems. They
Newcastle & North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan
24
have additional functions in an urban
environment, which include conveyance
of flood water, discharges from roads,
industry and sewage treatment works,
provision of water for agriculture and
industrial use and also as a recreational
resource. As a result, these functions
need to be managed in association with
their nature conservation interest, in
order to protect and enhance the
biodiversity resource.
Although this plan is concerned with the
channel and its associated habitats, it is
also important that the impact of
surrounding land use on watercourses is
considered.
Key species associated with
watercourses include bats, as they provide
important insect-rich flyways for
these protected species. Otters use
watercourses such as the Seaton Burn
and Ouseburn whilst the nationally
declining water vole occurs on a small
number of watercourses, but has
become increasingly isolated due to
habitat fragmentation. In recent years,
kingfisher have been recorded along the
Seaton Burn and the Ouseburn. In
addition, marginal vegetation along most
watercourses provides suitable feeding
and nesting habitats, as well as dispersal
corridors for priority birds such as reed
bunting, song thrush, linnet and bullfinch.
Current Status
There are a number of freshwater
streams and watercourses in Newcastle
and North Tyneside. These vary
considerably in length, width, water
quality and associated marginal
vegetation. North Tyneside’s
watercourses include; Sandy’s Letch, the
Seaton Burn and the Brierdene and
Duchess Dene Burns. These generally
traverse the open countryside areas to
the north of the borough in an easterly
direction into the North Sea. The remain-