Dart & Teign River Improvement Project

To improve water quality, biodiversity, flood management and carbon sequestration, WRT and partners undertook river restoration work, including fish barrier remediation, fencing, farm advice and habitat management such as coppicing and flow deflectors.

The Dart & Teign River Improvement Project (DTRIP) was delivered over 3 years, from 2012 to 2015. Its primary aim was to deliver targeted action to make significant steps towards achieving Water Framework Directive (WFD) waterbody objectives (set out in the 2009 River Basin management Plans). To make progress towards this goal, catchment-level projects were designed to fulfil the following objectives:

Restore natural features in and around watercourses
Reduce the impact of man-made structures on wildlife in watercourses
Reduce the impact of diffuse pollution that arises from rural and urban land use

These river improvement projects were specifically developed using a rigorous evidence-led, partnership approach to mitigate the pressure acting on the rivers and improve the health of these precious and vital river ecosystems.

kilometres of river fenced

kilometres of river habitat improved

The project successfully achieved:

Work on Buckfast and Dartington Weir Eel Passes
9.6km fencing to protect river banks from damage by livestock
6.6 km of riparian habitats were managed for woody debris and coppiced to improve fisheries habitat
Gravel cleaning and management at 31 sites
23 alternative livestock drinkers installed, to reduce livestock access to the rivers

As well as these physical improvements, the project included important monitoring of fish, diatoms and pH.

The Dart & Teign River Improvement Project (DTRIP) was a Catchment Restoration Funded Project, which was administered by the Environment Agency. The project was written and delivered by the Westcountry Rivers Trust, in partnership with the Environment Agency, Natural England, Dartmoor National Park, the Dart Fisheries Association, the Teign Fisheries Association, the Duchy of Cornwall, the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project, Fountains Forestry, The Woodland Trust, South West water, The Forestry Commission, University of Plymouth and University College London.

Read the full report here.