Mott MacDonald, working with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Five Rivers Environmental Contracting, has been appointed by Severn Trent Water to deliver a scoping assessment and outline design for the creation of wetland and river restoration features on the Cinderford Brook in Gloucestershire as part of its national environment programme obligations.
The aim of the project is to consider how the application of, and design for, integrated nature-based solutions for addressing low flows, which are impacting on the ecological status of the Cinderford Brook, can be used to mitigate against adverse impacts of abstraction and ultimately to work towards Good status under the Water Framework Directive. This is an exciting opportunity to consider wider ecosystem service and water quality benefits to enhance the local water environment.
James Knightbridge, catchment management lead and project manager, Mott MacDonald said: “With increasingly significant human and natural pressures on water resources and the environment, we need to find ways of managing catchments more efficiently and sustainably if we are to protect delicate ecosystems while continuing to enjoy uninterrupted public water supplies. Severn Trent Water is working in partnership with local stakeholders including the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust’s Wild Towns project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund amongst others, to ensure that maximum benefits for the environment are achievable and outcomes are sustainable.”