Experiences

Allen Beechey – Chilterns Chalk Streams Project

of setting upa Riverfly hub

Chilterns Chalk Stream Project

Created in 1997 Prompted by persistent low flows in the

1990’s Partnership project Led by Chilterns Conservation Board

Hertfordshire Living Rivers Project

Set up in 2012 Prompted by poor condition of chalk

streams in Lea catchment Partnership project Similar objectives to CCSP Landscape-scale nature

conservation on Herts river valleys

Our catchments

Chilterns Chalk Stream Project

HMWT’s Living Rivers Project

CaBA

• Catchment hosts• HLRP –Upper, Middle &

Lower Lea• CCSP – co-host of Colne &

steering group member of S. Chilterns sub catchment

Riverfly Monitoring• Simple tool to monitor health of rivers• Monitor presence and abundance of 8

groups of invertebrate• Trigger levels• Data sent to EA• EA investigate if trigger breeches occur

ARMI in Chilterns & Herts

• Started in 2010• River Chess Association• ARMI on 4 rivers by 2013

Why was a hub needed?

• Local groups concerned at health of their rivers

• Most keen to do more but…

• Lack of training opportunities• Course & monitoring

equipment expensive

Revive the Wye – one of many active river groups in the hub area

Riverfly Hub

• Set up in 2014• Partnership initiative• Provide ARMI training & support• Hub catchment area – 3,271km2 • Covers Lea, Colne & South Chilterns

catchments• 34 rivers• Hub supported by catchment

partnerships

Setting up the hub

• Hub steering group established• £11K funding for Yr 1 secured• Hub kit purchased• Five people certified as trainers• Annual event planned• Branding agreed

Progress to date• 6 tutors trained• Hub kit purchased x2• >90 monitors trained• ARMI groups on 18 rivers• Annual Event - Riverfly Day• Helping to support neighbouring

catchments• Supporting development of Riverfly+• Thames Water Blitz• Monitoring CPAF projects

Hub Riverfly sites - 2015

Benefits

• Comprehensive network of sites• Monitoring health of rivers at greater frequency than

EA can• Greater potential for detecting pollution events and

identifying polluters• Valuable long-term dataset• Monitoring success of restoration projects• Gateway to further monitoring opportunities

Challenges

• Time spent on Hub coordination• Uncertainty over continued funding

support for hub• Funding to support equipment

purchase for new monitors• Uncertainty over future coordinator

capacity• Retention of surveyors

Ambition for the future

• Active ARMI groups on every river in hub area

• Every new volunteer within CHM hub trained, supported & supplied with kit

• Self-sustaining hub• Development of external course

income to support hub• Riverfly+