Shedding light on solutions and partnership working – what works?

Katherine Pygott

Associate Director, Arup

Expert forum event for practitioners

implementing the Water Framework Directive

17 January

The Mint Hotel Leeds

Presentation overview

River Aire – an example of an impacted catchment

The past – the path to ‘heavily modified’ status

The present – renaissance through partnership

The future – opportunities

An example: The River Aire catchment

Obstructions to fish passage

Water Framework Directive status

79 river water bodies in the catchment

60 (76%) are designated as heavily modified

Factors affecting the river

Early water mills

Land drainage

Canals and navigations

The growth of mining and industry

Urban expansion, water supply and sewerage

Flood defences

Improvement through partnership

• Catchment partners working together

• Aire Rivers Trust

• Bradford Beck WFD pilot catchment

• Aire Action Leeds

• Partnership working for flood risk management

• Wyke Beck Way and flood scheme

Environmental improvements

Freshwater Fisheries Directive schemes for WwTWs

Fish pass schemes

River restoration

Green infrastructure

Esholt Hall - river restoration

Pool weir pass and culvert by-pass channel upgrade

River Aire

Guiseley Beck

Esholt Hall - river restoration

Yorkshire Water restoration project to allow fish to access upstream spawning areas

Armley Weir

Scheme benefits biodiversity of the river corridor and increases recreational opportunities of the waterspace

Integrated fish, canoe and otter pass

Rodley Weir

The fish by-pass channel not only allows fish and eel passage but also provides additional environment benefits and amenity value for Nature Reserve visitors

Castleford Weir

Removal of a key obstruction at the confluence of the Rivers Aire and Calder

Castleford Weir

‘As builts’

Site investigation

Castleford Weir

Fish pass built as part of a wider riverside regeneration for the town

Improvement opportunities for the River Aire

WFD river restoration programme – including Chapel Haddlesey weir fish pass

Aire Action Leeds - river management partnership in Leeds for better waterways

Fresh Aire - co-ordinated green infrastructure actions for people and wildlife

Leeds and Skipton Flood Alleviation Schemes – partnership working

West Yorkshire Strategic Rivers Programme delivering habitat improvements

Yorkshire Water investment programmes and customer awareness campaigns

Factors for success

Clear Terms of References and objectives ~ why are we working together / what do we want to achieve / what are the roles of different partners?

Time and commitment ~ continuity of staff is important

Political buy-in and support from senior staff in partner organisations

Understanding roles / responsibilities / drivers & priorities / limitations of partners

Interdependence ~ recognition that one partners can’t solve the problem in isolation

Strong leadership

Trust, open dialogue and accountability