Big Fish Column: Anglers celebrate first phase of £65,000 River Loddon restoration scheme

Image: Stuart Spindler (L) and Martin Salter (R) displaying some of the 80 tonnes of gravel introduced to the Loddon to create new spawning habitat.

In a week that finally saw the weather break it was also great to receive further good news for local angling with the announcement of the delivery of extensive habitat improvement work on the River Loddon at Sandford Mill.

Partners from Thames Water, Twyford and District Fishing Club, the Angling Trust, the Environment Agency and Wokingham Council met last week to celebrate the completion of the first phase of a £65,000 programme of enhancements to the River Loddon and St Patrick’s Stream.

The Loddon has long suffered from poor fish recruitment following extensive dredging that deepened, widened and straightened the waterway. This created an unnaturally wide and deep channel producing slow summer flows and choking the gravel with silt – resulting in reduced spawning success for barbel and chub and threatening the long-term future of the fishery. Other problems were caused by the wash out of fry in winter floods and, in some areas, the tree canopy was too heavy resulting in low light penetration and poor weed growth.

Twyford and District FC contacted Martin Salter at the Angling Trust, who organised site visits with the EA and the local council and approached Thames Water to fund a river restoration scheme.

The project was delivered by Cain Bio-Engineering and supported financially by a grant from Thames Water’s Community Investment Fund. It involved felling numerous bankside trees and cutting branches to create flow deflectors to help re-establish the natural meander sequence of the river and to increase flow velocity.

In addition, some 80 tonnes of gravel was introduced selectively into the river to create fast flowing shallow riffles, which are ideal spawning beds for dace, chub and barbel. The final work saw the Redlands sidestream dug out to provide shelter for young fish in flood conditions. 

Stuart Spindler, Secretary of Twyford and District FC, commented:

“We are delighted with the support we have received from Thames Water and the other partners who have worked with us to improve our stretch of the River Loddon. This beautiful little river was getting choked with silt and the fish were struggling to reproduce in sufficient numbers. We’ve already seen shoals of chub on the new gravels and we hope that these works will give the fishery a brighter future as well as delivering better long term sport for our members.”

Martin Salter from the Angling Trust added:

“I fish the Loddon myself and it has had more than its share of man-made problems. Restoring rivers to a more natural state improves the whole ecosystem. Faster flows mean cleaner gravels and better fish spawning habitat while a greater diversity of aquatic weeds supports more invertebrate life, from freshwater shrimps to dragonflies. This provides natural food for what we hope will be substantially increased fish populations.

Rosemary Waugh from Thames Water said: “We look for opportunities to work in partnership with local communities and support activity that will improve their local environment, through providing funding and advice. Working with Twyford and District Fishing Club, the Angling Trust, the Environment Agency and Wokingham Council these enhancements to the River Loddon have been delivered and will provide great habitat for nature to thrive.”

Let’s hope for more good news from our local rivers in the very near future.

Any anglers wishing to report catches may contact me at ian@bigfishtrail.com