Clewer stream improvements help keep water healthy for wildlife

Clewer Mill Stream at Windsor Racecourse has had some improvements made to it which will help keep it healthy for anglers.

Several flow deflectors were installed, using money from the Fisheries Improvement Programme, funded by money paid to the Environment Agency for fishing rod licences.

Environment Agency fisheries officer Laurence Hook said:

“Flow deflectors do just that – deflect the flow of water. They help reduce the width of the channel, which increases the flow through the deflectors whilst creating slacker areas behind them.

“This encourages silt deposits and vegetation growth, which provides habitats for fry and juvenile fish.”

Pairs of flow deflectors were constructed in the stream by securing logs in the channel bed with chestnut stakes and biodegradable manilla rope.

Gravel was then introduced around the deflectors, to create shallow riffles – this provides ‘vital’ spawning habitat and diversity of flow within the stream.

The increased flow helps keep the gravel clear from sediment, ensuring the best possible spawning conditions.

Ian Campbell, a member of the Civil Service Angling Society who helped manage the project, said:

“By creating this faster-flowing and self-cleansing section in the Thames backwater, species such as barbel and chub can be encouraged to spawn there, adding to the resilience of the Thames as a fishery.”