There will be much more rain and heat coming at us in the coming years – all of which will impact the state of our rivers:
UK getting more hot and more wet days – Met Office – BBC News
Here in Devon, the rivers are displaying images of the impacts of climate change on the Arctic:
Boaters are in for a surprising sight on the River Dart in Devon where three large paintings of icebergs have been moored. The 16ft (5m) by 6ft (2m) images have been created by artist Anthony Garratt to highlight climate change and arctic exploration. They’re out of context and they raise awareness,” he said.” They’re not painted in a delicate way but quite a domineering way that interrupts a journey along these temperate rivers and just tries to create an empathy for environments that we might never see.”
River Dart floating iceberg paintings bring climate message – BBC News
The images will be on the Dart, before moving to the Teign estuary and the Exe at Exeter next month.
Meanwhile, further along the coast, the Lower Otter Restoration Project has about meeting the challenges of climate change:
As the oceans warm up, they take up more space and sea levels rise. We are also seeing more extreme storms and rainfall events which increase the intensity and erosional power of rivers and the sea. The Lower Otter Restoration Project worked with local people and partner organisations to adapt and enhance the downstream part of the River Otter, its estuary, and its immediate surroundings for future generations in the face of a rapidly changing climate.
Home: Lower Otter Restoration Project
And flood management schemes along the Sid and Otter have been provided with substantial funds – to help create more climate resilient places:
The Environment Agency’s Climate Resilient Otter Catchment (CROC) scheme has been handed £1,184,800. The initiative involves eight projects around the River Otter with a focus on land and soil management, as well as local farming practices. Sidbury Manor Estate’s River Sid catchment scheme has been given £240,000. It involves four projects including targeted tree planting to slow surface water and river restoration.
East Devon schemes to reduce flash-flood risk get £1.4m boost
With more details here of the scheme for the River Sid from an earlier posting:
Sidbury Manor Estate’s River Sid catchment scheme and natural flood management – The Sid
Local targeted initiatives are looking to make the Sid more robust in the face of the changing climate.
Simon Browning of the West Country’s Rivers Trust has provided advice and ways ahead:
Many small interventions across the valley could have an impact reducing soil erosion, improving climate resilience and reducing flooding downstream.
River Sid Catchment: slowing the run-off and slowing the flow – The Sid
The Devon Environment Foundation has supported a project upstream:
Stoney Orchard is a rewilding, food and forage project using permaculture principles in 13 acres of uplands in the East Devon AONB. The project aims to demonstrate the effective use of a water management system on the land to filter and slow the flow of water to the Sid River Basin.
River restoration @ Stoney Orchard – The Sid
And the former SVA River Warden, members of the Sid River Water Monitoring Group and of the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group have come together to create the River Sid Catchment Group, a new group dedicated to making the Sid more resilient:
The new River Sid Catchment Group established – The Sid
All these initiatives are about longer-term planning and about seeing the bigger picture:
Mapping the River Sid – Sid Valley Biodiversity Group
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