Natural hydrology - flow control.

[Broch]

Derr... we've only been doing it for tens of thousands of years

 

[Paul_B]

Another Cumbrian thing is the high level bogs. A lot got drained. Farmers were paid to dig drainage channels which worked very well. Now they're trying to reinstate them by blocking the outflow with rock piles to slow the flow but not stop it completely. They pile more rocks every so often along the drainage stream to slow flow down, encourage flow out of the stream and reinstates the bog. The potential of these to store carbon is immense, more than the equivalent carbon store than a wood of trees would apparently.

There's a few good rewilding schemes like this and reinstating gravel beds, meandering streams / rivers, etc. Not sure ennerdale rewilding is quite a good as these newer thinking. Even in rewilding terms they're learning quickly. What 20 years ago was the height of environmental thinking is now considered less than ideal and knowledge of these things have moved on a long way from just replanting native trees and reducing grazing animal levels.

 

[Paul_B]

Round here coppiced woods are common, but many have been left unmanaged. There's a few private ones that have been harvested a year or so ago near the road. I go past it often and it has already grown into 6ft or so sticks out of the bole

 

[TeeDee]

What grasses ( sedge grass?? ) are good for planting along Streams? I see a few along the stream here and they do a good job of creating a root mass that cements the stream bank into a decent immovable mound.

Where could I source such things from?

 

[Tantalus]

What grasses ( sedge grass?? ) are good for planting along Streams? I see a few along the stream here and they do a good job of creating a root mass that cements the stream bank into a decent immovable mound.

Where could I source such things from?

Just let the stream do its thing and the grasses will come. Birds, passing animals and the wind should carry seeds in. The ones best suited to the bank will thrive, and the others will get crowded out.
I suppose if you really really want to poach some from somewhere, a dog and a doggy bag are the ideal companions, nobody ever wants to know what you are carrying in your bulging doggy bag

 

[Paul_B]

I saw something about river maintenance where they staked the bank needing restoration then put bundles of willow or a few other tree branches tied in and tied to the stakes. This is packed in well and in time sediment filled in and the branches rooted and grew. Not sure if that helps.

 

[demographic]

Driving through the lake district and you'll see a lot of trees have been planted recently on the fells, much of them are native species.
That slows the water down a good bit so the land soaks the water up and is less likely to flood downstream.
The grouse moors up at Knaresdale, Croglin and Alston on the other hand are more likely to allow the water to drain pretty quickly and some of that flows into Carlisle and floods the place, nevermind cos from what I heard Louis Bacon chucked ￡50k (pocket change to him) into the kitty to cover almost one single houseworths of repairs... which was nice.

The ministry of Agriculture gave grants for farmers to drain their land for years and despite it being pretty obvious what it did downstream they've only recently worked it out.

 

[demented dale]

I lived in Hebden Bridge which is in the bottom of a treeless valley. The barren slopes have been compacted by sheep for decades. The water just gushes down like a plastic funnel. They spent tens of millions on flood defenses and the the water just went over the top of them. If they just planted trees all down the valley it would be job done but why would you do that. Creating solutions is not good for capitalism.

 

[TeeDee]

So , respectfully - anyone know about the grasses i mentioned?

 

[Pattree]

They are likely to be local to you.
Are you a member of the Wildlife Trust or a local Rivers Trust branch?