Author: Jonathan Neville
Readers might be interested in the far reaching plans the Environment Agency has for the River Wensum in Norfolk. From the Natural England report: “A survey in 2002 showed that the ecological condition of the river had declined, and the principal reasons for unfavourable condition were water quality and siltation. The siltation problem is exacerbated by structures which impede the river’s hydrological functioning.” (i.e. mills)
It will be seen from the two pdfs linked from the URL for the Natural England website below, that it is proposed to radically alter the profile and flow rates of the Wensum. These are not minor changes, they are major, far reaching and liable to alter the river and its mills permanently.
A colleague commented:
“Quite apart from the rather dubious conclusion that the presence of mills and sluices is a cause of excess silt build up, the proposals for each site (Part Two of the report in the second pdf) don’t seem concerned with future functionality, potential hydropower resource etc etc.”
http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/product.aspx?ProductID=cec9d763-cf6a-4214-924a-a517eeaabb88
If this policy was then rolled out to other rivers such as the Glaven, Tud, Waveney, Wissey or the upper reaches of the Bure the face of Norfolk as we know it, would change forever.