WELL CREEK - MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT, BANK & GRASS CUTTING

Members of the Well Creek Trust, Outwell & Upwell Parish Councils met with the Middle Level Commissioners (MLC) in the MLC offices on Monday 10th March.

Top of the Agenda was grass cutting of the road verges and banks of Well Creek. 

The MLC has rising habitat legislation, environmental duties & financial pressures to deal with which means the river banks cannot be cut as often, or at the same times as we have seen in past years. 

Over the last two years this has resulted in road safety concerns & cleanliness issues with the height of the grass.

For the villages of Upwell & Outwell i.e. from Marmont Priory Lock to Mullicourt Aqueduct there are only 3 full cuts (bank tops & sides) proposed for the coming year (same as last year) to avoid the main bird nesting season & other environmental factors.

At this time, the proposed planned full cuts are for :-

1) End of July - August.

2) September

3) Late Oct - Early December

HOWEVER

Parties are discussing Health & Safety cuts 1.2 metres (4ft) wide - along the tops of the Northern bank of the creek i.e. along the A1101 and A1122 from Mullicourt Aqueduct & through to & along Town Street in Upwell for Road Safety and visibility purposes and keeping growth down.

DAFFODILS

Carrying out these H&S road safety cuts, may result in the loss of some daffodil growth along the top of the bank approx. 1.2 metres wide along the road verge. However all parties feel that for road safety, visibility purposes & regular management - this would have to be accepted & has been carried out at the request & agreement of the Well Creek Trust and both Parish Councils.

A similar concept is being discussed for the southern bank.

PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDERS ALONG THE CREEK

Private householders are entitled, and encouraged to maintain and trim the grass along the road verge & bank to keep growth down - from an environmental point of view this needs to be done regularly from approximately the 1st week of April so that the growth is kept down consistently - so that the height of growth does not encourage bird nesting - which then gets disturbed.

It is particularly encouraged to maintain the creek bank tops/road verges for road safety & visibility issues, as well as allowing a footway along the creek bank top.

WELL CREEK NAVIGATION

Marmont Priory Lock & Bridge repairs should be completed & the creek open for navigation for Easter.

WEEDS, REEDS & DEPTH

1) Weed growth in the creek becomes an issue in warmer weather & can hinder boats with water intake systems and around driveshafts/propellers - the MLC have new improved V shaped cutting blades for their weed boats - it is hoped that this will gradually improve the situation. (Chemical methods, as used in past years are no longer an option) Again the MLC has a vast area to cover & the weed boats have to work their way around the waterway system.

2) Reed growth - The MLC have statutory obligations to maintain a two boat passing width along the creek. The reed growth can inhibit this, narrowing the channel - again the MLC has conflicting interests to manage - navigation, and, environmental duty - maintaining a wildlife corridor along the creek edge - it is planned to monitor/increase trimming where possible of reed growth, to maintain a navigable width along the creek.

3) Depth - The MLC has carried out bathymetric surveys along the creek in several areas - there are still a few locations where desilting is being planned to maintain depth.

SUMMARY

Grass & maintenance

Lack of grass cutting & trimming has caused road safety, visibility and cleanliness/sanitary issues in the last couple of years - The MLC are restricted by Habitat Legislation and Environmental Duty - & can no longer do the amount of cutting that it used to. All parties are discussing ongoing solutions - but that may require further funding and outside contractors.

Private individuals with creek frontage are entitled/encouraged to help maintain the bank - particularly & especially bank tops/roadside verges to aid with road safety - with bird nesting concerns in mind.

Navigation

Any issues/breakdowns/restrictions in navigation - with weeds, reeds & depth - please notify both the Well Creek Trust (wellcreektst2303@gmail.com) and 

The Middle Level Commissioners (admin@middlelevel.gov.uk) so that the situation can be monitored and improved.

Approval - The 1.2 metre H&S road verge cut & Creekside reed cutting are still subject to approval by the MLC’s Environment Officer.

Paul Mather - Well Creek Trust

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