12. Gully clearance in Stevenage
Theme: Water Quality, Habitats and Wildlife
Objective:
- That water quality, temperature and river bed quality are such that they support chalk stream ecology
Project description
This project aims to ensure that gullies in Stevenage are not a major source of pollution and sediment for the Stevenage Brook, a major tributary of the River Beane.
Gullies can be a source of silt and other pollutants. The County Council/Highways Authority is responsible for clearing them out (now based at County Hall at Hertford). The maintenance of gullies and the regularity of their clearing could be improved.
This project has several aims:
- to lobby the County Council for more frequent gully clearance
- to gather proof that gullies are negatively affecting water quality (via Environment Agency water samples before/after clearance?)
- to gather specifics, i.e. which gullies in particular are problematic?
- to publicise this issue, its solutions and promote its rollout at a county level
Most urgently, land ownership around the relevant gullies needs to be identified.
Grid reference: TL25012177
Project lead: Stevenage Borough Council
Project partners: River Beane Restoration Association, Environment Agency
Funding source: To be confirmed. A possible source of funding may be the money allocated to each council member for highways.
Project start: 2013
Project end: Ongoing
Contact for more information: Rob Woodisse, Stevenage Borough Council
