Loddon
- Catchment HostSouth East Rivers Trust
- River Basin DistrictThames
- Management CatchmentLoddon and Trib
- Management Catchment ID3048
Catchment partnership vision
Our vision is for a healthy, functioning, wildlife rich aquatic environment within the River Loddon catchment, valued and cared for by everyone now and in the future. The Loddon Catchment Partnership is hosted by South East Rivers Trust and supported by a steering group, consisting of key organisations. These key organisations represent a varied range of interests to co-ordinate work to secure environmental improvements, together with a wider stakeholder group of local organisations, parish council, landowners and individuals. The demand on our water resources in the Loddon catchment is high. It provides clean drinking water, supports local agriculture and business, recreational use and providing a home for wildlife. By working together, to share knowledge and deliver actions, we can protect and enhance the health of the catchment's freshwater ecosystems into the future.
Related websites
Find out more about the activities and ambitions of this catchment partnership and how you can get involved to help improve the water environment in the catchment.
Catchment challenges
Current challenges identified by partnership
Physical modifications
Fish passage severely restricted by barriers from past use of water mills
Pollution from waste water
Effluent from sewage works discharges across the catchment
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
Sediment pollution from farming
Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership
Nature Recovery, protect and enhance rare habitats including chalk streams
The upper tributaries are globally rare chalk streams and require protection and restoration
Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents
Intermittent discharges have a large impact, dilution is low in the upper reaches and there are many discharges due to level of urban development
Connecting communities with nature
Local communities have the ability to enhance and protect their local environment if impowered to do so
Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change
Climate change will impact low flows and increase the frequency of poor quality intermittent discharges
Removing plastics/litter from the water environment
Urban centres are the source of plastic pollution, rivers receptors and pathway to the oceans
Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
Diffuse pollution is impacting the river and needs to be reduced
Future challenges predicted by partnership
Changes to the natural flow and water levels
The upper reaches of Loddon tributaries are globally rare chalk stream habitats, future development may increase water resource pressures
Pollution from waste water
Current STW discharges are a significant pressure on the catchment and their impact is likely to increase due to future development
Pollution from towns, cities and transport
Some parts of the catchment are heavily impacted by urban issues and these are likely to increase due to planned development
Future challenges predicted by Environment Agency
Future challenges in 2050
- Invasive Non-native Species
- Pollution from waste water
- Pollution from Towns Cities and Transport
Emerging challenges
- Pollution from waste water
- Changes to the Natural Flow and Water Levels
- Pollution from Towns Cities and Transport
Partnership success highlights 2016 to 2021
The Loddon Catchment Partnership is very active and benefits from highly engaged and knowledgeable partners such as the Loddon Fisheries and Conservation Consultative, University of Reading, Loddon Observatory, local NGOs, Environment Agency, Blackwater Valley Partnership, Thames Water, Basingstoke Canal Authority, Hampshire County Council, local angling clubs and residents and local authorities. ‘Loddon Rivers Week’ is a long standing and highly successful annual engagement event that delivers river enhancement activities through volunteers, bringing partner organisations and community members together to improve the river.
Partnership development plans
Following coaching and support from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), the Loddon Catchment Partnership is aiming to become more sustainably funded in the future. The partnership would like to raise its profile to achieve this and develop a business model that provides more long term and secure funding to extend its work, aiming to strengthen ties with the communities, the private sector, landowners and local authorities, to secure long term viability and deliver our vision.
Partnership priority actions and measures for 2022 to 2027
Confident
Enhancement/no deterioration measures in 2020-2025 Water Industry National Environment Programme
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Confirmed water industry national environment programme 2020-2025
- Location
- Hart (Crondall to Elvetham)
Confident
Emm Brook- bypass channel to allow fish passage, habitat improvement work enhancing the Riverside Park
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- EU funding
- Location
- Emm Brook
Confident
Blackwater Restoration
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Location
- Blackwater (Aldershot to Cove Brook confluence at Hawley)
Confident
Fleet Natural Flood Management - to reduce flood risk
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Fleet Brook
Confident
Barkham Brook restoration project - fish passage at a series of weirs to reconnect with the Loddon
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Barkham Brook
Less certain
Blackwater Valley Nature Enhancement Project - reconnecting to floodplain, habitat enhancement, urban pollution control
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding
- Location
- Blackwater (Aldershot to Cove Brook confluence at Hawley) Blackwater (Bramshill to River Loddon confluence at Swallowfield) Blackwater (Hawley to Whitewater confluence at Bramshill)
Less certain
Pettys Brook - restoration of brook, remove concrete lining and improve marginal habitat
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- None identified
- Barriers to delivery
- Secure funding
- Location
- Loddon (Basingstoke to River Lyde confluence at Hartley Wespall)
Less certain
Fleet Pond - habitat improvement
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Secure funding
- Location
- Fleet Pond
Less certain
Lyde - improving the fishery and fish habitat throughout the River Lyde and Upper Loddon
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Secure funding
- Location
- Lyde
Less certain
Mill Corner natural flood management - reduce flood risk and sediment runoff by using NFM measures
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- EA Flood/coastal risk management programme
- Barriers to delivery
- Secure funding
- Location
- Whitewater
Less certain
Crondall natural flood management -reduce flood risk and capture sediment run off into the upper Hart at Crondall
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage regulated flows
- Delivery mechanism
- EA Flood/coastal risk management programme
- Barriers to delivery
- Secure funding
- Location
- Hart (Crondall to Elvetham)
Wider water environment
Landscape Recovery
- Reason for measure
- Nature Recovery, protect and enhance rare habitats including chalk streams
- Delivery mechanism
- Landscape Recovery (ELMS)
- Location
- Loddon
Wider water environment
Water Industry Investment
- Reason for measure
- Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents
- Delivery mechanism
- Potential future water industry programme
- Location
- Loddon
Wider water environment
Community Engagement Project
- Reason for measure
- Connecting communities with nature
- Delivery mechanism
- Other Public funding
- Location
- Loddon
Catchment Partnership contributors
Partners involved in the creation of this page and the actions of the partnership: