North West Norfolk Catchment Partnership
- Catchment HostNorfolk Rivers Trust
- River Basin DistrictAnglian
- Management CatchmentNorth West Norfolk
- Management Catchment ID3065
Catchment partnership vision
Our vision is to improve the water quality and climate change resilience of North West Norfolk. There needs to be increased habitat to compensate for lost habitat, natural flood mitigation combined with silt management and less diffuse pollution, thriving chalk streams and wildlife, and more public access.
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
Changes to the natural flow and water levels
Drought and lack of flow in headwaters, concentrated pollutants
Physical modifications
Unnatural hydrogeomorphology affecting river and biodiversity
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
Excess agricultural and urban nutrients and silt affecting water quality and biodiversity
Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership
Nature Recovery, protect and enhance rare habitats including chalk streams
The Gaywood is a chalk stream struggling with pollutants and failing chemical status
Nature Recovery, designated areas for nature and biodiversity
The hydrological regime does not support Good ecological status, restoration, protection and enhancement with help of Gaywood Forum will help
Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents
Anglian Water are working on Grimston sewage treatment works and overflows
Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change
With lots of new housing developments in North West Norfolk abstraction and climate change will impact the wider environment
Support levelling up, growth and jobs
AONB Green recovery fund for Hun includes 4 Kickstarter placements creating new job positions for locals
Connecting communities with nature
The AONB green recovery fund on Hun involves developing a community programme and volunteering opportunities
Future challenges predicted by partnership
Physical modifications
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
Changes to the natural flow and water levels
Future challenges predicted by Environment Agency
Future challenges in 2050
- Invasive Non-native Species
- Changes to the Natural Flow and Water Levels
- Pollution from waste water
Emerging challenges
- Changes to the Natural Flow and Water Levels
- Pollution from waste water
- Pollution from Towns Cities and Transport
Partnership success highlights 2016 to 2021
Key success highlights have been the Hidden Heritage project on the Gaywood which is turning a landfill site into a public woodland and meadow as well as installing a pond dipping platform; Bringing back life to the Gaywood, a 1km restoration project which has protected banks and increased habitat availability, quality and flow diversity; The Integrated Constructed Wetland on the Ingol to provide natural, low-cost and sustainable water treatment; Restoration of the Heacham river at the lavender mill and Ken Mill estate; The Mileham Restoration Project; River Restoration at Castle Acre; Diversifying the Babingley at Hillington; Snettisham River Ingol woody habitat project; Emmanuel's Common reconnection project and the restoration of the Seven Sister's Drain.
Partnership development plans
The partnership aims to include more non-conservation organisations while maintaining a local focus. Better engagement across the partnership aims to result in a more holistic approach with farmers and land managers. In the last 12 months the Gaywood Forum has become more established and will be important in ensuring significant improvements are made within the Gaywood. Changes to riparian land management and nutrient input will be key to success.
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
- Control or manage point source discharges
- Delivery mechanism
- Confirmed water industry national environment programme 2020-2025
- Location
- North West Norfolk
Confident
Supporting groups to improve freshwater ecology e.g. Mink Project, Crayfish Group, INNS, Ponds Project
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage invasive non-native species
- Delivery mechanism
- Voluntary initiatives
- Location
- North West Norfolk Rivers
Less certain
Gaywood wetland for Industrial Waste site
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage point source discharges
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding, land ownership, understanding of climate change
- Location
- Gaywood River
Less certain
River Hun restoration
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Heritage Lottery Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding, land ownership, understanding of climate change
- Location
- North West Norfolk Rivers
Less certain
River Cong buffer strips to protect river and crayfish
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Environment Land Management Scheme (future full-scale roll-out)
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding, land ownership, understanding of climate change
- Location
- North West Norfolk Rivers
Less certain
White clawed crayfish protection sites
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage invasive non-native species
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding, land ownership, understanding of climate change
- Location
- North West Norfolk Rivers
Less certain
Gaywood natural flood management, habitat restoration (wider than the industrial waste site)
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding, land ownership, understanding of climate change
- Location
- North West Norfolk
Wider water environment
Two Chalk Rivers Project habitat restoration on the River Hun
- Reason for measure
- Nature Recovery, protect and enhance rare habitats including chalk streams
- Delivery mechanism
- Green Recovery Challenge Fund/Challenge Fund
- Location
- North West Norfolk Rivers
Wider water environment
River Gaywood Forum - working in partnership to enhance the River Gaywood
- Reason for measure
- Nature Recovery, protect and enhance rare habitats including chalk streams
- Delivery mechanism
- Voluntary initiatives
- Location
- North West Norfolk Rivers
Wider water environment
Water Stewardship Project protecting soils and preventing runoff across the catchment
- Reason for measure
- Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
- Delivery mechanism
- Grant giving trusts and businesses
- Location
- North West Norfolk Rivers
Catchment Partnership contributors
Partners involved in the creation of this page and the actions of the partnership: