Welland Valley Partnership
Catchment partnership vision
The vision set out by the Welland Valley Partnership (WVP) is for the river to be cleaner and healthier. To support more fish, birds and other wildlife and to meet the needs of drinking water suppliers and business. Provide a more attractive amenity for people to enjoy. Be sensitively managed by everyone whose activities affect it, continue to provide drainage and manage flood risk To realise this vision, the partnership works alongside individuals, land managers, local communities, businesses, voluntary bodies, local authorities, government agencies and charities. The WVP has set out an action plan to achieve this vision through the development of a clear understanding of the issues affecting the Welland catchment. Involvement of local communities through sharing evidence, listening to ideas and providing a platform for communications, prioritising actions to address issues identified and by the plan delivering integrated actions through schemes and pilot projects.
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
Without natural stable flows, the impact on river ecology will worsen and enjoyment by the community will suffer
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
Agricultural run-off brings high sediment, phosphate, nitrate and pesticides loads to this Drinking Water Protected Area
Physical modifications
Straightening, over-deepening and climate change means ecological damage in high flows and poor water retention in low flows
Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership
Nature Recovery, designated areas for nature and biodiversity
Managing, protecting and improving the natural environment within the Welland catchment
Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
Researching and promoting sustainable farming practices to reduce diffuse pollution into the Welland catchment where high Phosphate is an issue
Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change
Use natural flood management to improve current flooding issues and build resilience to an increasingly unpredictable environment
Connecting communities with nature
Promote community engagement with local nature and environmental education so communities understand, appreciate and protect the local environment
Removing plastics/litter from the water environment
Protecting the water environment and maintaining its aesthetic value
Future challenges predicted by partnership
Changes to the natural flow and water levels
The clay catchment and straightened channels exacerbate the effect of changing rainfall patterns due to climate change, with low flows getting lower and high flows getting higher
Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
The Welland is a very rural catchment, with relatively impermeable compacted clay soils with increased risk of run-off, exacerbated by climate change
Pollution from waste water
Future lower summer dilution coupled with over 60 small sewage works which fall below phosphate removal requirements will increase percentage of treated effluent in the rivers
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
- Pollution from Towns Cities and Transport
- Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas
Partnership success highlights 2016 to 2021
Over the last year, the Welland Valley Partnership has completed:
- Welland-Gwash confluence restoration works
- Welland Headwaters and Welland Washes WEG projects
- Lubbenham wetland project
- Newstead mill desilting project
- Lubenham/Welland Headwaters NFM Scoping Study
- Great Easton NFM Scoping Study is in the final stages.
Partnership development plans
Welland Valley Partnership (WVP) continues to increase the number of projects to improve the environment. With the Environmental Land Management scheme, WVP should provide evidence for planning and delivering new schemes. WVP should be able to aid phosphate removal where it is most needed, through influencing water company investment and targeting specific sewage treatment works. WVP will build links with local businesses to develop carbon mitigating projects and strategies. The WVP also aims to increase its works on the lower part of the Welland catchment.
Partnership priority actions and measures for 2022 to 2027
Confident
Kibworth and Smeeton (Lagnton Brook Stage Zero Restoration) Nature Project
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- Private Investment
- Location
- Langton Brook
Confident
Stamford Meadows - Welland Restoration Project, restoration of Welland river bank
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- EA Flood/coastal risk management programme
- Location
- Welland - conf Langton Bk to conf Gwash
Confident
Stamford Millstream Improvement Project, continuation of community efforts to improve habitat
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Location
- Welland - conf Langton Bk to conf Gwash
Confident
Water Friendly Farming Project, trial of diffuse pollution and run-off reduction measures (Eyebrook, Stonton Brook)
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- EA Flood/coastal risk management programme
- Location
- Eye Brook Stonton Brook
Confident
Torpel Woodland Access
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Maxey Cut
Less certain
Spalding Reconnected: Historic Town and Riverside, habitat improvement in River Welland in Spalding town centre
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Heritage Lottery Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding approval
- Location
- Welland - conf Greatford Cut to tidal
Less certain
Rockingham Forest Vision Bid, habitat improvement and community engagement in Rockingham Forest
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Heritage Lottery Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding approval, work already developed in the area by partners
- Location
- Welland - conf Langton Bk to conf Gwash
Less certain
Great Easton NFM, scoping study in final stages
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding for next phase of the project; engage landowners not currently receptive to contact
- Location
- Welland - headwaters to conf Jordan
Less certain
Welland Headwaters NFM, scoping study completed
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Funding for next phase; engage landowners that are not currently receptive to contact
- Location
- Welland - headwaters to conf Jordan
Less certain
Baiton Brook NFM
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Landowners not receptive to contact
- Location
- Welland - conf Gwash to conf Greatford Cut
Wider water environment
River Wardens volunteer groups
- Reason for measure
- Connecting communities with nature
- Delivery mechanism
- Heritage Lottery Fund
- Location
- Welland Lower Glens Welland Upper
Wider water environment
River Welland experiences, an opportunity for people in care or with disabilities to connect to the River Welland through a shared arts experience
- Reason for measure
- Connecting communities with nature
- Delivery mechanism
- Heritage Lottery Fund
- Location
- Welland Lower Glens Welland Upper
Catchment Partnership contributors
Partners involved in the creation of this page and the actions of the partnership:
- Guash Fishing Club
- Lincolnshire Wildlife trust
- Burghley Estate
- Forestry Commission
- Natural England
- Harborough District Council
- Environment Agency
- Welland Rivers Trust
- Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust ( The Allerton Project )
- Langdyke Countryside Trust
- Anglian Water
- Welland & Deepings Internal Drainage Board
- Wild Trout Trust
- Rutland County Council
- Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust