West Cumbria Catchment Partnership (Derwent)

Catchment partnership vision

Our vision for West Cumbria is for healthy rivers, lakes and estuaries that support wildlife, are used sustainably to benefit people, and are valued by all. We will work collaboratively to plan, fund and deliver actions to:

  • reverse redundant physical modifications and allow natural function
  • improve water quality by reducing agricultural diffuse pollution and wastewater inputs
  • increase resilience to climate change
  • reduce the impacts of floods, droughts and coastal erosion using sustainable methods
  • provide high quality, diverse and connected habitats that support a wide range of wildlife, and control invasive species
  • support farm businesses to adopt sustainable practices that provide diverse habitats, clean water and ‘slow the flow’ measures
  • increase opportunities for local communities to enjoy, understand and safeguard their catchments
  • develop a robust evidence base to underpin action.

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

    Straightened and perched rivers and obstacles to fish passage, particularly Yearl weir

  • Pollution from abandoned mines

    Abandoned metal mines in Newlands Valley and Threlkeld causing zinc and cadmium pollution

  • Pollution from agriculture and rural areas

    High sediment and phosphate in lower Ellen and Derwent tributaries and coastal streams, and low dissolved oxygen in lakes

Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership

  • Nature Recovery, designated areas for nature and biodiversity

    Biosecurity risks from recreational use of pristine lakes, high likelihood of spread of invasive species from other lakes

  • Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change

    Flooding, drought and high water temperatures threaten communities and native wildlife, particularly salmonids

  • Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy

    Multiple strategies exist including the Catchment Partnership plan, LNRS and Lake District National Park Plan and need to be joined up

  • Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents

    Ageing combined sewer infrastructure systems with frequent overspills throughout the catchment

  • Improved bathing waters (including inland)

    Well-used lakes, including Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite Lake, are not designated as inland bathing waters

  • Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance

    Better soil management could increase infiltration and organic matter, helping reduced flood risk, improve water quality and sequester carbon

Future challenges predicted by partnership

  • Changes to the natural flow and water levels

    Modified channels throughout the catchment are susceptible to drought and spate events

  • Invasive Non-native Species

    New Zealand pigmyweed is present and has potential to spread to pristine lakes, increasing tourism and recreational use of lakes causing greater biosecurity risks

  • Pollution from waste water

    Growing populations and tourism combined with more low flow events and storm events (combined sewer overflows)

Future challenges predicted by Environment Agency

Future challenges in 2050

  • Invasive Non-native Species
  • Physical Modifications
  • Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas

Emerging challenges

  • Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas
  • Pollution from waste water
  • Physical Modifications

Partnership success highlights 2016 to 2021

Since 2016 numerous projects have enhanced the catchment and in-stream habitat by improving water quality, restoring biodiversity and reducing flood risk:

  • United Utilities' Thirlmere Resilience Project is employing sustainable land management upstream of Thirlmere Reservoir
  • The Derwent River Corridors Group completed 51 habitat improvement projects, informed by annual fish population surveys at 150 sites
  • The River Restoration Strategy partnership completed 15 innovative projects to restore natural processes
  • Cumbria Wildlife Trust restored extensive peat areas on White Oak Moss and Matterdale Common
  • Large upland woodlands were created by National Trust and the Woodland Trust
  • The National Trust's Riverlands Project began by restoring natural function in Brockle Beck
  • West Cumbria River Trust's Cocker and Glenderamackin natural flood management projects reduced runoff and created pond and wetland habitats.Further work targeted water quality issues: Natural England's Catchment Sensitive Farming delivered advice and interventions to reduce agricultural runoff and Facilitated Farmer groups in the Cocker, Crookhurst, Glenderamackin and Borrowdale shared best practice. The 'Ellenwise' project in the Crookhurst catchment reduced agricultural pollution to improve the condition of Allonby bathing waters. United Utilities upgraded multiple wastewater treatment works and the 'Water and Abandoned Metal Mines' Programme began delivery of the Gategill minewater remediation scheme.

Partnership development plans

The West Cumbria Catchment Partnership will continue delivering multi-benefit projects, integrating flood risk reduction with environmental improvements including coastal and marine projects. The partnership would benefit from greater involvement of local communities and specific interest groups in project development. The partnership aims to utilise a broader range of funding sources including private investment in delivering landscape scale habitat improvement and make use of opportunities afforded by Biodiversity Net Gain and Nutrient Neutrality legislation.

Partnership priority actions and measures for 2022 to 2027

  • Less certain

    Newlands Valley mine spoil stabilisation

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Coal Authority Mines Programmes
    Barriers to delivery
    Increased resource for delivery, improved technical understanding of approaches
    Location
    Newlands Beck

  • Less certain

    Implementing findings of smolt tracking project and addressing barriers to fish passage on the Rivers Ellen and Derwent

    Reason for measure
    Manage modified habitats
    Delivery mechanism
    Potential future water industry programme
    Barriers to delivery
    Secure additional funding to resource
    Location
    Derwent - conf Cocker to tidal Ellen (lower) Marron

  • Less certain

    Water friendly farming projects to improve water quality in rivers, transitional waters and bathing waters

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Environment Land Management Scheme (future full-scale roll-out)
    Barriers to delivery
    Increased resourcing for farm advisers
    Location
    Solway Outer South Black Dub Lostrigg Beck Broughton Beck Marron Tom Rudd Beck

  • Less certain

    Invasive species control and biosecurity campaigns, focussed on Crassula in lakes, signal crayfish and Himalayan balsam

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage invasive non-native species
    Delivery mechanism
    WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
    Barriers to delivery
    Inclusion of INNS control in ELMS, technical feasibility of Crassula control
    Location
    Derwent Water Crummock Water Buttermere St John's Beck Broughton Beck

  • Less certain

    Low risk barrier removal programme – for the improvement of fish passage, habitat diversity and hydromorphology

    Reason for measure
    Manage modified habitats
    Delivery mechanism
    WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
    Barriers to delivery
    Secure additional funding to resource
    Location
    Newlands Beck Trout Beck (Derwent NW) Thirlmere Stonethwaite Beck Marron

  • Wider water environment

    Continue to work closely with Local Nature Recovery Strategy, Lake District park Partnership and other strategies to ensure coordinated delivery

    Reason for measure
    Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy
    Delivery mechanism
    WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
    Location
    Derwent North West

  • Wider water environment

    Campaign for new bathing water designations for well-used lakes including Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite Lake

    Reason for measure
    Improved bathing waters (including inland)
    Delivery mechanism
    WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
    Location
    Derwent Water Bassenthwaite Lake

  • Wider water environment

    Work with developers to increase use of SUDs and nature-based solutions to reduce runoff into combined sewers

    Reason for measure
    Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents
    Delivery mechanism
    Developer funded
    Location
    Derwent North West

Catchment Partnership contributors

Partners involved in the creation of this page and the actions of the partnership: