River Douglas

Catchment partnership vision

All water bodies in the River Douglas catchment are clean and healthy, support abundant wildlife, are valued by people and enable sustainable economic growth. We will:

  • develop a robust evidence base to identify, prioritise and address the catchment's needs
  • improve water quality to prevent deterioration of water bodies, moving them towards good ecological status and reducing pollution
  • manage water quantity to protect the people and wildlife that depends on the river from climate change, floods and droughts
  • engage with business and communities to manage rivers, maximising the benefits that they bring to our economy and communities,
  • focus on education, health and wellbeing, supporting communities at risk from flooding and encouraging local business to use and manage water responsibly
  • enhance and promote the natural aspects of the catchment by protecting species and habitats, improving biodiversity and controlling the spread of Invasive Non-native Species.

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

    Ecology and fish passage restricted by structures from industrial past

  • Pollution from towns, cities and transport

    Misconnections, lack of education about responsible water management, and road run off cause pollution

  • Pollution from waste water

    Impact from sewage discharges and trade effluent

Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership

  • Nature Recovery, designated areas for nature and biodiversity

    Fragmented habitats have reduced biodiversity, enhancing and restoring habitats will promote nature recovery

  • Nature Recovery, protect and enhance rare habitats including chalk streams

    To make more space for biodiversity in a sensitive way which ensures that vulnerable species and their habitats are protected

  • Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents

    Pollution from storm overflows and other contaminated outfalls is impacting on water quality and community perception of water bodies

  • Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change

    Catchments are increasingly at risk from the changing climate, urgent action is needed to mitigate the risks to ecosystems and communities

  • Removing plastics/litter from the water environment

    To raise awareness and take action to tackle the scourge of plastics entering the waterways and reduce pollution

  • Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy

    A joined-up catchment wide approach is needed to develop and deliver Local Nature Recovery Strategies

Future challenges predicted by partnership

  • Physical modifications

    River Douglas catchment has been particularly ill-served by human intervention in the forms of culverts and weirs which fragment habitat and prevent fish passage

  • Pollution from towns, cities and transport

    Significant pollution of all kinds continues to adversely affect our river health on a daily basis

  • Pollution from waste water

    Sewage Treatment Works and the sewer network are under increasing pressure from population growth and increased frequency of extreme weather events

Future challenges predicted by Environment Agency

Future challenges in 2050

  • Invasive Non-native Species
  • Pollution from Towns Cities and Transport
  • Pollution from waste water

Emerging challenges

  • Pollution from waste water
  • Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas
  • Pollution from Towns Cities and Transport

Partnership success highlights 2016 to 2021

The River Douglas Catchment Partnership has developed collaborative management, engagement and action plans bringing together stakeholders to tackle problems effectively and efficiently. Successes:

  • continued to make significant fish passage improvements on the River Douglas
  • developed a robust evidence base including an interactive online ‘StoryMap’, outfall mapping initiative and invasive non-native species (INNS) strategy
  • authentic, community engagement programmes delivered by a range of core stakeholders including Love My River, Riverfly and Yellow Fish initiatives, engaging local people and diverse groups along the Rivers Chor, Lostock, Douglas and Tawd. Completed activities include litter picks, eradication of INNS, kick sampling and water quality testing
  • Tawd Vision initiative to ensure significant environmental, recreational and economic improvement works across a 65 hectare wooded valley, improving water quality, quantity, engaging communities and enhancing biodiversity in the heart of Skelmersdale
  • 10 year programme to enhance the River Yarrow to improve the habitat, flood risk and rural diffuse pollution and provide educational opportunities linking into the Croston Flood Alleviation Scheme
  • Haigh Woodland Improvements to enhance the resilience of the woodland area upstream of the Wigan Flood Alleviation Scheme to reduce periodic flooding
  • natural flood management and water quality improvement initiatives including reed bed interventions at Chorley, Wigan and the source of the Douglas, Rivington
  • completed business water lifecycle audits at industrial estates across the catchment to assess and improve compliance and improve how water is managed

Ribble Rivers Trust

Partnership development plans

The partnership wants to:

  • continue to build a robust evidence base to address catchment challenges as climate changes and population grows
  • improve fish passage and habitat for native species whilst addressing Invasive Non-native Species
  • work collaboratively and secure finance, to deliver integrated, multi-benefit programmes, to improve the water environment for wildlife and people
  • continue to work with local councils to deliver river improvements alongside economic, environmental and social priorities
  • maximise education and engagement with diverse communities across the catchment.

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
    Douglas

  • Confident

    Delivery of the Tawd Vision in Skelmersdale via multiple funding sources administered by a consortia of partners

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage urban diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Developer funded
    Location
    Tawd

  • Confident

    Delivery of a comprehensive long term fisheries strategy in conjunction with the right partners

    Reason for measure
    Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
    Delivery mechanism
    EU funding
    Location
    Douglas OC

  • Confident

    Delivery of the Yarrow Vision to improve water quality, address water quantity and improve biodiversity

    Reason for measure
    Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
    Delivery mechanism
    EA Flood/coastal risk management programme
    Location
    Yarrow DS Big Lodge Water

  • Confident

    Douglas Challenge! Integrated, catchment-wide programme tackling invasive species, fish passage, habitat improvements and building our evidence base

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage invasive non-native species
    Delivery mechanism
    Green Recovery Challenge Fund/Challenge Fund
    Location
    Douglas

  • Confident

    Yarrow and Lostock Farm Advice and Improvement Project

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
    Location
    Yarrow and Lostock

  • Less certain

    Implement multi benefit nature based solutions to address urban diffuse pollution from Highways England outfalls

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage urban diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Highways England Programme
    Barriers to delivery
    Finance has been applied for but is yet to be secured
    Location
    Douglas

  • Less certain

    Farington Weir Fish Passage project

    Reason for measure
    Manage modified habitats
    Delivery mechanism
    Other local funding
    Barriers to delivery
    Finance and landowner permissions need to be secured
    Location
    Lostock DS Farington Weir

  • Less certain

    Business Water Life Cycle Audits to support businesses to become more resilient

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage urban diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Private Investment
    Barriers to delivery
    Time is needed to further develop the business plan for this project
    Location
    Douglas

  • Wider water environment

    Outfalls subgroup, including the Yellowfish programme, citizen science investigations and identifying potential improvements

    Reason for measure
    Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents
    Delivery mechanism
    Private Investment
    Location
    Douglas OC

  • Wider water environment

    Nature recovery to improve habitat connectivity, map INNS and enhance habitat at targeted locations across the catchment

    Reason for measure
    Nature Recovery, designated areas for nature and biodiversity
    Delivery mechanism
    Green Recovery Challenge Fund/Challenge Fund
    Location
    Douglas OC

  • Wider water environment

    Community education and engagement including litter picks, citizen science, riverfly training and water quality monitoring

    Reason for measure
    Connecting communities with nature
    Delivery mechanism
    None identified
    Location
    Douglas OC

Catchment Partnership contributors

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