Hogsmill River
Catchment partnership vision
Our vision is for the Hogsmill to be a clean river, rich in biodiversity, that is seen as a valuable resource for an engaged local community.
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
Over abstraction can cause low flows in the Hogsmill in the summer months
Pollution from waste water
Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) frequently discharge in the upper reaches of the river
Physical modifications
Heavily modification, as a result of an industrial past and urban nature of catchment, impact significantly
Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership
Nature Recovery, protect and enhance rare habitats including chalk streams
As a globally rare chalkstream, the Hogsmill needs to be afforded greater protection from pollution and low flows
Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change
Extreme drought and rainfall events threaten the catchments species and habitats, investment is needed to facilitate adaptation
Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents
Wastewater and drainage are significantly impacting water quality in the Hogsmill, especially in the upper reaches where low flow mean less dilution
Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Opportunities within the catchment to enhance sites and riparian zones and improve connectivity
Protect and restore healthy soils and nutrient balance
Reduction in sediment input from agricultural areas
Connecting communities with nature
Provide more opportunities for education and engagement, targeting underrepresented groups
Future challenges predicted by partnership
Changes to the natural flow and water levels
Pollution from waste water
Physical modifications
Future challenges predicted by Environment Agency
Future challenges in 2050
- Pollution from Towns Cities and Transport
- Invasive Non-native Species
- Changes to the Natural Flow and Water Levels
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
Since 2016, the Hogsmill Partnership has achieved a wide range of improvements to the river and its catchment, benefiting both people and wildlife. This includes:
- improvements to public access with open green spaces created adjacent to the river, including interpretation boards, way-marking and improvements to path surfacing
- citizen science projects have helped to identify sources of pollution, record invasive non-native species and monitor populations of eels and invertebrates
- volunteers have given thousands of hours to assist with habitat management, river restoration projects, removal of litter and a water vole re-introduction project
- partners continue to work collaboratively to address the removal of invasive non-native species within the catchment, specifically Himalayan balsam which is widespread
- continued management of green spaces for the enhancement of biodiversity including conservation grazing, coppicing, hedge laying, tree planting and grassland management
- barriers to fish passage along the Hogsmill have been addressed by the installation of rock ramps, fish passes and full weir removals
- large-scale river restoration work in the Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve and the Raeburn Open space has restored natural processes and enhanced habitat diversity through the removal of concrete and toe-boarding, installation of berms and woody material, and reshaping of the river channel.
Partnership development plans
We want to see the development of the Hogsmill action plan and continued partnership working to deliver improvements to water quality and low flows. A joined up, catchment-wide approach including community involvement is needed for tackling invasive non-native species (INNS), specifically Himalayan balsam which is widespread and abundant.
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
- Hogsmill
Confident
Low Flow Investigation
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage abstractions
- Delivery mechanism
- None identified
- Location
- Hogsmill
Confident
Citizen Zoo Water vole reintroduction at Hogsmill Sewage Treatment Works
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- None identified
- Location
- Hogsmill
Confident
Habitat improvement at Hogsmill Sewage Treatment Works
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- Confirmed water industry national environment programme 2020-2025
- Location
- Hogsmill
Confident
Volunteer initiatives: Outfall safari, Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, INNS species surveying, river clean-ups
- Reason for measure
- Manage modified habitats
- Delivery mechanism
- Voluntary initiatives
- Location
- Hogsmill
Confident
Hogsmill invasive non-native species (INNS) strategy and management of Himalayan balsam
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage invasive non-native species
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Location
- Hogsmill
Less certain
Chamber Mead wetland
- Reason for measure
- Control or manage urban diffuse pollution
- Delivery mechanism
- Other local funding
- Barriers to delivery
- Securing funding
- Location
- Hogsmill
Less certain
Kingsmeadow weir removal
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- Potential future water industry programme
- Barriers to delivery
- Uncertainty around scope and timeframe, additional funding required
- Location
- Beverley Brook (Motspur Park to Thames) and Pyl Brook at West Barnes
Less certain
Logs in Hogs
- Reason for measure
- Mitigate the impacts on ecology from physical modifications in modified waters
- Delivery mechanism
- WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
- Barriers to delivery
- Uncertainty around funding and timeframes for delivery
- Location
- Beverley Brook (Motspur Park to Thames) and Pyl Brook at West Barnes
Catchment Partnership contributors
Partners involved in the creation of this page and the actions of the partnership: