North West Norfolk Catchment Partnership

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: