Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership

Catchment partnership vision

Our vision is that the Dee estuary is clean and full of wildlife, enjoyed by people and sustainably managed. Our working long term vision is that the Dee Estuary is managed collaboratively, connecting two countries and their communities, and celebrated for its healthy natural ecosystem and clean water.

Emily Cunningham

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

    Lack of ecological and flow diversity due to physical modifications and water management

  • Pollution from agriculture and rural areas

    Diffuse pollution from rural and urban areas affects river and transitional waterbody status

  • Pollution from towns, cities and transport

    The Tidal Dee transitional waterbody fails on water chemistry which affects its Special Area of Conservation features

Wider water environment challenges identified by partnership

  • Connecting communities with nature

    Improving understanding and appreciation of the wildlife significance of the Dee Estuary

  • Nature Recovery, designated areas for nature and biodiversity

    Work to remove the Dee Estuary from the Montreux Record (an at risk register of Ramsar wetlands)

  • Reduce storm overflows and drainage system incidents

    Stopping waste water discharges directly into the Dee Estuary

  • Removing plastics/litter from the water environment

    Reducing the impact of fly-tipping, plastics and litter in the Dee Estuary environment

  • Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change

    Taking a nature based approach to tackling the issues of flooding and coastal erosion

  • Support Nature Recovery Network and Local Nature Recovery Strategy

    Working with stakeholders to integrate the land and sea interface into strategic plans and policies

Future challenges predicted by partnership

  • Pollution from waste water

  • Changes to the natural flow and water levels

  • Pollution from agriculture and rural areas

Future challenges predicted by Environment Agency

Future challenges in 2050

  • Invasive Non-native Species
  • Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas
  • Pollution from waste water

Emerging challenges

  • Pollution from waste water
  • Changes to the Natural Flow and Water Levels
  • Pollution from Agriculture and Rural Areas

Partnership success highlights 2016 to 2021

In 2015/16 walkover surveys across Finchett's Gutter, Shotwick Brook and Burton Brook were undertaken and pollution prevention packs produced, raising stakeholder awareness of issues. The packs are now used by other partnerships across the country. In 2016/17 the project extended to Balderton Drain, a total of 36.3km of watercourse (92.5% of the catchment) were surveyed which identified 281 pollution issues or potential issues. The more pertinent instances were followed up with work on the ground. In 2017/18 the Love my Estuary project secured resolutions with landowners in the Balderton Drain area. Following 3 years of development work the Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership successfully secured funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2021. The funding is for a three-and-a-half-year cross border water and wildlife project on the Dee Estuary called Our Dee Estuary / Caru Aber Dyfrdwy. The project is about connecting coastal communities of the Dee Estuary (Wirral, Cheshire West and Chester, Flintshire and Denbighshire areas) with their natural heritage to create a new community of stewardship to protect the unique and spectacular coastal natural heritage. The Dee Estuary has an array of nature conservation designations. As a European Marine Site it comprises the marine areas of The Dee Estuary Special Protection Area (SPA) and Dee Estuary / Aber Dyfrdwy Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It is also designated as a Ramsar site and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Tidal Dee Partners, manage these designated conservation features as well as contributing towards improving river basin planning waterbody status and improving natural capital.

Robin Rowe

Partnership development plans

We will be increasing our engagement with local communities and exploring funding streams to reconnect people with the Dee Estuary. Our partnership will develop and strengthen over the coming years by working collaboratively on projects around the English and Welsh coasts of the Dee Estuary.

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
    Dee Estuary

  • Confident

    Our Dee Estuary / Caru Aber Dyfrdwy; Connecting Coastal Communities to share heritage, working to improve protected sites and water bodies

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage urban diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Heritage Lottery Fund
    Location
    Dee Estuary

  • Less certain

    Chester Wetland Centre, creation of wetland to improve water quality and biodiversity, part of Green Link Project

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
    Barriers to delivery
    Funding secured for feasibility study; further funding needed to deliver the project
    Location
    Finchetts Gutter

  • Less certain

    Lache Eyes Nature Reserve, mixed habitat creation to sequester carbon, improve water quality and biodiversity and address mitigation measures

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Other local funding
    Barriers to delivery
    Funding secured for feasibility study; further funding needed to deliver the project
    Location
    Balderton drain

  • Less certain

    Deliver farmyard pollution interventions

    Reason for measure
    Control or manage rural diffuse pollution
    Delivery mechanism
    Grant giving trusts and businesses
    Barriers to delivery
    Multiyear funding needed
    Location
    Finchetts Gutter Balderton drain

  • Wider water environment

    Cross border project inspiring communities about the coastal wildlife of the Dee Estuary

    Reason for measure
    Connecting communities with nature
    Delivery mechanism
    Heritage Lottery Fund
    Location
    Dee Estuary

  • Wider water environment

    Improving the condition of coastal wetland habitats

    Reason for measure
    Nature Recovery, designated areas for nature and biodiversity
    Delivery mechanism
    WEIF Water Environment Improvement Fund
    Location
    Dee Estuary

  • Wider water environment

    Using nature based solutions to reduce the risk of flooding to coastal communities

    Reason for measure
    Build environmental resilience and adaptation to climate change
    Delivery mechanism
    Other Public funding
    Location
    Dee Estuary

Catchment Partnership contributors

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