Kennet Operational Catchment

About

The Rivers Kennet and Lambourn are chalks streams which flow through the Marlborough downs. They are home to wild brown trout and are characterised by chalkstream aquatic plant species such as Rununculus. Although the upper stretches of the Kennet are mainly rural, the river passes through urban areas such as Malborough, Hungerford, Newbury and Reading before reaching the River Thames. The catchment has several abstractions predominantly from groundwater sources, for supplying water to urban areas outside of the catchment. Our investigations programme shows physical modifications, pollution from rural areas and waste water, and changes to natural level and flow of water are some of the main challenges in the catchment. Physical habitat restoration is also needed at a number of locations to address the problems of past engineering and the impacts of control structures where these are severely limiting the ecological potential of the catchment.