Freshwater Fish Directive
Over the next five years, we're investing in many of our waste water treatment works to help create more natural river environments so a wider variety of fish and wildlife can thrive.
Our work will help Yorkshire's cities and towns rediscover their river heritage and benefit local people and tourists.
What are we doing?
We're investing more than £100 million to improve rivers in south and west Yorkshire, on top of the £227million previously invested between 2005-10.
The investment is part of the Freshwater Fish Directive which aims to protect or improve the quality of fresh water so that it can support fish life.
Our work involves upgrading 11 of Yorkshire's waste water treatment works, including Blackburn Meadows, Aldwarke, Old Whittington, Caldervale, Sutton, Mexborough and Castleford. Other sites included are Woodhouse Mill, Danesmoor, Darton and Cudworth
Our work will lead to a reduction in ammonia levels discharged from our works and try to put rivers back at the heart of Yorkshire communities and encourage people to get out into the great outdoors. We've developed four river walks for you detailed below.
Download River Aire walk
(364kb)
Download River Dearne walk
(542 kb)
Download River Don walk
(477kb)
Download River Ryburn walk
(477kb)
Helping fish take a break - We created a fish pass on the River Worth in Keighley to help trout and grayling swim up the river. We worked closely with the Environment Agency and Mott MacDonald Bentley to create the resting place for weary fish. Large boulders and smaller rocks were placed on the weir to create a string of calm water pools which allow trout and grayling to rest before jumping to the next pool. They eventually emerge above the weir to swim further upstream.
The fish pass supports our investment to improve the quality of the storm overflows further upstream, ensuring a healthier environment for the fish as they move up the River Worth. The fish pass is a great example of how we link our work to improve the rivers with some extra work to improve the environment for people (and fish!) to enjoy.
