Could Dam Removal Reconnect this English River to GREENLAND?

[@jenniferkril479]

Incredible project - one of many removals taking place across the country to improve the health of our rivers. Congratulations to all involved!

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thank you for such positive feedback.

[@ChrisLaprise-p8n]

This is so good for so many variations of wildlife. It's great that more and more of this is happening in the world. 💙

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

Love this, well done everyone connected with the project. Huge respect.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Many thanks and I know everyone involved with the project will be keeping an eye on the comments and feedback - so your support is much appreciated.

[@glennsmithson5542]

Great project and video. Congratulations to all involved. Hopefully it provides a catalyst for future success in reconnecting rivers.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thank you Glenn - really appreciate your support. Paul

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thanks to everyone who joined the premiere - if you think the messages in the video are important, feel free to share the link to the video. Paul

[@stefankaz53]

Glad to see something is being done about the problems of spawning, in this country. Is it not possible to put in place fish counters, to give a more accurate outcome. Would be nice to know some figures.

[@WildTroutTrust]

@@stefankaz53 Fish counters can be a double-edged sword (in that they may be installed on problematic barriers that, in themselves, impede fish passage). However, actions such as electric fishing surveys of juvenile fish production in areas previously devoid of spawning salmon are being undertaken as I understand it. Paul.

[@guygreen4607]

Fantastic to see this, well done to all involved.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Many thanks!

[@andrewharris3900]

Great job! Love all the rewilding that is happening. Maybe one day we’ll even have trees on our hill tops.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Fingers crossed for the trees on hills...

[@johnbooth3073]

Yep ! Lots of fuss about cutting down the only tree for miles on Hadrians Wall but more saddening I’ve thought for decades since being a kid was why was it alone ? And why an introduced species and not a native one ?

[@leslieaustin151]

So nice to see some GOOD news for a change! Les

[@kerilloyd7504]

Fantastic. Well done everyone, that video bought a massive smile to my face. Now to just stop the dumping of sh*t and agricultural chemicals into our rivers.

[@HeatherMyfanwyTylerGreey]

Great project. Glad to see us getting something right!

[@BurroughWolf]

Nice work. A great effort by all involved

[@WalksInCamera]

What a great project to undertake and complete!

[@harrietalvis7154]

Inspiring work, a huge well done! It's great to see the dedication to take such a complicated job to full removal. We will certainly be sharing this in the future to show what can be achieved 💪🏻

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thank you @harrietalvis7154 and all power to you and your efforts too.

[@harrietalvis7154]

@@WildTroutTrustthank you, 9 coming out in the next month, watch this space! 👊🏻

[@WildTroutTrust]

@@harrietalvis7154 Oo-ra! Tremendous stuff.

[@robinholland1136]

What looks like a relatively small project has great results. Encouraging to see that we are waking up to the immense value of our rivers.

[@markcooper6042]

A great achievment; thanks for showing us.

[@johnbooth3073]

Fantastic video, very concise and informative on the salient points and answers many questions that I would have asked.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thank you for your kind feedback and I'm really glad you found the video useful. Paul.

[@zetectic7968]

There needs to be many more projects like this! Congrats to all involved in the weir removal 👍

[@PacoOtis]

Bravo! From here in the States we congratulate you. Best of luck!

[@SamDaviesBuilder]

Very interesting and well put together!

[@misterdubity3073]

Excellent project carried out with expertise and documented in this film brilliantly.

[@0Jrock01]

Super job! keep up the good work.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thank you for the support.

[@zuzannazmud9043]

This makes me so happy!

[@Flickamatuta]

Brilliant little video. Thanks for sharing. Well done, Paul! It looked to be a weir similar to the Cobb's Clough one on the river Tawd (now removed). A massive, massive ask, but hopefully we'll have Salmon on the Tawd one day. 🤞🤞

[@WildTroutTrust]

Very similar in size Mike - though the way it was tied in to the supporting walls made it very difficult to remove and keep everything around it stable.

[@Flickamatuta]

@@WildTroutTrust Yes. The video weir did look more complex in its removal. Top job done by all involved!

[@FishingDiscoveries]

Also, Mike, I think that (given the presence of salmon in the Mersey basin), it isn't an impossible suggestion. In fact we should expect to need to do the hard yards to tackle the water quality issues and remaining barriers. Paul

[@pauldurkee4764]

What an amazing bit of kit that cutter is, never heard anyone describe a dam being cut and filleted before.👍

[@shockers12512]

thank you for all the hard work and dedication.

[@lapua2432]

Every part of this endeavour is excellent. A simply outstanding achievement from all involved.

[@WildTroutTrust]

High 5

[@maxwindham2898]

Well done with this massive project! It will be interesting to see the positive impact this will have on the salmon.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thanks for checking it out Max

[@coolhand6669]

That's a wonderful project you did it really is

[@royfearn4345]

This project is almost on my doorstep, yet until now I had no idea it existed!

[@WildTroutTrust]

The power of KZbin!

[@markopolo5695]

I'm not a Tree Hugger but i do think that All these obsolete structures should be removed and let nature do what it will.

[@TheAnimal0385]

I think using that term is also obsolete. The best way to describe what tree huggers are would be nature ignorant because the data has p4ove they've done far more damage to nature.

[@si_vis_amari_ama]

@@TheAnimal0385 I'd love to see that data, can you please post the link? Thank you.

[@si_vis_amari_ama]

I glad for the benefits of what the tree huggers have brought. I dont care to hug trees, but if someone gets something positive and fulfilling from such a harmless act, I am happy for them. Maybe its good to keep an open mind rather than belittle (judging) people who think and act differently, yet try to enable good change in the world. On a bigger scale, intolerance causes so much harm in the world. Think about it.

[@markopolo5695]

@@si_vis_amari_ama Tree Huggers have caused lots of problems in the world for the average person so yes I do belittle their views, Nature is making a comeback but Not because of their domestic terrorism and pointless marching and chanting, its because of Education NOT OBSESSION. I've read Books Not the Internet trash or Government Propaganda with PUPPET Scientists spinning tails of doom whilst big businesses see huge profits

[@aidenkelly9641]

@@si_vis_amari_ama one of the major negative tree huggers do is the fight to stop controlled burns in California. Since the state has bent the knee and stopped its controlled burns the land has had far worse and more numerous forest fires.

[@Musrusticus-]

Superb! Well done and thank you for the film too.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mchandler15]

I don't know why this video was recommended to me but I'm glad it was. Very interesting and very good work to all those involved.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Many thanks and I'm glad it provided some unexpected interest. Paul

[@DebbieDavitt]

Fantastic stuff. Any plans for more dam or weir removals in the Yorkshire region? Keep up the great work.

[@WildTroutTrust]

There's currently a big collaborative project being set up with a major focus on barriers in Yorkshire Rivers (more news soon hopefully). In the meantime, here is a very new update on the River Aire at Gargrave - featuring a weir flagged up in a WTT report in 2015 (these projects can be a marathon grind to achieve): twitter.com/ProfJGrey/status/1717192342153625918

[@southerneruk]

@@WildTroutTrust Use your head, water mills can be used to generate power, which I think should have been done here, only difference I would have done is remove the dam and put in a proper weir, one that would have pump a lot of oxygen into the water and shape in such away Salmon and Sea Trout could jump over easy, there is one or used to be not too sure if it is still there on the River Test at Nursling, or instead of a weir use sluice gates

[@WildTroutTrust]

@@southerneruk There's too much to unpack in the context of a short KZbin comment - but while many of the things you mention seem perfectly reasonable on the surface; there are a range of good reasons why low-head water power creates more environmental damage than the (limited) amount of power generated. Water should not need oxygenating by weirs - and even if water is so polluted that aeration may be of some benefit; creating stagnant, slow flowing water uptream of a weir in order to aerate the very short distance directly below that weir is likely to be less good than the multiple rocky cascades that span a much larger distance (which also create good habitat). Salmon and sea trout don't jump over obstacles "easy" - they frequently incur damage as well as wasting unnecessary energy making (sometimes hundreds of) attempts to clear an obstacle. It also doesn't solve the problem of downstream migration of smolts (and hugely amplified predation rates when they are stuck on the upstream side of weirs; with studies recording up to 80% losses of the entire smolt production of a river system at just a single, large weir) or the downstream transport and turnover of cobble and gravel material (essential for maintaining good habitat downstream). There's more info here if you're interested: www.wildtrout.org/wttblog/why-presume-remove-weirs-river-dove-case-study

[@southerneruk]

@@WildTroutTrust Well some good points, a weir is not that high, it should only be a few inches above early autumn water level, (when a river should be at its lowest point in the year) its shape is also very important, you bow a weir and the middle is lower than the outside edges, Yes I have seen those figures about the smolt being stuck, but the error in that article is that they are talking Dams and not weirs, Smolt will just go with the flow of the water, as for saying Salmon and sea trout can't jump, how do you think that they can get up 10 foot water falls, they jump as high as they can and try to swim the rest of the way, Salmon have been seen to clear 6 foot out of the water, but they can only do this if the water is deep enough. Yes they will get damage, but they will also get damage with just a rocky bed, the benefits of having a rocky bottom is so that the fish can get behind them and rest up in the dead water spot, but those same rocks can do just as much damage to fish if it is spook, and it turns round and goes full speed down river they will hit these rocks. What I would have done with that dam you remove in the vid, I would have dragon teeth the concrete, it would have done the same as rocks

[@fraserconnell21]

Great stuff😊. Love watching freshwater habitats of all kinds. Used to do lots of fishing but now I just love watching fish with my polarised glasses, can watch them for hours🙌👍🏼

[@WildTroutTrust]

Very cool Fraser.

[@MilmoWood]

Brilliantly put video. I've watched loads of these, be it here in the UK or other parts of the world. This is the only video I've seen showing & explaining the timeline of impact. Absolutely brilliant Who could not agree with this work when explained so eloquently.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Glad you enjoyed it and many thanks for taking the time to share your comment.

[@neilmcghee1016]

Nice report Paul

[@WildTroutTrust]

Cheers Neil.

[@RichardScovell-xz5nb]

Fantastic...gives you hope when people care & act

[@angusmcangus7914]

Marvelllous. More of this required to revive our rivers and streams.

[@gubermon5903]

Cant wait for the update video that shows improved fish quality/quantity and better ecosystems!

[@WildTroutTrust]

I'm personally looking forward to how this site and the watercourse upstream responds. There are talks of removing another barrier that is further upstream again (to open up even more of the historically-available headwater habitats). Paul

[@sharkinadark]

Great work ❤

[@nowbeing1]

Well done. Nature over technology.

[@pknowles1820]

Ultimately, the removal of the weir will improve the quantity of fish not only for recreational fishermen but also for commercial fishermen.

[@timshaw8187]

Well done everyone involved

[@HenryHobson-uc2bk]

what is the most amazing thing about this is the fact that salmon can consistently navigate through water for 1000's of miles to precise locations. It blows my mind, they dont have a sat nav or map and compass.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Scent apparently plays a big part in salmon recognising locations (and I don't know whether that explanation removes some of mystery or just makes it all the more remarkable!).

[@peterellis5311]

There must be a reason why they didn't just open up the bypass channel as the main stream but it doesn't say in the film.

[@WildTroutTrust]

There's the complexity of removing/modifying the structures which maintained the level of water in the side channel (more difficult and expensive to do). The side channel is also smaller and subject to more surrounding landowner interests - again increasing legal complexity and financial cost. Finally, the scope for not just removing the barrier - but also creating new and higher quality habitat was greater within the main channel than the old leat.

[@peterellis5311]

@@WildTroutTrust Thanks. As always there's more to it. Looks like they did a nice job with the brief as you have described. Fantastic that even in these times of poor regulation there's still salmon coming.

[@WildTroutTrust]

@@peterellis5311 It's always impossible to include all details and still maintain focus and tell an interesting story without overwhelming it with all the stuff you'd like to put in! Let's hope there can be enough benefits accumulated by helping when and where it's possible while remaining battles are fought over water quality and marine foodwebs.

[@peterellis5311]

@@WildTroutTrust Thanks. I kept wondering where all the micro-hydro schemes that seem to be going in these days fit with needing to improve fish passage. How do the two fit together?

[@andrewjones-productions]

Not only achieving the ecological goals it set out to meet, but it also looks far better! I suspect that not only wildlife, but humans too will now be attracted to the river and its natural inhabitants, when previously, it looked like nothing more than a man made untidy waterway.

[@WildTroutTrust]

All of the WTT staff went to visit the site this summer after the vegetation along the banks had greened up - and it certainly is a very attractive stretch of river (the installed riffles also had lots of flow loving invertebrate species - so it was great to see them move in and set up home so quickly).

[@rollingpinboy]

Question...Were the salmon spawning and recruiting below the weir 'before' the Weir was demolished in 2022 and before that between 1970 - 2022?

[@WildTroutTrust]

Some juvenile salmon have been found below the weir in "modern" times - showing that salmon are trying to access their historic (and much better) spawning grounds above the weir -but were previously having to try to scratch around and breed where they could. No juvenile or adult salmon had been found in modern surveys ABOVE the weir. With this removal (114 miles from the sea) over 17 miles of much higher quality spawning habitat have been opened up (which is highly significant to the populations of critically endangered Atlantic Salmon - but also ALL species which migrate to shallow spawning habitats). There are future phases of work being planned to increase connectivity further by tackling the next upstream barrier(s). Having that network of higher-quality habitat is an obvious benefit and insurance against local pollution events and other impacts (as well as restoring the available area of habitat to a bit closer to previous levels that existed for the vast majority of the time since the last ice age). A less obvious benefit is that the removal of the weir in this project - combined with the nature-like river bed put in place to reconnect the upstream and downstream channels - have also significantly improved the habitat for a huge range of river corridor species - including "resident" fish, invertebrates plus terrestrial and aquatic predators of those invertebrates. Overall, a greater degree of resilience to impacts has been created.

[@NicholasShanks]

Can you do a video on the fish passage at Holme Pierrepont?

[@WildTroutTrust]

If someone will fund it...

[@hotbit7327]

Great project and great video explaining the problem and showing reconstruction of the river. 🐟🐠🐡 P.S. We're still technically in the ice age epoch! 🤔😁

[@sonnie6210]

I really appreciate the restoration of natural waterways and habitats. This brings a better balance to nature and the health of the world's environments. What does concern me is the replacement of energy source. If everything is going electric and our demand is increasing, Where's the power coming from?

[@charleswillcock3235]

I am sure there are lot more old weirs which could be lowered, removed or adapted to improve the migration of salmon etc. However, the part which caught my eye was the sediment removal. if anyone reading this knows more about using straw bales to trap silt I would be grateful to know. The reason my local golf course dredges out some ponds on the course every few years and they refill with the sediment carried in the river Cole. We are literally where the river starts which is nothing more than a stream. If there was a way of trapping the sediment before it fills the ponds that would be interesting to know.

[@WildTroutTrust]

There are companies who specialise in various kinds of silt/sediment control measures. If you google for things like "erosion and sediment control", "silt curtains", "silt control", "bubble curtains". However, it is likely that you'd need to definitively map the input routes and sources (such as surface-runoff pathways). If the source of the Cole is continually carrying a huge sediment load then it's likely to be a pollution issue of the river itself - so tackling that before it enters the stream is likely to be most effective. Finally, how is the river connected to the golf course ponds? That sounds like a key issue.

[@charleswillcock3235]

@@WildTroutTrust many thanks for such a detailed reply. The Cole isn't a trout river. More a roach. Two ponds with a few roach in them. For the golf club the issue is the ponds silt up and then it costs a lot to dig them out to become ponds again which the river flows in to and then out of. We are literally at the head of the river and for some months of the year there can be no flow at all in the river. The main source of the silt are the farmers fields. The Cole does end up in the Trent eventually.

[@user-zu6qn9ux9n]

The fishing fleet that fishes Atlantic salmon has decimated the salmon run. During covid when the boats weren’t fishing was the best run of salmon in Irish rivers for many years. The boats make a mockery of anglers not being allowed to keep even 1 fish a season.

[@johnbooth3073]

Wonderful job, how many other weirs and dams have been noted as necessary to be removed ? How many can be ? How many have been removed or bypassed to allow trout and salmon to reach their traditional spawning grounds ? I know that’s a lot of questions but I feel sure that you have the data.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Hi John, there is an ongoing movement spanning many different organisations to identify, prioritise and tackle barriers in UK rivers. Just one cog in that machine is the WTT programme of "Advisory Visits" where the full range of habitat features required for Spawning, Juvenile and adult trout lifecycle stages are assessed to identify problems. This also maps onto identifying threats to the many species of plants and animals making up the wider food web in river corridors (terrestrial and aquatic) that support fish populations - including Atlantic salmon. As covered in the video, the impact of a weir isn't just confined to the barrier to migration effect - the "ponding" of water on the upstream side of a weir interrupts the turnover and formation of habitat such as spawning gravel beds - so it's important to consider these issues in the round. In many cases there are significant financial, cultural and structural challenges that can make weir removal extremely difficult - but the level of understanding in conversations negotiating for improvements has increased sharply in recent years. At the same time, the challenges of effectively managing the benefits and risks of species reintroductions (e.g. beavers) is a constantly evolving area. As one example, it is useful to think of beavers as "effect magnifiers" - in good quality river corridor habitat they can bring further ecological resilience and habitat diversity. In habitat which is already structurally constrained and impacted, they can potentially magnify those negative impacts and increase the fragmentation of habitat. The WTT is working hard to contribute to the development of policies and practical measures for the ecologically beneficial assessment and management of beaver dams in parallel with identifying and prioritizing human-made structures.

[@johnbooth3073]

Thanks for your detailed response, I have seen some excellent videos of larger scale projects in USA as well. Keep up the great work. Where can I keep up to date with your progress.

[@NSBarnett]

Very nice video!

[@WildTroutTrust]

Really happy you enjoyed it, thank you for letting us know.

[@tonyross6506]

Great video great outcome

[@chrismoyler]

Very very exciting project! Any downsides noted thus far?? Tky for the video. I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to further updates.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Hi Chris, thanks for the feedback. The biggest challenge so far has been the site being battered by Storm Babet! Repair works have been undertaken and I’d like to do some follow ups on the project over time.

[@stefanvanvuuren3931]

Amazing! I wish we could see more of this on the EU mainland. There are barely any rivers that aren't blocked every 10 km.

[@WildTroutTrust]

In many UK "post industrial" rivers there are often weirs every 200 to 500m... It is a huge issue and much less visible than giant hydroelectric dams.

[@wayne3006]

Hopefully the water companies will refrain from putting sewage in there too.

[@WildTroutTrust]

The three legs of the stool (water quality, water flow and high quality accessible habitat) are all needed so rivers don't fall over and die.

[@PhilJonesIII]

@@WildTroutTrust I sincerely hope you are right in that respect. The government (rather quietly) sanctioned water companies to pollute rivers with excess untreated sewage. I fear that the profits of these companies are finding their way into the pockets of the very people that have that control.

[@mnp3713]

I Denmark we did this 20 years ago and now Skjern river have europes only growing salmon stock

[@bloggalot4718]

Are there any similar plans in other parts of the U.K.?

[@WildTroutTrust]

Yes, for instance if you scroll through to Harriet's comment on this video there is one example.

[@WildTroutTrust]

For example, here's a post about 6 weirs removed by West Wales Rivers Trust recently: www.linkedin.com/posts/harriet-alvis-06510262_this-week-we-removed-6-weirs-at-west-wales-activity-7114177150450028544-_Byp#:~:text=Harriet%20Alvis'%20Post&text=Close%20menu-,This%20week%20we%20removed%206%20weirs%20at%20West%20Wales%20Rivers,to%20remove%20weirs%20like%20this.

[@pavlosjoller4324]

Great idea great result can only happen when people care enough

[@bavondale]

great vid. lots of diagrams and simulation

[@WildTroutTrust]

Glad you liked it!

[@mirage4014]

could have turned those lumps of concrete into benches and a table by the river as well! Good job anyyways

[@allanegleston4931]

eggscllent. would love to see a progress report in say 3 years. kudos to the team effort. also being a little cheeky here , wild salmon? are there tame salmon?

[@WildTroutTrust]

Cheers Allan...Not cheeky at all -There are both farmed salmon (escapees) and also sometimes "supportively bred" (hatchery origin) salmon. Sadly both of those "non-wild" sources of salmon end up reducing the local adaptations and damage the favourable genetics that are maintained in wild populations subject to natural selection and associative mating with a degree of mate-choice in the wild.

[@dpeter6396]

Outstanding!!!

[@WildTroutTrust]

Thank you!

[@FinolaMulholland]

Inspiring !!!!!

[@WildTroutTrust]

Working on the video gave a much better appreciation of my colleague Tim's efforts and that of the whole project and all the partners.

[@glynluff2595]

Interesting. Now what happens when the beavers build a dam? This will happen at some point. Presumably when coast protection and river barriers go in to prevent coastal flooding fish ladders will be installed.

[@WildTroutTrust]

One of the (many) policies the WTT is currently engaged in advising on is the development of best practices for assessment and management of beaver dams.

[@robdogwalker]

Good to see obsolete and dated dams etc removed.Just need to stop sewage discharges and water companies emptying the rivers.I know we need water,but there is too much being taken.

[@karencarpenter8275]

Let’s just hope this dam removal isn’t the reason why the Ecclesbourne river reached record heights this week flooding property upstream of this dam. The backwash from the Der went used to stop at this weir.

[@WildTroutTrust]

If flooding upstream is ever caused by the Derwent backing up, then the weir would be completely irrelevant since the vertical height difference from the top of the constructed riffles within the limits of the site shown is the same as the previous crest of the weir.

[@geoffreylee5199]

Good move guys!

[@shrevesoule3567]

Wonderful.

[@HoneyMarketingBoard]

Great Job. Nature will do the rest.

[@derrickhale3125]

A good project but one that shows a lack of research and "joined up thinking". The River Ecclesbourne is a mere trickle of what it was due to Lead mine drainage. Even by 1787 much of the flow would have been diverted by soughs (mine drainage levels), opening into the River Derwent well upstream of Duffield. Those "productive spawnings grounds" disappeared long ago. The Ecclesbourne is now not much more than a brook running through a wide river valley. The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust undertook an Ecclesbourne restoration project not so many years ago, smoothing out obstructions, installing artificial Otter holts (which probably deserves more comment) and celebrating the presence of native White Clawed Crayfish. I recall from that a failure to identify the actual source of the Ecclesbourne and some potential abstraction and pollution hazards, though problems with Wirksworth sewerage works and cross connections in the town were noted. Removing Snake Lane weir will make it easier for Signal Crayfish, which infest the River Derwent, to access the higher reaches of the Ecclesbourne, damaging the overall aquatic ecology and by predation and spreading disease wipe out the native Crayfish stocks. Measures are taken on the Upper Derwent and its tributaries to control Signal Crayfish and should be taken here. Duffield is not the only target for Salmon returning from Greenland. This is a rather silly claim - the fish taking a sharp left turn when there are miles of potential spawning grounds straight upstream. These fish do spawn in the lower parts of the Ecclesbourne and in the main river near its confluence with the Derwent but also travel well upstream and are known to spawn in the Derbyshire Wye, a Derwent tributary. Strangely, in correspondence I had with the Wild Trout Trust, this fact was denied, as was my fish recognition skills when I mentioned catching juvenile Salmon in the Derwent upstream of Matlock. A project which attracts good publicity, for aiding the return of Salmon and for the organisations involved in it. But, it exagerates the benefits, along with the actual length of the River Ecclesbourne and diverts attention from other issues and potential projects.

[@WildTroutTrust]

I don’t really agree with your analysis. There is demonstrably (look on the map) good, sinuous river channel habitat upstream of the weir. A major point of the removal was to specifically benefit species other than fish (did you see the part of the video where previously impounded, uniform habitat is now being used by a much wider range of terrestrial species as well as aquatic ones that previously had no use for the artificial, uniform habitat created by the weir?)…Signal crayfish simply walk round or even climb up weirs - so leaving it in place would be completely ineffective as a means of slowing their spread. Never is it claimed that Duffield is the sole destination for Salmon - merely that they HAD previously been journeying up beyond there for over ten thousand years until that barrier was built very recently when viewed on that mind boggling timescale (something many people find remarkable). To suggest that there’s more than enough spawning habitat (with a uniformly low risk of pollution) isn’t correct; so there is a clear and highly significant benefit of creating a wider, connected patchwork of potential spawning sites - especially for locally-adapted breeding sub-populations. Providing opportunities for that site selection specialisation can help maintain genetic diversity that may, otherwise, be diluted away when forced to spawn in other parts of the catchment. Think of it as diversifying your risk in an investment portfolio - both in habitat types and genetic variation terms. Other points come to mind, but I wonder what the motivation/agenda might be for the, not factually correct, polemic? Paul.

[@derrickhale3125]

@@WildTroutTrust Hello Paul, We have met and I am sorry that we might appear to be in conflict over this issue. We do agree on some points - maintaining genetic diversity and diversifying risk for example. You have stated that "the goal of the Salmon is to reach the productive spawning grounds of the Ecclesbourne", suggesting more than strongly that this is their sole destination. Your stated timescale ignores the range of events which have reduced or even halted the migration of Salmon throughout the River Trent catchment and specifically the River Ecclesbourne. As you say, many people will find the stated timescale remarkable but it is very much a "red herring" in this fishy discussion. I am aware of the less desirable abilities of Signal Crayfish but something was helping to protect the River Ecclesbourne White Clawed Crayfish population. My suggestion was to take active steps to protect the river from further invasion now that has to some extent have been facilitated. With regard to the River Ecclesbourne and your instruction to "look at the map" where I am sitting writing this comment is just over one mile from the river. If I stepped out of the door and walked to the edge of the village I would be able to see the course of the river in the valley bottom. I travel most of the length of the river several times each week. Your - "sinuous river channel" might begin to account for actual river length, which on the map is only a little over eight miles. I fish several stretches of the river and walked another section of it for the first time earlier this week. I have some insights into the hydrology of the area and have even visited the soughs I mention in my previous comment. Wirksworth has streets named after wells, which dried up as the water table was lowered. You question my motivation and agenda but I have stated facts as I know them, from research and practical experience. I stand by what I have written as an accurate, honest account. Now I have to ask you - why the does the Wild Trout Trust wish to deny the presence of spawning Salmon in the higher reaches of the Derbyshire Derwent and its tributaries? I had met this before our exchange here. Stating the "goal" (your word) of returning Salmon is the Ecclesbourne gives weight to your video but is not wholly true. To suggest that anglers and others are not being truthful regarding their observations and experiences is actually quite offensive.

[@vicentefernandez-nespralbertra]

👏👏👏

[@CartoType]

An inspiring project. I wish, however, that the video had not been marred by so many silly effects and intrusive music. Telling it straight would have worked better.

[@GoofieNewfie69]

Nice job but very a expensive fish ladder

[@WildTroutTrust]

Not really - an average technical fish pass (fish ladder) is somewhere in the region of £250,000 to £300,000 and they are a last resort (because they don't work equally for all species, and if they are 75% passable they are doing well). Plus fish ladders do nothing for the habitat and re-establishment of riverbed material transport or downstream migration of fish (no point getting adult salmon up to spawning grounds if the juveniles cant get back out to sea). For context, you only need very few consecutive barriers (6 to 8) that are 75% passable before you approach zero fish reaching the spawning grounds...

[@GoofieNewfie69]

@@WildTroutTrust I guess when the claim the salmon spawning stocks are increasing on the west coast of north amercia because of ladders, it's not true

[@jebbo-c1l]

free the salmon!

[@klaastijsen5315]

A river is free again!

[@bobkoroua]

Why didn't they just add a fish ladder to the existing structure?

[@WildTroutTrust]

Short answer is: Because fish ladders only help a low percentage of fish (and don't work equally for different fish species). Fish ladders also don't help downstream migration of fish or reverse the negative impacts on the habitat quality and bed material transport caused by holding back the water behind the weir.

[@bobkoroua]

@@WildTroutTrust Short and succinct. Very interesting video thank you.

[@rosewhite---]

Salmon have only been making this journey for 4,100 years - 200 years after The Flood reshaped the Earth's crust.

[@SOWBHAGYA-wp6vx]

😢

[@jo_clarke1960]

This is only of any good if the dumping of industrial waste is stopped.

[@WildTroutTrust]

Would you say that projects such as this increase or decrease the pressure to tackle pollution - when pollution becomes the last remaining problem? The reverse argument could also be put forward "there's no point reducing pollution until habitat quality and connectivity are improved". In either case, the net effect would make it far too convenient to do nothing.

[@Franky46Boy]

The Ocean migration of Atlantic salmon is not only to and fro the waters around Greenland. There many more feeding areas in the North-Atlantic were salmon are foraging. Apart from that: I am all for dam removal!

[@0rchy]

We are led to believe that salmon are in decline, and all fishermen in England and Wales must return any fish caught. When I first heard of old waterwheel mill dams being removed to allow fish upstream, as a fisherman, I was in awe of the enormous undertakings. However, that would soon change with the introduction of stupidity. Am I the only person seeing absurdity in the UK's dam removals? Now that they've removed the dams, British Wildlife Organisations have allowed the introduction of the Beaver, which has become widespread in Scotland, England, and Wales. So, all the work done to remove the dams at huge costs is in vain, as the Menacing Rat will not only undo all the work but will also require constant maintenance throughout their lives. Who will pay for the upkeep of the annoying rats? If not British taxpayers, it shouldn't be the fishermen of England and Wales via club memberships and licences, as Scotland is exempt from the latter and was the first to introduce the Menacing rat back to UK waters.

[@750triton]

I am not one those riding the green agenda bandwagon but I do support this kind of work to restore rivers. Partly for fish and wildlife, partly as flood prevention. Great to see the fish returning. Thanks for putting words in to action

[@markhepworth]

“The green agenda bandwagon”..? 😂 You mean people who care about the environment..?

[@750triton]

@@markhepworth Did you not notice the part where I said I care about the environment? You may be on that bandwagon but that doesn't make it exclusively for those of your ilk

[@markhepworth]

@@750triton Your use of the word “bandwagon” is the bit I’m laughing at mate,who exactly is on a “bandwagon”..? You either give a shit about the environment,or you don’t..🤷‍♂️

[@nihilmiror6312]

👍👏👏👏😎🇦🇺🦘