We can restart our computers with a simple ctrl-alt-delete, but how easy is it to do a full reset on a river? A year on from the completion of a three-year project on the National Trust’s Holnicote estate in Somerset, scientists say they’ve proven it can be done – and with impressive, lasting results.
In what was the UK’s first large-scale attempt to reset a river by reconnecting its waters with the surrounding floodplain, a 1.2km managed section of the river Aller was deepened and filled in. It transformed the area and created seven hectares – the equivalent of over 10 football pitches – of waterscapes and wetlands, which those behind the project say are vital for slowing water flow, storing carbon and providing homes for wildlife.
Almost immediately after completion in September 2023 the landscape was put to the test, during England’s wettest 18-month period on record. The newly rebooted area helped to slow the flow of water after several periods of heavy rainfall, helping to protect communities downstream from flooding.
