Fish & Eel Pass Progress, July 24

The main construction works on the Fish & Eel Pass are complete, finishing touches like handrailing and a small debris deflector are needed before the structure can be put into use but there’s light at the end of the tunnel now.

The progress photos show the structure with the eel pass on the right (looking uphill) which has had all the peg tiles installed and is now covered by a mesh walkway for maintenance access, and the fish pass on the left with the resting pool roughly halfway.

Fencing, supporting gabion baskets of stone and soil backfill have all been completed recently along with the internal tiles on each pass.

Fish & Eel Pass Progress, May 24

Following the successful concrete pour and a spell of good weather, progress has been storming ahead! Gabions (wire baskets of stone) have been installed to support the banks and the areas behind the gabions have been backfilled with soil to bring back the original ground levels. The lower gabion on the southern side (nearest the bank) will also prevent pooling in what would otherwise be a ‘dead end’ for the fish and eels using the pass. 

Upcoming activities include filling the space between the gabion baskets at the lower end of the eel pass channel with stone. Looking further ahead, we will be installing the tiles designed to optimise the water flow characteristics in both channels to make passage up the pass as easy as possible for the different species.

April/May 2024 Progress Update (Fish & Eel Pass Concreting)

Following the portadam issues in February the site was temporarily stood down awaiting more favourable conditions in which to attempt the final concrete pour. The project team reviewed weather reports and flow data on a weekly basis searching for a reducing trend that would indicate an opportunity to return to site.

Remobilisation commenced towards the end of April, the portadam was reset and the working area drained down and preparations were made for the major concrete pour, cleaning down the structure and reinstalling the shuttering.

The concreting was successfully completed last week so the main structure is finally taking shape!

FIsh & Eel Pass Progress Update

Hi everyone, just a short update this week to let you know that works have slowed again due to the continuing heavy rainfall and the effects of high water in the river. Works had been going well and the concrete installation was almost complete with just one major concrete pour left to go.

Unfortunately it’s just not possible to make progress in the current conditions and the portadam has been breached again (see photos). We’re monitoring river and rainfall data looking for the next opportunity to reset and pump out the dam so the remaining concreting can go ahead.

The site flooded again in December pushing progress back a little, but fantastic efforts again by the team in the new year have brought us to the point of completion of the steel framework, ready for a major concrete pour next week. Fingers crossed for good weather for the next few days!

The challenging weather has had few let ups in recent weeks which has pushed the lower portadam up to and beyond its limits on more than one occasion. The team on site have all worked so hard to achieve whatever progress they can through these very difficult conditions.  It’s remarkable what has been accomplished already given the challenges, and we’re hoping to have another round of concreting completed at the lower end of the structure before the Christmas break.  Let’s hope for some dry and stable weather into the New Year!

The attached photographs show the various stages of progress from the last few weeks at each end of the installation, plus a snapshot of the flooded portadam this week.

Fish & Eel Pass Progress Update, October 23

All the excavation works have been completed under a watching brief with a professional archaeologist. The excavation zone adjacent to the weir would in all likelihood have been dug over during the creation of the structure in the mid-20^th Century, so as expected, no artifacts of historical interest were discovered.

The recent wet weather has provided challenging conditions for the portadam in the pond below the weir, so this week the team have focussed on installing sheet piling at the top end of the fish pass at the upper river where the ground is dry.

Next week the lower portadam will be drained again with the aid of a larger pump (powered by a quiet electrical generator) which should enable the lower end piling to commence.

Fish & Eel Pass Progress Update, September 23

The fish pass team have been on site for about a month now and have achieved great progress. The site is all setup, the trackway for access has been installed, tree stumps removed and protective fencing has been placed around the trees that are remaining to make sure vehicles can’t encroach into their root protection zones.

This week we have started to install a ‘portadam’ in the upper river and the lower pond which will provide a dry working area, enabling the team to start excavating to create the trench where the fish pass will be inserted. We’ll have an archaeologist on site next week observing the excavation works to see if there are any interesting historical artifacts uncovered.

The attached photos show the trackway, tree protection fence and the installation process for the portadam.

Hi everyone, just a very quick update today to let you know that the construction works on the Fish Pass will be starting on site from next week, 21st August. Further updates will follow as the work progresses.

Works on the Fish Pass and Eel Screens on the River Blackwater are progressing, the main contractor for the Fish Pass installation has been appointed and they are planning to undertake some pre-start surveys during the next 3-4 weeks, with the aim of mobilising to begin construction in August.  More updates will follow as dates are firmed up.

Detailed designs for the new eel screens for the Blackwater Intake are almost complete which will enable the planning application for the works to be submitted, hopefully also in August. You may have noticed a bit more activity in the area recently as we've been carrying out several surveys for ecology, arboriculture and constructability, as well as making plans for a new access track and power supply. If planning permission is achieved the main construction works for this project will begin in 2024.