Essex Rivers Hub

There is a water treatment plant present on this stretch of river and there appears to be a possible channel diversion around this so it becomes very straight. However along other parts of this stretch it is more natural with meanders present. The channel can become choked with large amounts of vegetation with some large reed beds in places. There are good buffer strips of vegetation separating the arable land from channel.

The area (land use)

The dominant land use for this stretch of river is arable.

No livestock were recorded.

Channel characteristics

The river channel consists of mainly silt, and riffles are present.

At the time of recording the flow of water was slow and the channel was 2-5m / 5-10m wide and <0.5m / 0.5-1m in depth.

For most of this stretch the channel profile is steep.

Bankside trees were abundant, marginal plants and in-channel plants are abundant. Woody debris was noted to be rare.

Engineering

The channel has not been straightened and man-made enhancements are absent along this stretch of river.

Field drains were recorded as present and barriers / culverts are present.

Condition

Areas of trampling / poaching were absent and areas of erosion were present at the time of the survey.

Wildlife

During the survey banded demoiselles, mallard, long eared owl, jay, tortoise shell butterfly and large white butterfly were recorded.

• < River Mardyke walkover map
• < River Mardyke walkover list

RBD/catchment/river/tributary

River Mardyke

Date completed

Jun-13

Upstream Grid ref

TQ6083286753

Downstream Grid ref

TQ6178884922