News
Using story maps to turn evidence into action
The Irwell Catchment Partnership has developed a catchment ‘story map’ to help partners interrogate evidence and turn it into action on the ground. The story map, along with the partnership’s vision and terms of reference, will serve as the overall Catchment Management Plan, driving evidence-based delivery to further improve the…
Brown trout found in restored River Medlock
An award-winning scheme which restored a stretch of the River Medlock has been further boosted after juvenile brown trout were found in the watercourse. Previously known as the Red River, the Medlock underwent a £250,000 transformation at Clayton Vale which re-naturalised the waterway to encourage habitats for wildlife. Juvenile brown…
Natural Course hosts EU monitor visit
On 15th May, the EU LIFE Programme monitor visited the Natural Course project to get an update on progress and visit some project sites. After a general update on project outcomes and plans for the future, the team took the monitor to visit the SuDS project developed by United Utilities…
New street trees on Prestwich High Street to tackle surface water flooding
20 trees including cherry, field maple and sweetgum have been planted as part of a £2 million Bury New Road regeneration programme and the EU LIFE funded Natural Course project. The new street trees have been planted to help tackle surface water flooding, as well as improve the look and…
Pioneering green drainage scheme could save Manchester millions
Jumping in puddles has taken on new meaning at one Manchester primary school after experts stepped in to help stop rain being a drain on school budgets. In a scheme which could save millions if replicated across Manchester, with thanks to funding through the Natural Course project, a team headed…
Opportunities and challenges offered through the latest water company price review explored during River Irwell catchment workshop
Natural Course partners and other stakeholders met on Wednesday 19th July 2017 to discuss the opportunities for collaborative working, across the Irwell catchment, offered through the latest water company price review (PR19) in a workshop hosted by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The economic regulator for water, OFWAT, requires all…
Detailed evidence base assembled to help understand issues and opportunities within the River Irwell Catchment
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has recently published the outputs of a study which helps Irwell Catchment Partnership members and others to understand the water quality issues within the River Irwell catchment and the opportunities to make water quality improvements. The Evidence & Measures study brings together existing data packages,…
11 Historic facts about the River Irwell
The Irwell is a significant feature to Greater Manchester and it’s history is renown across the world. Natural Course hopes to focus predominantly on the River Irwell in the first stage of the programme, pulling together organisations in the area to plan and implement improvement measures to help the water…
What can wet woodlands do for our urban environment?
In June 2016, as part of the Natural Course project, City of Trees created a wet woodland in the heart of Salford to help improve the failing water quality of the Worsley Brook. A year on and the wet woodland is now thriving with greenery and wildlife is returning to…
The natural course of the River Irwell
It is strange to think that it was just over a century ago, the River Irwell was the main source of drinking water for Manchester and Lancashire. Now the Irwell is listed to be at a ‘poor’, or at best, ‘moderate’ ecological status, so where did it all go wrong?…