River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) identify which environmental improvements need to be undertaken in specific water bodies. These environmental improvements are grouped into similar activities.

There are at least 3 case study examples for each environmental improvement, which demonstrate how it could be implemented. These case studies can be found by clicking links to the left or by viewing each environmental improvement by group (below).

When you click on each of the environmental improvements listed on the left there will also be an explanation of what the environmental improvement involves, including:

• Case study examples on the right of the page
• An assessment of the mutliple benefits provided by each case study
• An indication of cost

Creating new compensatory habitat to mitigate for the impacts on habitats of FCERM schemes undertaken elswhere within a region/catchment. This group has one environmental improvement:

• Create compensatory habitat to offset impacts

Altering existing or adopting new operational maintenance strategies which benefit hydromorphology and ecology. This group includes nine environmental improvements:

• Develop a strategy to manage sediment in an appropriate way

• Manage invasive species

• Manage natural obstructions in the channel

• Manage vegetation appropriately

• Manage water levels appropriately

• Minimise disturbance to channel beds and banks

• Retain and improve existing water's edge and bankside habitats in modified watercourses

• Sensitive techniques for managing vegetation (beds and banks)

• Sensitive timing of vegetation management

Modifying structures or enhancing existing hard FCERM and land drainage infrastructure. Including changes to structures to improve ecological value and / or changes to the way structures are operated that can improve water flows, sediment transport and deposition processes. This group has four environmental improvements:

• Change structures, or the way they are operated, to reduce barriers to flow, sediment transport and fish and eel migration

• Manage the risk of fish and eels being trapped in pumps and turbines

• Preserve and improve water's edge and bank side habitats

• Remove or modify barriers to fish migration

Amending or enhancing structures used for drainage purposes to limit flow that may cause erosion or sediment issues. This measure relates to Internal Drainage Boards. This group has one environmental improvement:

• Reduce erosion caused by land drainage

Managing and restoring the natural form and function of the water environment. This applies to in-channel, coastal, estuarine, bankside, riparian and floodplain locations. This group has ten environmental improvements:

• Allow the river to flood its floodplain

• Improve channel geomorphology to create habitat

• Improve the channel bed within a culvert

• Realign flood defences to increase coastal and intertidal habitat

• Remove culverts

• Remove structures that are no longer needed

• Replace flood walls with earth banks

• Reposition or alter river embankments to create a natural floodplain

• Restore aquatic habitats in modified watercourses

• Use green engineering techniques instead of hard bank protection

Environment Agency RBMPs outline the environmental improvements needed to achieve good ecology in water bodies, more information can be found here:

• Environment Agency - River Basin Management Plans: Annexes C & E

For more information on RBMPs, please see the WFD section here.

• Black text = English mitigation measures

• Blue text = Scottish mitigation measures

• Green text = Northern Irish mitigation measures

• Healthy Catchments - managing water for flood risk and the Water Framework Directive

• Environmental improvements & case studies

• What is the WFD?

• Glossary