Smarter Water Catchment
The Chess Smarter Water Catchment project is tackling the issues which face the river and its catchment through partnership working.
The Chess Smarter Water Catchment project started in 2021 with the collective vision that by 2035 the Chess catchment will be a thriving, resilient and ecologically vibrant part of the Chilterns. The landscape will support a healthy balance between
nature and communities benefitting wildlife, farming and people that sustain the special qualitiesof this globally rare Chalk stream.
Work is well underway to make this happen, protecting landscapes, enhancing habitats and improving water quality and flow. But there is plenty more to do over the 10-year term of the project.
Landscape-scale solutions
The project is taking a ‘systems-based’ view of the environment, addressing multiple challenges and delivering landscape-scale solutions that make the most of bigger opportunities to aid nature’s recovery. The work is being led by stakeholders to make sure it reflects local needs and considers local knowledge.
Our objectives for the Chess catchment plan are linked to our key themes; these have been prioritised collaboratively through workshops with our partners.
Water quality objectives:
• Understand and address sources of nutrients in the River Chess
• Reduce the impact of harmful substances that could affect the health of the River Chess
Managing flows objectives:
• Increase flow resilience in the catchment by re-establishing natural morphological and hydrological processes
• Implement nature based solutions to address pollution, run-off and flood risk in the Chess catchment
Nature recovery objectives:
• All priority Invasive Non-Native Species under active control or eradicated from the Chess catchment
• Ensure wildlife can move more freely throughout the Chess catchment by improved condition, extent and connectivity of identified habitats
• Secure greater widespread adoption of measures to improve soil health
Working Together objectives:
• Continue to pioneer Citizen Science Work on the Chess which can be rolled out to other Chalk Streams
• Increase the engagement of local people to enhance and protect the Chess catchment
• Establish robust cross-sectoral collaborations that empower delivery partners to successfully implement landscape recovery initiatives.
Key Documents
Chess Catchment Management Plan
Citizen Science Report 2021-2025
Partners
This initiative is being funded by Thames Water and delivered by a mix of partners from statutory agencies, non-governmental organisations, water companies and academic institutions – all with an interest in the welfare of the Chess: Affinity Water, Buckinghamshire Council, Chilterns Chalk Streams Project,Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB), Chiltern Society, Environment Agency, Hertfordshire & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, Queen Mary University of London, River Chess Association, Sarratt Parish Council, and Thames Water.
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