July 2025

Words from the Chair

As the hot weather continues, much of our natural environment is coming under increased stress. Parts of the UK have already declared a drought and hosepipe restrictions are being imposed in some areas.

River flows are dropping dramatically, and water temperatures are rising threatening aquatic species and fish.

Against this background, it is heartening to see the work being done by our partners installing leaky debris dams to retain water, strategic tree planting to increase light and shade to keep water cooler, and many other initiatives to make our watercourses more resilient to extreme weather.

A big thank you to all our volunteers.

At a national strategic level, Sir Jon Cunliffe’s Final Report (JULY2025), makes interesting reading.

The wide-ranging report by the Independent Water Commission sets out 88 recommendations for the UK’s water sector, including several that directly support local collaboration and catchment-based approaches. For more information , see below.

Dr Richard Cresswell MBE
Chair, Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership

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Community Group Spotlight-The Thornbury Orchard Group

On a (very!) warm summer’s day at the end of June, the BACP had the pleasure of joining a work party for the Thornbury Orchard Group; a collection of hardworking and passionate volunteers. We enjoyed getting to know some of the team and see the varied work taking place. Although it wasn’t all chatting, eating biscuits and the Orchard’s very own cherries; we enjoyed assisting with the clearing of overgrown vegetation and some occasional wheelbarrowing too!

Part of Sustainable Thornbury, the Thornbury Orchard Group manages an historic orchard, wildflower meadow, and bee bank using traditional, sustainable methods. Furthermore, the team continually work on improving the Pickedmoor Lane Stream that runs through the site. Biodiversity is thriving, with increasing sightings of rare and red-listed species. The group also enhances visitor experience with informative signage and continues to seek support through donations and grants.

In 2024, the Thornbury Orchard group received funding from the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership Fund to enhance the riparian corridor of the Pickedmoor Lane Stream through monitoring water quality by citizen science and enhancing bankside biodiversity. We look forward to hear how their plans progress.

A big thank you to John and Eileen Mills from Thornbury Orchard Group for having us. Volunteers meet twice monthly to maintain the site and if you would like to read more about this community group or get involved, please visit here.

Holly and Janine in the Orchard

Morello cherries from the Orchard

John planting Yellow Flag Iris

Are there any community groups in the Bristol Avon catchment that you think need a mention or could be supported by the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership? Please let us know!

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Catchment News

West of England Combined Authority - Local Growth Plan

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is developing a bold 10-year Local Growth Plan to unlock the region’s full potential. This strategy is designed to drive sustainable economic growth, create high-quality jobs, and boost productivity across the region.

A thriving natural environment is essential to this vision. Nature supports our wellbeing, strengthens the economy, improves public health, and helps communities adapt to climate change. It must be at the heart of our growth - not treated as an optional extra.

Key priorities of the plan include:

· Supporting local businesses and attracting investment

· Expanding skills and employment opportunities

· Improving transport and infrastructure

· Driving innovation in high-growth sectors

· Embedding environmental sustainability in all areas of growth

Residents and businesses are encouraged to take part in a short online consultation, open until the end of July 2025. This is your chance to shape the region’s future by sharing your views on the opportunities, challenges, and priorities that matter most.

Take part in the consultation here.

Water quality concerns uncovered in South Bristol Streams

Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART), in partnership with WildFish’s SmartRivers programme, has revealed significant water quality issues across five South Bristol watercourses. The project used macro-invertebrate monitoring to assess ecological health in Ashton Brook, Pigeonhouse Stream, Malago Brook, Colliter’s Brook, and Brislington Brook.

Key findings:

Colliter’s Brook showed the healthiest conditions with high biodiversity.
Brislington Brook and Pigeonhouse Stream exhibited high levels of pollution and low biodiversity.
Malago and Ashton Brooks had moderate to poor ecological health.
Chemical pollution and siltation were major concerns across all sites (apart from Colliter’s Brook).

BART plans to engage stakeholders to address these issues and integrate river health into broader urban planning.

Read more here and find the summary report here.

Brislington Brook
Photo credit: Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART)

River restoration on the Bathford Brook

The Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) have documented a small-scale river restoration project on the Bathford Brook. This project aims to improve the ecological health of the brook by: reducing erosion and improving water quality, improve river morphology, create new habitats and increase local biodiversity.

Watch the video here.

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Events

Festival of Hope - Heal Somerset

Join a weekend of nature and connection at Heal Somerset on 26th – 27th July; a rewilding site transforming from dairy farm to thriving habitat. This is a free event for ages 18-25. Explore wildflower meadows, spot beavers, and learn about rewilding through talks, walks, and workshops. Enjoy creative sessions, games, a campfire dinner, and meaningful conversations with peers and experts passionate about climate and community.

Visit here for more information and booking.

Natural art family fun this summer - Wiltshire

The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (WWT) are hosting creative art sessions for all ages on their nature reserves this summer.

Visit here for details and booking.

2025 Melksham Food and River Festival

The Food and River Festival returns to King George V Park in Melksham on 30th-31st August. Now in its 10th year, the festival features: live music, activities on the River Avon, local stalls, and a delicious variety of food and drink for the family.

For more information, visit here.

Photo credit: Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (WWT)

The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) Annual Dinner 2025

The CIWEM Annual Dinner, will be taking place on 23rd September in London. Last held in 2019, this event offers the opportunity to reconnect, network and celebrate the achievements of the water and environmental sector in a truly iconic setting.

Book a ticket here.

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Wider News

Independent Water Commission: Final Report (July 2025)

The Independent Water Commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, has published a landmark report setting out 88 recommendations to overhaul the UK’s water sector. Several of these recommendations directly support local collaboration and catchment-based approaches. This report marks a pivotal moment for the UK’s water sector, aiming to deliver cleaner rivers, better services, and stronger environmental protection.

Key Recommendations:

Unified Regulation: Create a single water regulator in England by merging Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), and parts of the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England (NE).
Regional Water Authorities: Establish nine new bodies (eight in England, one in Wales) to lead on local water planning and investment, with representation from councils, catchment partnerships, health, agriculture, and consumers.
Support for Catchment-Based Approaches (CaBA): The report endorses the catchment-based approach as a vital framework for local, cross-sector collaboration. It calls for greater integration of catchment partnerships into planning and delivery, recognising their role in improving water quality, biodiversity, and community engagement.
Consumer Advocacy: Launch a new statutory consumer body to represent public interests and improve transparency.
Infrastructure Investment: Support £104 billion in upgrades over five years to tackle pollution, climate change, and population growth.
Legal Reform: Simplify water legislation and clarify government strategy to ensure long-term resilience and accountability.

The report, commissioned by the UK and Welsh governments, follows nine months of extensive consultation and over 50,000 public responses. The BACP contributed to this review and if you would like to read our input, please contact us.

Find the final report here.

New Drainage Standards to Tackle Pollution and Flooding

The UK Government has introduced updated national standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to reduce pollution, manage flood risk, and support nature recovery. These new guidelines encourage developers to integrate features like green roofs, rainwater harvesting, and permeable surfaces into new housing projects. The aim is to sustainably build 1.5 million homes while improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity, and creating more resilient communities.

Two Somerset farmers fined for river pollution

Two farmers in Somerset have been fined following separate incidents of river pollution:

A Taunton farmer was fined over £40,000 after potatoes and silt washed from his field during heavy rain, blocking the A358 and polluting a tributary of the River Tone. The runoff caused significant environmental damage to the Back Stream. The farmer pleaded guilty and has already paid substantial clean-up and compensation costs.
Another farmer was fined over £5,000 after slurry from an illegally constructed lagoon overflowed into the Oake Stream. Despite prior advice from the Environment Agency (EA) and plans to reduce pollution risk, the lagoon did not meet regulations. The farmer admitted fault and cooperated with the investigation.

These cases highlight the importance of compliant land management to protect our watercourses.

Capital Grants funding for farmers

The UK Government has launched a new round of Capital Grants funding worth £150 million to help farmers improve productivity while protecting the environment. The grants support projects like hedgerow planting, flood prevention, slurry storage upgrades, and water quality improvements. The scheme aims to make farms more resilient, profitable, and nature-friendly. Funding limits have been introduced to ensure fair access across more farms.

Building climate resilience at home and in the community

Climate change is already affecting our local environment with hotter summers, wetter winters, and more extreme weather. Avon Wildlife Trust shares practical ways to boost climate resilience; from planting native species and reducing hard landscaping to creating wildlife habitats and using permaculture principles.

Small actions like adding wildflowers, composting, or installing water butts can make a big difference. By working together, communities can create greener, cooler, and more flood-resilient spaces that benefit both people and wildlife.

Read the full article and explore tips here.

Community planting
Photo credit: Avon Wildlife Trust

Rivers Trust Impact Report 2024/25

Key achievements from the Rivers Trusts Movement in 2024/25 are showcased in the infographic below and can be found in the full report here.

The Rivers Trust also celebrates 20 years of action with a powerful showcase of river restoration and community engagement across the UK and Ireland and more highlights can be found in this year’s report.

The Rivers Trust movement in 2024/25 (Based on data provided by 47 member Trusts)
Image credit: The Rivers Trust

Water company fines to fund local environmental projects

The UK Government will reinvest over £100 million in fines from water companies into local projects aimed at cleaning up rivers, lakes, and seas. This funding, collected from penalties for environmental permit breaches (including illegal sewage spills) will support initiatives to reduce pollution and improve water quality across the country.

The move is part of a wider plan to hold polluters accountable, strengthen enforcement, and reset the water sector to better serve communities and the environment.

Creating ‘Avona’ – a river sprit puppet

A crowdfunding campaign has recently launched for the “Creating Avona” project; a community-led arts initiative in Bristol aiming to build a large river spirit puppet and raise awareness of river pollution. Through creative workshops in July–August 2025, participants will help construct and animate the puppet named ‘Avona’. Avona will debut in late August and appear at events including the Green Man Festival and World Rivers Day at Bristol Aquarium.

Find the online campaign here.