Marlborough’s first fish pass for the River Kennet is a step closer to being created, as the final design drawings have been completed been completed this week.
ARK’s Director Charlotte Hitchmough, director of Action for the River Kennet (ARK), revealed: “We’re really looking forward to getting into the river at Marlborough and opening up access for fish.”
“This is very important after the drought because at the moment there is no way fish can swim upstream to replace the fish population that died when the river dried up.”
“These steps we are creating will open up miles of river for fish to re-colonise.”
The project, which has funding from the Rivers Trusts, will change the ‘waterfall’ by the foot bridge between Kennet Place and Town Mill into a series of smaller steps, which fish will be able to swim up.
Alongside this ARK will carry out some habitat improvements, leaving the river faster-flowing and with more reeds and rushes along the banks. The changes will affect the river from the bridge outside the Mustard Seed Café down to Munchies Café.
Work is scheduled to take place in September, ahead of the separate flood alleviation work at Kennet Place.
