An ancient Cumbrian river - left dry by water engineers almost 100 years ago - is set to trickle back to life once again. United Utilities is planning to turn the taps on to Helvellyn Gill in a bid to re-create the fertile spawning grounds once enjoyed by species like salmon, trout and lamprey.
The scheme is part of a £5 million programme of work across Cumbria which the water company hopes will improve river habitats, especially the success rate of breeding fish.
United Utilities project manager Simon Povey said:
"For millennia, Helvellyn Gill ran from its source on the slopes of the mountain Helvellyn into what is now Thirlmere reservoir, collecting water from other mountain streams as it meandered along the valley.
"However in 1917 water engineers, anxious to catch as much of the pure rain water flowing off the hillsides as possible, constructed an artificial channel called Mill Gill to catch it and take it straight to the reservoir. This deprived the lower reaches of Helvellyn Gill of most of its water in all but the wettest years.
"Our plan is to install a bed screen into Mill Gill which will pass forward at least three megalitres of water into Helvellyn Gill every day. We will also install an additional spate release valve which will mimic the effect of autumn storms in Helvellyn and act as a seasonal signal to the fish that it's time to mate."
United Utilities has worked closely with the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Lake District National Park to ensure the work is done with minimal effect on the sensitive local environment, which is near a designated special area of conservation and close to an area of archaeological interest. An ecologist will be on site throughout construction to keep a watching brief. Special measures will be taken to protect reptiles, breeding birds and any buried archaeology during construction work .
The scheme is part of United Utilities' £2.9 billion five year programme to improve water quality and the environment by 2010.
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