Essex Rivers Hub

Description of Section

Both banks are more natural than upstream sections with less management and tussocky grass. A footpath follows a natural trail sponsored by Basildon Council. There is an allotment next to the footpath and a small area near to the main road is fenced and used to graze ponies. The ponies have caused the banks to become trampled in places and created areas of overland run off.

The area (land use)

The dominant land use for this stretch of river is suburban.

Horses were the main livestock recorded.

Channel characteristics

The river channel consists of mainly gravel, and riffles are present.

At the time of recording the flow of water was slow and the channel was 2-5m wide and <0.5m in depth.

For most of this stretch the channel profile is steep.

Bankside trees were occasional, marginal plants and in-channel plants are frequent. Woody debris was noted to be rare.

Engineering

The channel has not been straightened and man-made enhancements are absent along this stretch of river.

Field drains were recorded as present and barriers / culverts are absent.

Condition

Areas of trampling / poaching were present and areas of erosion were present at the time of the survey.

Additional Information

Water was brown in colour which could signify that the silt content was high but could have been affected by recent rain. The banks are reinforced near bridges.

Wildlife

Sparrows were seen during the survey.