Working with One Water to Restore Rivers in Shropshire

We’re pleased to be working with One Water to support river restoration at Norbury in Shropshire.

Their contribution forms part of the wider funding for a river and floodplain restoration project in the Shropshire Hills. With the Severn catchment important to One Water’s operations, the partnership gives the company a practical way to support river recovery close to home.

Why Water Stewardship, and Why Now?

One Water exists to help provide clean water and sanitation to communities around the world through The One Foundation. Supporting Naturalising Norbury brings that commitment to water into the landscape around its own operations.

Here in the UK, drought and heavy rainfall highlight the importance of healthy rivers and wetlands. They provide habitats for wildlife, help slow and store water and support the communities and businesses around them.

But agricultural drainage, pollution and changes to river channels have put these environments under pressure. Many watercourses have been straightened or disconnected from their floodplains, changing how water moves and reducing the variety of habitats along the way.

At Severn Rivers Trust, we work with landowners to understand these pressures and find practical ways to address them. Support from businesses such as One Water contributes to that work, bringing additional funding to projects with lasting local benefits.

At Norbury, the landowners’ willingness to take land out of agricultural production and make space for river and wetland restoration has been essential. A project of this scale would not be possible without their support and commitment.

“It’s great to see One Water supporting river restoration close to its own operations. Their contribution is helping us make more room for water and wildlife at Norbury, as part of a wider restoration project.

“We’d like more businesses to see what’s possible on their doorstep. There are plenty of ways to get involved, and we can help them find a project where their support will make a difference.”

Joe Pimblett, CEO, Severn Rivers Trust

What Has the Project Involved, and What Benefits Will It Deliver?

The work at Norbury has given water room to move, spread and slow, creating more places for wildlife to feed, shelter and breed as habitats develop.

Naturalising Norbury is a river and floodplain restoration project in Shropshire’s upper Onny catchment, part of the wider Severn catchment. Over the last couple of months, we have delivered the main restoration works within the approximately 12.5-hectare project area, with native planting to follow later this winter.

Decades of agricultural drainage and channel modification had altered how water moved through the landscape. Guided by historic mapping and detailed site assessments, the work has restored channel features and helped reconnect the watercourse with its floodplain: the surrounding land that naturally holds water when river levels rise.

The restoration includes:

• Restored channel features to create more varied flows and routes through the site. Careful, light-touch excavation has helped guide water into a network of channels and wetland areas.
• Floodplain reconnection to allow water to spread and slow across surrounding land during wetter periods.
• New pools and wetland scrapes, including shallow depressions that hold water seasonally. Different depths and water levels provide varied conditions for plants and wildlife.
• Livestock exclusion from the main watercourse, with carefully positioned fencing across the project area to help protect banks from trampling and reduce soil disturbance and animal waste entering the water directly.
• Native tree and shrub planting later this winter, including oak, hawthorn and goat willow. Groups of trees and shrubs alongside open wetland will provide shelter and cover as they grow, strengthening connections with existing vegetation.

Together, these changes are designed to bring lasting benefits to the local environment.

More Varied Habitats for Wildlife

Flowing water, pools, shallow wetlands and native planting each offer different conditions for wildlife. Bringing them together creates a complex mosaic of habitats, supporting a diverse range of species in a functioning, resilient landscape.

The developing habitats could provide suitable conditions for amphibians such as common frogs and smooth newts, as well as common blue damselflies. Wetland margins can offer feeding opportunities for birds such as lapwing and curlew, while trees and shrubs provide additional cover for songbirds and small mammals. Connecting these habitats can help wildlife move through the wider landscape.

Helping Protect Downstream River Habitats

As water slows across the floodplain and within wetland areas, soil particles carried from surrounding land have more opportunity to settle. This can reduce the amount of fine sediment travelling downstream, where it can smother riverbed habitats and carry excess nutrients that affect water quality.

Keeping livestock out of the main watercourse will reduce grazing and trampling pressure on bankside vegetation, helping it establish and recover. This vegetation can help hold soil in place. Together, these measures can benefit the water environment beyond the project’s boundaries.

More Space to Hold Water

The reconnected floodplain gives water more room to spread across the land during wet weather, while pools and wetland features provide additional opportunities for natural water storage.

Slowing water’s passage through the site can contribute to the wider catchment’s ability to cope with heavy rainfall. Rather than water being confined to a single channel, it has more opportunities to spread through the surrounding landscape.

Caring for the Restored Site

The initial works are only the start. As wetland vegetation establishes and winter planting matures, the site will continue to change.

We will carry out checks to confirm that agreed maintenance has been completed, as part of the project’s maintenance payment arrangements.

Get Involved

There are opportunities for other businesses to get involved too. If you’d like to support healthier rivers near where you work, we can help you find a project and understand what your contribution could achieve.

Get in touch with [email protected] to start a conversation.

About Severn Rivers Trust

Severn Rivers Trust is the only charity working across the entire River Severn, from source to sea. We deliver practical, science-led action to restore rivers, improve habitats and help wildlife and communities thrive.

Working with landowners, local people, businesses and partners, we are creating a healthier future for the River Severn and all those who depend on it.

About One Water

One Water helps to provide clean water and sanitation to communities around the world.

In 2005, they set out to change one life, one day at a time. Now, together with The One Foundation*, they have helped to raise over £30m and change the lives of over 5 million people by giving them access to safe, clean water.

One Water maximises the use of recycled materials and is the highest-scoring B Corp soft drinks brand in the world!

Follow @onewateruk or visit onewater.org.uk to find out more.

* The One Foundation is a UK Registered Charity No. 1118810