13th July 2020

The spiling and the seeded slopes are looking healthy. The spiling has trapped river debris and protected the fields and damage to the bank has been prevented. The spiling is actually accreting material and doing a good self-build job. Next post will be about coppicing as we're getting close to its fourth season.

19th February 2020 post flood

After the two storms, Ciara and Dennis during which the level of the Aire rose to 2.62 and then 2.26, logs and other large debris were washed onto the spiling. The willow growth seems to have been flattened but has stopped the debris' progress towards the bridge. To add to that, there is no visible scouring and although it has clearly taken some huge forces, the 50m of basketwork reamins intact and secure. Awesome.

21st October 2018 A year on

Nearly a year on from planting. The planting and new bank shape have survived flood and severe drought. The leaves are ready to drop and during low water, we will be able to inspect the stream side.

9th March 2018

Spring, and the spiling has survived high flows. Here are Environment Agency staff having a look. The bottom curve which takes the brunt of the river's energy, initially suffered some scouring but now is accumulating material including large pebbles. Also, it's nice to see the bare earth beginning to green over.

4th January 2018

High winter river levels bring debris floating downstream. The spiling is collecting debris and where grass is growing (already) the soil has stayed in place. One area that takes the most pressure has caught debris but behind, top-soil is being washed away. This is a problem that needs addressing.

22nd October 2017

Heavy rain brought high water but work continued. Matthew, John and Ian start weaving in the lengths of willow. The lengths were woven into place and pressed down to the river bed using the technigue of standing on them. There's our post driver bottom left.

Hand tools! We took a very gentle approach to the river banks to avoid unnecessary disturbance. Machinery would have done too much damage and destabilised the banks.

18th October 2017

Forest of Bradford volunteers start driving in fence posts, 1m apart. Initially a pilot hole is made using a crowbar. The posts are then sunk by hand to a minimum depth of 18 inches into the river bed. A big bloke called Josh worked without much rest for several days driving in about 90 posts. Our Wendy (5'3") had a go but couldn't actually lift the post driver.

The spiling solution: a profile

The solution is to sacrifice some land to create a gentle slope that will allow flow to wash up it rather than batter against it. Willow, which will root quickly and grow, will be woven along the banks and low scrub vegetation encouraged beween the rows of willow. Roots will bind the soil, foliage will slow down the flow in high levels and the basketwork will act as a protection while nature establishes itself. The whole thing will create new habitat as well as protecting the bank.

Site plan

Summer 2016, an arial image from Google. It shows the river flowing towards the right where the bridge is. The meander is clearly visible in the lower half of the image, heading towards the bridge.

2015 December bridge threatened

14th December 2015 at BD16 1LT . Standing on the Millennium Way looking towards the Bailey bridge you can see how an eroding scoop on the river bank is progressing downstream. That's the way meanders travel! It's threatening the bridge pier. The bank is vertical and relatively soft compacted silt.

November 2015 bank erosion

2015 November. Bank erosion at BD16 1LT looking upstream from the Bailey bridge at the sports fields. The Millennium Way runs along this river bank. You can see how water pressure has pushed back the turf in places and in other places where the bank has eroded, turf has held the soil in place but it is left dangling down the bank. Such is the power of vegetation roots to bind soil.