Restoration project named finalist in river awards

Cumbria's River Restoration Programme has received international recognition

A river restoration project has been named as a finalist for a prestigious international award.

The Cumbrian River Restoration Partnership Programme has been shortlisted for the Thiess International River Prize Awards for its work on almost 100km (62 miles) of rivers and 150 hectares (370 acres) of floodplain in the area.

Led by the Environment Agency (EA), it has undertaken more than 100 separate projects including reintroducing meanders, removing weirs and planting trees across the catchments of the Rivers Eden, Derwent and Kent.

It goes up against projects on the Chicago and Klamath rivers in the United States, and the Vjosa River in Albania, with the winner announced in September.

Over centuries, the rivers of the Lake District have been modified or altered to create space for upland farming and intensive dairy agriculture.

As a result, the area had seen flooding and a decline in biodiversity, which the programme has worked to reverse.

• How restoring rivers' natural curves can prevent flooding

The Thiess International River Prize, awarded by the International River Foundation since 1999, was the world's most esteemed prize for river restoration, the EA said.

Previous winners include the James River Association in the US, which won in 2019 for its work to restore Virginia's largest river.

This year's winner will be announced at a ceremony in Brisbane, Australia.

Cumbria River Restoration Programme manager Olly Southgate said the nomination was a "huge honour".