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Yealm Estuary to Moor
Working towards an unobstructed and pollution free river
Yealm Estuary to Moor aims to make the Yealm an unobstructed and pollution-free river, helping fish and other aquatic life to flourish.
Project funding is received mainly from the 6 local Parish Councils (Newton and Noss, Wembury, Yealmpton, Brixton, Sparkwell and Cornwood), coordinated by the River Yealm Water Quality Group (RYWQG).
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Our aims include
Educating and engaging local people with their river and its catchment
Helping to identify and locate persistent background pollution problems, producing data that can be used to help target remediation
Spotting transient pollution events which can be dealt with as quickly as possible
Creating a network of catchment communities that are invested in their local environment and work together to achieve our aims
Reporting
All findings, data and reports are shared with the Parish Councils, River Yealm Water Quality Group, Environment Agency and River Yealm Catchment Partnership.
River Projects
Citizen Science is influencing decisions
To help locate persistent low level pollution problems, YEM coordinates a Westcountry Rivers Trust Citizen Science Investigation programme involving over 50 volunteers, known as “The Yealm Dippers”. Volunteers sample water quality monthly at 29 sites across the Yealm Catchment.
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To better understand the hydrology, chemistry and dynamics of the River Yealm, whilst continuously monitoring for intermittent pollution events such raw sewage spills from storm overflows and runoff from farms in bad weather, a continuous water monitor has been deployed at the bottom of river and more are planned.
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YEM is a Riverfly survey hub and is part of the WildFish Smart Rivers Programme. Our team of volunteers undertake riverfly samples in Spring and Autumn each year. These surveys help monitor the ecological impacts of pollution and remedial projects we undertake both now and into the future.
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River Yealm Catchment Partnership
Our findings are guiding hedge and tree planting and other nature-based projects that help to improve river water quality and biodiversity within the catchment.
Working Together
YEM has initiated the River Yealm Catchment Partnership which it co-chairs with the Environment Agency, working with the Westcountry Rivers Trust, Devon Wildlife Trust, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Natural England, Yealm Estuary Management Group, South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and others to create an agreed 5-10 year plan for the catchment. The plan facilitates a co-operative approach to implementation, supports project funding applications and serves to monitor progress.
River Yealm Catchment
Priorities for Improvement on the Yealm
Based on the results of 3 years water quality sampling by the Yealm Dippers.
Report a pollution incident...
You’ll need to record the incident and know the location of the pollution. Take photos and then...
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Report online at:
https://report-an-environmental-problem.service.gov.uk/water-pollution/water-feature
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You can also call the Environment Agency incident hotline
Telephone: 0800 80 70 60
24-hour service
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If you believe the problem is related to a South West Water facility, please report the incident to both the EA and to South West Water: Report a problem | South West Water
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YEM would also like to keep a record of all pollution incidents. Please send all the information including the location, photos and the EA incident number that you have been given to yemriver@gmail.com
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Thank you for helping keep our river clean.
Yealm River Fish Monitoring Project
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The Yealm is one of only 42 designated Salmon Rivers in the UK. As part of a wider and long-term environmental programme to improve the sustainability, health and biodiversity of River Yealm, the disused fish trap on the Kitley Estate will be fitted with a mechanical leat sluice gate and metal grills to enable the temporary trapping of migratory and other fish in the river so as to monitor and record species and length, also sampling fish scales for analyses of age and DNA, all in line with EA guidelines.
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Over the last 5 years there has been a marked reduction in the population of migratory and other fish in the River Yealm. This project represents an important step towards reversing this decline, firstly by monitoring numbers of migratory broodstock, and then moving on to intended fish habitat restoration and restocking programmes.
The project has secured the relevant licences and authorisations from the EA, and is being well supported by the South West Rivers Association.
