FISH and eels are to receive help to negotiate a weir on the River Tone near Wellington after new data showed a six feet head difference between the upstream and downstream water levels.

Now, the Environment Agency has applied for planning permission to amend a proposed new fish and eel pass on the stretch of river at Bradford on Tone.

It is one of 12 such passes the agency wants to build on rivers and tributaries in the catchment area of the £249 million Bridgwater Tidal Barrier scheme.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said the head difference made it difficult for coarse fish to pass the weir.

The agency wants to construct the pass on the river’s northern bank between Bradford on Tone Weir and Bradford Bridge, just north of the village to link the river basin north of the weir with the channel to the south.

Neil Carpenter, associate planner with global engineering and project management company AtkinsRéalis said: “Water survey data collected shows an overall hydraulic head difference of six feet between the upstream and downstream water levels at the weir.

An aerial view of Bradford on Tone showing the site of a proposed River Tone fish and eel pass outlined in red. PHOTO: Atkins.
An aerial view of Bradford on Tone showing the site of a proposed River Tone fish and eel pass outlined in red. PHOTO: Atkins. ( )

“This difference means that it would not be easy for coarse fish species to pass through a fish pass with only one flight and no resting pool.

“Consequently, a two-flight fish and eel pass with an intermediate resting pool between the flights has been designed to facilitate the effective passage of coarse fish species.

“This has prompted the original rock ramp pass design to be revised to a two-flight Larinier fish pass, with a separate channel to provide an eel pass.

“In summary, the revised structure will comprise one main fish pass and one secondary gravity-fed eel pass to be installed in separate but adjacent reinforced concrete channels.”

An environment agency spokesperson said the site was in a wide floodplain with significant overtopping of the river banks upstream and downstream of the weir.

They said: “There will therefore be no impact on overland flooding routes or flood levels as a result of the construction of the fish and eel pass.

“In the future, flood flows and levels are expected to increase.

“However, there will be no change to the impact of the proposed fish and eel pass in future conditions for the same reasons as above for the current flood risk condition.

“The proposed development would not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere due to the inherent purpose of the facility, to enable the free-flow of water for fish passage between the upper and lower course of the River Tone, upstream and downstream of Bradford on Tone weir.”

The Bridgwater project comprises a new tidal barrier across the River Parrett between Express Park and Chilton Trinity, with new secondary and improved primary flood defences downstream at Chilton Trinity, Pawlett, and Combwich.

It also includes environmental mitigation and the provision of fish and eel passes at sites within the catchment area.

The River Tone meets the River Parrett in Burrowbridge, on the Somerset Levels, which then flows into the Bristol Channel.