Restoration Freshwater Features Tender

Start Date 01092021End Date 17122026Total Budget 10749792 EU Contribution 6423687 PROJECT DESCRIPTIONBACKGROUNDThe project area covers approximately 6 of the UKs Natura 2000 river resource. This includes 38 of the UKs allis and twaite shad Alosa alosa and A. fallax spawning sites in the Special Area of Conservation SAC network 26 of bullhead Cottus gobio 14 of Ranunculion habitat for which the UK has a special responsibility 11 of river and brook lamprey and 9 of sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus. Atlantic salmon Salmo salar populations although small in a UK context are also regionally important.The project area is strategically importantfor the conservation of freshwater pearl mussels Margaritifera margaritifera. This species used to be widespread throughout all 4 rivers included within the project area but is now restricted to a few scattered individuals. The UK cannot reach favourable conservation status for M. margaritifera without restoring favourable ecological conditions in the project area as it represents 50 of the Welsh range of the species 41 of the Welsh favourable reference population and 5.5 of the total UK range. Pearl mussels in this region are of the highly endangered southern genetic variant.OBJECTIVESThe overall aim of the 4 Rivers for LIFE project is to improve the conservation status of 4 SAC rivers in Wales - Afon Teifi Afonydd Cleddau Afon Tywi and River Usk by rehabilitating and restoring their natural processes features and physical habitats. In total these rivers support 4 habitats listed in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive and 10 species listed in Annex II.The specific objectives of the project are to Improve the conservation status of all the Natura 2000 features across the 4 SACs to either favourable or recovering status by addressing factors causing unfavourable condition with a focus on the following target features Water courses with Ranunculion fluitantis Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation or aquatic mosses Atlantic salmon Salmo salar sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus bullhead Cottus gobio allis shad Alosa alosa twaite shad Alosa fallax and freshwater pearl mussels Margaritifera margaritifera Restore natural riverine physical processes e.g. flow diversity sediment movement features e.g. sediment quality river planform and physical habitats including submerged bank and floodplain areas in more than 150 km of river. This will benefit all features of the 4 SACs and increase their resilience to pressures such as nutrient enrichment and climate change Remove constraints to fish migration and wider ecological connectivity caused by weirs and other man-made partial or complete barriers in the 4 rivers especially the Usk. This will improve access to or open up at least 295 km of river for migratory species Atlantic salmon shad species sea lamprey Re-establish viable po