A NEW multi-million pound project to clean up rivers in Britain will be trialled on the River Eden.

It is one of three river catchments in the country to test the five-year £6.5m scheme, and was chosen because of pollution and flooding problems in the past.

The project, launched today, will have a base at Sewborwen’s Farm at Newton Rigg for the research consortium led by Lancaster University.

The experimental farm will be used to develop ways of preventing farm waste and chemicals from polluting the River Eden and will act as a demonstration farm to bring together researchers, farmers, water companies and policy makers.

“It’s really exciting and there are about 60 people representing Defra, different farmers and scientists coming together,” said Professor Phil Haygarth, of Arkholme, project leader and professor of soil and water science at Lancaster University.

“The River Eden is a great example of a type of river that we need to understand. It has uplands, grasslands and other varied landscape features, and has had real problems with diffuse pollution and flooding in the past. On top of that it’s a good place to study because of the Big Society initiative, which is all about bringing communities together.

“For the first time all these people are working together and it’s not just boffins in white coats telling people what to do. Nobody knows the land better than local farmers.

“We need to raise awareness about water management in the landscape. Water runs through the land so land managers have to understand how water moves. We need clean water - it’s the basis of our life.

“This is a real chance to make a difference and change the future.”

Professor Haygarth added that the solutions the team will be working on will help prevent cancellations of events such as the Great North Swim, which was postponed at the last minute due to blue-green algae.

Wetlands, ponds and sediment traps are some of the solutions being tested by the experts from the universities of Lancaster, Cumbria, Durham, Newcastle and Aberystwyth as well as colleagues from the Eden Rivers Trust, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the British Geological Survey.

Others ideas include an anaerobic digester for farm yard manure and food waste and rainwater harvesting.

The Wensum in Norfolk and the Hampshire Avon are the other two test sites in a project funded by Defra with support from the Environment Agency.

There are 40 organisations from around the country that are involved in the project.

For further information on the River Eden Demonstration Test Catchment Project go to http://www.edendtc.org.uk/