South Cumbria Rivers Trust (SCRT) has completed works to reconnect Great Langdale Beck to the middle basin of Elterwater.

Working in close collaboration with the landowner, the National Trust, and the Environment Agency and Natural England, the £30,000 works will lead to an improvement in water quality and wildlife habitats.

According to the National Trust, a number of factors have contributed to the decline in Elterwater and its water quality, including modification of river channels, inputs from septic tanks and invasive non-native species. The diversion and straightening of Great Langdale Beck away from the middle basin in the 1940s exacerbated the issue.

During the week-long project, specialist contractors created shallow scrapes into the adjacent woodland to reconnect Great Langdale Beck in order to form a high flow channel that now transfers clean, well-oxygenated water back into the middle basin.

Woody debris will be added to the channel to give fish and invertebrates a new habitat while benefiting the local bird population and invasive species, including Japanese knotweed, skunk cabbage and Himalayan balsam were removed. Floating platforms were also installed, part of a trial to encourage the nesting of great crested grebes.

Adjacent to the popular National Trust footpath, an interpretation board will soon be installed for visitors to engage with, and learn more about, the project.

Neil Winder, National Trust area ranger said: “Elterwater has outstanding natural value and a diverse range of habitats ranging from open water, swamp and fen to marshy grasslands, willow, alder carr and drier oak woodland.

“The works see us taking positive action to enhance environmental benefits without risk of flooding, changes to water levels or risk to public amenities. The enhancement of this special site will help to protect Elterwater, its native vegetation and wildlife for future generations.”

Jayne Wilkinson, catchment planning and monitoring officer for SCRT, said: “This was the latest in a number of remediation works to help improve the water quality and habitats of Elterwater and by returning natural processes we are delivering multiple benefits.

“While at its core this was a really simple project, it was also a fantastic example of partnership working.”