Cuthbert Hill

Wetland location: Cuthbert Hill, near Chipping,

When was it created: Summer 2019

Located at Cuthbert Hill, near Chipping, this newly created wetland lies in the River Loud catchment, which connects to the Hodder catchment, and eventually the Ribble catchment.

The Loud has some significant water quality issues which are exacerbated by local land use and land management practices. Additionally, there are also a large number of land drains in the area. These land drains collect wa-ter which has run off agricultural land and channels it into streams and riv-ers. As the land drains are mostly straight this water is fast flowing, which accelerates the rate of water runoff, increasing soil erosion and the amount of pollutants and sediments entering rivers and streams. This has caused serious habitat loss and damage.

By turning one of the old river channels on the farm into a wetland it has been possible to help improve water quality, slow the flow of excess rainwa-ter, and create some excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife.