Fish pass and wildlife channel

WEYSIDE URBAN VILLAGE

Enhancing Guildford's Community

The Environment Agency (EA) has completed work to create a natural bypass channel through Burpham Court Farm. This is to allow fish to migrate around Old Bucks weir. The weir is one of many structures built on the River Wey to aid milling and navigation and, even, to help catch fish. The new channel will:

• Open up river access for fish, such as barbel, chub, dace, trout and eel. It will give access to around 6km of unimpeded habitat upstream.
  
• Help restore the health of the fish population
  
• Allow fish to find feeding or spawning grounds
  
• Provide shelter from predators and high river flows
  
• Improve the site for wildlife.
  
• Support a diverse range of plants, mammals, birds and insects.
  
• Provide gravel beds and shallow pools where fish can lay their eggs and young can grow.

About the works

Work was completed in October 2023 and included:

• New structures at either end of the new river channel to attract fish and control water flow.
  
• Placement of gravel and large stones/boulders along the channel
  
• Three backwater features to create a refuge habitat for fish and a pond-like habitat to attract a range of wildlife
  
• A long mound to create habitat for wildlife and shelter the nature reserve from road noise.
  
• Planting wetland plants alongside the new river channel.

The work formed part of a program of improvements for fish and wildlife. It was part of the Wey Fish Pass and Wetland Delivery (Wey FWD) strategy. The project was funded by DEFRA and the EA’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management budget.

Wey Fish Pass and Wetland Delivery Strategy

The fish pass is part of a much larger initiative, known as the Wey Fish Pass and Wetland Delivery. It aims to open over 100km of river to fish between the Thames at Weybridge and the Wey at Tilford. The project will improve the habitat quality of the river environment. 

Nine fish passes have either been completed or are in construction. Plans are in place for the delivery of the remaining six.  The new fish pass at Burpham Court Farm is critical to achieving the wider goal of opening up the Wey to the Thames. 

A second phase of work with landowners is also planned. Landowners who own a weir or a stretch of river/floodplain are encouraged to contact the EA.  If you want to make improvements to support wildlife please email, enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. 

More information

The Wey Landscape website provides more information about about your local river. The website provides information about the project. It also details how partners are working to together enhance the river.

 We will update this webpage as work progresses. For more information please contact The Environment Agency by email. enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk.