This ephemeral chalk stream was in a highly degraded state, the vast majority of it was underground, flowing through pipes, whilst the short, above ground, sections were impacted by historical and contemporary pollution. Pre-restoration surveys highlighted a stream with negligible ecological value and a heavily modified characteristic many felt too costly or difficult to fix.
Between 2016 and 2021, in partnership with the Sompting Estate Trust and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Environment Agency, Rampion Offshore Wind, and the local community we realigned the channel and changed the nature of the surrounding farmland, creating a cleaner, accessible and wildlife rich area for future generations to enjoy.
Starting in June 2019 the bulk of the earth works were completed over two months with a new, 900m long multi-stage channel and two silt traps constructed to trap pollutants from the surrounding urban areas. The new channel was seeded with hydroseed to enable rapid establishment of vegetation on the banks and very quickly we saw macrophytes (in-channel plants) starting to appear. The new habitat attracted some early colonisers including the first recording of scarce blue-tailed damselfly in Sussex for 125 years. Today the channel is a vibrant array of species and vegetation, and the water quality has improved dramatically.
Over 1,700 members of the local community and 1,100 local school children got involved in the project. From wildlife surveys to urban wildlife campaigns, nature photography courses to practical conservation tasks, and oral histories to archaeological investigations there was something for everyone. Citizen science programmes ‘Helping Hands for Harvest Mice’, water testing (chemical and biological) and ecological monitoring brought a further 117 individuals to the project. Our legacy group – the Sompting River Rangers – continues to actively monitor and manage the site through monthly meetings under the coordination of OART.