PURR (2011-2012)

With the combined resources of Biffaward and the Brecon Beacons Trust, a project to work in the middle Usk started on 1st Jan 2011. Rather unusual geographic limits are attached to PURR: Biffaward is a landfill tax fund that allows activity within a radius of 10 miles of a landfill site, in this case near Felinfach, Brecon, while the geographic constraint of the Beacons Trust is the Park boundary itself. Thankfully they overlap quite conveniently and allow work from Sennybridge to Crickhowell and include the upper reaches of the Monnow tributary, the Honddu. The required landfill tax contribution was made with donations from Usk owners and anglers and the project is scheduled to last for two years.

So far we have completed habitat restoration on the following:

The habitat team are currently cutting trees and pleaching in brash on the Caerfanell between Aber and the junction with the Usk.

We have also completed two fish passes on the Crawnon and two modifications to weirs on the Caerfanell are planned for summer 2012. Restoring salmon access to the Crawnon has been an ongoing project that started in 2006 and it was satisfying to see a large salmon redd in late December, 4 miles above British Waterways’ canal off-take weir. Over the next few years this high quality tributary will become an important salmon nursery area for the Usk.

Finally, this project is also continuing the work to eradicate Japanese knotweed from the middle reaches of the Usk.