PURR 2 (2012-2013)
Following successful completion of the Project Usk River Restoration, PURR2 turned our focus to the river above Brecon. PURR2 was a £67,000 project, funded by Beacons Trust and Environment Agency Wales (now Natural Resources Wales). Its primary objective was to restore 4km of tributary stream, along with the continuation of the invasive weeds programme and expanding the availability of fishing via the Passport within the National Park.
Habitat work completed within PURR2 on the Brynich, a tributary of the Senni, in the upper Usk catchment.
The upper Usk: four new beats opened to anglers within PURR2
Habitat Improvements
Four sites were selected in the Senni catchment, an important spawning tributary of the upper Usk. Fencing and coppicing commenced at the end of 2012 and was completed by the end of April 2013. Just over 4km of river was restored. The main objective is to increase the numbers of salmon and trout but the work will also improve the biodiversity of the Usk and benefit UK BAP and/or Annex II SAC species such as otter, white clawed crayfish and lampreys, to name but a few.
Other Achievements
In November 2012, WUF, volunteers and Keep Wales Tidy joined a group of canoeists to clean up the river Usk between Sennybridge and Brynich Lock, below Brecon. The clean-up was a huge success with 50 bags of litter collected, along with the usual tyres, bikes and road signs. The litter was disposed of by Powys County Council.
Under PURR2, the Wye & Usk Passport’s Usk fishing was expanded further. 8 new beats were included in the 2013 Passport, taking the total Usk fisheries in the scheme to 38. 4 of these new beats were within the project area: Middle Senni; Ashford House; Canal & Rivers Trust (Llanfrynach) and Trallong & Abercamlais (extended previous Abercamlais beat).
The project also enabled us to continue our invasive weed eradication programme in the upper Usk catchment. In September 2012 we surveyed and sprayed Japanese knotweed plants along 37km of the main Usk and selected sites on the Rhiangholl and Menasgin tributaries.
Click here to download the PURR2 final report.
