A new project from the Wessex Rivers Trust is urging Warminster residents to adopt ‘river friendly’ behaviours and be more conscious of their environmental impact.
Warminster is the largest town in the trust’s Our Healthy Headwaters project area. The initiative encourages communities living on the headwaters of the Hampshire Avon to take simple actions, such as saving water and thinking about what chemicals enter drains.
“There are only around 200 chalk streams in the world, and 85% are here in England,” said Project Lead Lindsey Death.
“Fed by underground aquifers, these rivers run clear and cool all year round, making them one of the most biodiverse freshwater habitats in the world. The headwaters are their starting points, and these smaller, often unseen, streams are especially distinctive. They help regulate river temperature and filter pollutants and sediment before the water reaches larger sections. Headwaters often make up around 70% of a river’s length and are considered the foundation for a healthy river system.
“But many headwaters are under threat. Household water use, chemicals, and pollution from septic tanks can damage these fragile streams, affecting the health of the whole river system.”
The Warminster area encompasses the Wylye headwaters and middle stretch, along with the Were (Swan) River, which flows through the town lake and Smallbrook Meadows before joining the Wylye. These streams are part of the Hampshire Avon’s headwaters.
Supported by the Wessex Water Partners Programme, Our Healthy Headwaters aims to show how small changes at home, school, or work can benefit wildlife and water quality.
“The biodiversity of the Hampshire Avon catchment is among the most notable in the country, with over 180 species of aquatic plants and a wide range of fish and invertebrates. Warminster offers good river access, so we are prioritising our efforts here,” said Lindsey.
Future campaigns will focus on topics such as the effects of chemicals used around the home, water saving, impacts of pet medications on rivers, and best practice for septic tank maintenance to reduce pollution.
For more information on the project or how to get involved as a volunteer, contact Lindsey at lindsey.death@wessexrt.org.uk
Pictured: Smallbrook Meadow
