This wetland project is located at Cuthbert Hill, near Chipping. This area lies in the River Loud catchment, which connects to the Hodder catchment, and eventually the Ribble catchment.

The Loud has some significant water quality issues which are exacerbated by local land use and land management practices. Additionally there are also a large number of land drains in the area. These land drains collect water which has run off agricultural land and channels it into streams and rivers. As the land drains are mostly straight this water is fast flowing, which accelerates the rate of water runoff, increasing soil erosion and the amount of pollutants and sediments entering rivers and streams. This has caused serious habitat loss and damage.

By turning one of the old river channels on the farm into a wetland we will be able to improve water quality, slow the flow of excess rainwater, and create some excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife.

The wetland has now been finished and apprentices have been adding some finishing touches, such as planting aquatic plant species.