Union Bridge Fish Pass - Marsden, UK - Fish Ladders on Waymarking.com

Improving your river

The River Colne, a major tributary of the River Calder, rises as a series of smaller streams on the Pennine Moors above the village of Marsden. It is an urban river flowing through the West Yorkshire industrial villages of Marsden, Slaithwaite, Linthwaite and the much larger industrial town of Huddersfield, before finally running into the River Calder. Since the 1980s, much has been done to manage water quality issues and the river has made a remarkable recovery following tighter regulation. Brown trout and bullhead that had previously survived in isolated areas have now started to increase and can be found along the watercourse. Anglers are now returning to fish the river. Herons and kingfishers have also been seen.

The many weirs along the river are a major factor in slowing the recovery of the fish population. Weirs stop fish moving freely up and down the river, so they are unable to make the best use of their habitat for feeding, spawning and shelter. As part of the Union Bridge reconstruction works a fish pass has been installed using traditional materials. This has restored the ecological corridor and species will now be able to use the river in a more natural fashion.