A SCHEME is now under way which will benefit native wildlife in the Yorkshire Dales by restoring consistent flows to the River Dibb for the first time in 150 years.

The new flow regime, which was designed in partnership with the Environment Agency, will see water released from Grimwith Reservoir into the nearby watercourse, which is a major tributary of the River Wharfe.

Historically, the lack of a consistent flow meant that the water could be stagnant or even run dry, making it tough for wildlife to survive.

The new flows will help numerous aquatic species, including native brown trout, to flourish. Fish populations in the main river Wharfe will also benefit, as the River Dibb will be a better spawning tributary.

A comprehensive five-year monitoring programme is under way to measure the effects on river ecology and understand the tangible benefit it is having.

Mark Tinsdeall, Yorkshire Water environmental assessment team leader, said: "This project will benefit an important river that hasn't had a reliable flow since the reservoir was first constructed 150 years ago, resulting in it regularly running dry. It’s great news for wildlife in the area, giving it a real chance to flourish.

"The scheme is based on sound science and is part of a wider programme of work across Yorkshire which will see improvements to 20 reservoirs around the region. In total we'll be improving 100km of Yorkshire rivers over the next five years as one aspect of our commitment to delivering excellent catchments, rivers and coasts."

Yorkshire Water has consulted with a number of local organisations to agree the compensation flow scheme, including the Environment Agency, Bolton Abbey Estates, and angling club representatives.

The project is just one of a number of schemes being implemented by Yorkshire Water to improve the ecology of rivers around the region and give wildlife a helping hand.