A huge milestone for the Unlocking the Severn project has been achieved, with the completion of Holt fish pass!
Unlocking the Severn is thrilled to announce that, as of this morning, our fourth and final fish pass is now open for fish of the River Severn. Holt fish pass has certainly been our most challenging construction site. All materials and plant equipment had to be delivered to the fish pass by boat, and tricky river levels meant that work was halted on a number of occasions. Despite the challenges faced, the team pushed on and on 27th January, the penstocks were opened and water was able to flow through the pass.
This means our final fish pass is now open and ready for twaite shad to swim through on their journey up the River Severn this spring. With all four passes now open to fish passage, shad will be able to reach their historic spawning grounds for the first time in nearly 180 years! And having seen 22 other species using our Diglis fish pass so far, we are confident that very many other fish species will also benefit.
We still have some tidying up left to do at Holt. Our final tasks include landscaping the areas adjacent to the pass and reconnecting the bridleway. Thank you so much to all those involved in the build and the patience of local people in the Holt Fleet area.
To find out more about how the structure works, take a look at our Understanding Fish Passes blog.
Photos from January of the completed Holt fish pass.
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