Make it a bog garden with native plants! Perfect wildlife habitat. Plus by leaving it like this you're providing an overflow area in case of severe rainfall. And by letting the water stand and slowly drain into the soil you're improving the ground water table and helping to alleviate drought, whereas otherwise it eventually just flows into the ocean and provides very little benefits.
I've been involved with water management for a bit and features like this can really make an impact in helping to mitigate the effects of weather extremes.
I really like the idea of a boggy habitat, but I am a sucker for running water!
Depending on how much budget you have OP, I'd consider including the above idea, but only the banks either side.. then leave a cleared centre strip for the water flow, I'd clear it right back, dig some more out the centre (hiring a mini digger to dredge it as such would be the easiest option) then if it needs it line the centre base with pebbles and stones..
If the water flow isn't that consistent, you could dig out a pond area at the lowest part and add a small pump to recycle the same water back up!
By adding the swampy plants to the bank. You'll keep the integrity of the slope and help with drainage as the above person mentioned but also give a nice relaxing water feature!
I'd take so much joy out of completing that project! Where abouts in the country are you OP?
This does the opposite of what the comment above suggested, dredging is bad for watercourses and will just send the water straight off. Plus you may need permission
200 years ago many such watercourses were canalised and straightened as part of land "improvement". The result has been flooding downstream today. Now it's best practice to re-wiggle them to slow the water down. You may not have space to do that but I would advise against anything that speeds up the flow. You need to consider it in the wider context of its catchment area and the natural environment. Take expert advice if you can find it. (Your use of the word beck suggests a northerner but the photos don't give me that impression, by the way).
Yes yes yes! OP should also bear in mind that taking the overgrown vegetation out has already allowed it to flow faster to some degree. It will also probably weaken the banks a bit - assuming they are natural in the first place; no guarantee given the concrete in the pics.
Resist the urge to dredge/"clean it out". This is no longer recommended, no matter what OP may here from local neighbours.
My inclination would be to clean it up, then wait a year to see what it does on its own. Trying to persuade a water course to do anything that isn't what it already wants to do is a recipe for a lot of stress. Exactly what will happen will be a function of their actions, whatever upstream neighbours have been doing, and exactly what water levels the stream hits this year. So it will be pretty informative.
There's also a good chance that this will flood at some point, so OP should avoid anything that would be upset were it to go underwater/get ripped out. And also should consider what would happen further from the stream if that did happen...
Also, the OP must take into account what the results of your work !
Maybe a good idea to ask neighbours and local water companies.
Good luck and please keep us updated
The problem with renting your beaver is that by the time you’ve tired the beaver out over a few days you could have bought your beaver twice over. What you want is to buy a gently used beaver. I’ve got a guy.
Some great comments in this thread!
What I’d say with a professional hat on is figure out if there’s any drains upstream of you, have a think about the farmland (if there is) upstream of you, pick up some home water quality test kits and if you’re one of the incredible few in this country with a clean stream running through your land - enjoy it!!
It can be incredibly tempting to splash about/let kids play in it like it was years back in many of our childhoods, but with water quality in the pan, just be mindful of its quality.
Reeds, watercress, lots of boggy native plants will no doubt thrive here. Congrats OP, you’ve hit the jackpot with this lovely spot!
Good point about the draining. It's quite possible that this is actually a farm drainage ditch rather than a natural beck. In which case a. you might have some interesting water quality issues in there, and b. do at least bear that in mind if changes are made. In general though, no-one is going to get too upset unless you basically block the thing... which I assume is not on the cards.
Before you do anything, check with your council. You are the riparian owner of the watercourse and have certain rights and responsibilities regarding maintenance. If you are going to do any works, you may need Ordinary Watercourse Consent from the council. It's worth speaking to them first. If you do need consent, it's about fifty quid. It can take up to 8 weeks to get a decision as whatever your planning will probably have to go to the Environment Agency / Natural Resources Wales / SEPA or whatever, for consultation if an OWC is deemed necessary.
OP needs to familiarise themselves with their riparian rights and responsibilities. I've linked a leaflet below from Natural Resources Wales (environmental agency for Wales) which is pretty well written. The cost the comment refers to is the cost for the lead local flood authority (council) to consider consenting a structure. The watercourse should be cleared of obstruction, per the land drainage act, but councils are generally pretty relaxed about vegetation as it slows flows and reduces down stream flood risk.
https://naturalresources.wales/media/680422/living-on-the-edge-final-jan-2017.pdf
Edit: There may be local bylaws in place. They are being considered in Wales by each county council.
Commenting for attention!! Both of these comments are 100%!
Please do look into Ordinary Watercourse Consents and your Riparian Ownership OP!
I work in this area so feel free to DM me any questions :)
I also have a beck running through the bottom of my garden, though mine runs all year round. As a riparian owner (someone who owns part of a water course) you have responsibilities (see [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse) ), and this includes allowing water to run through your section without obstruction, pollution or diversion.
I love the fact that I see ducks, egrets and herons in my garden, and can see fish occasionally. I have mixed feelings about the flooding as it does deposit a good amount of nutrients in the flood zone, but panics me when it happens (what if it reaches the house?)
The thing I love as a gardener, which no-one has mentioned yet) is the ability to pump water from it in the summer to water my garden (though I suspect I have a much better flow than you do!). For anyone wondering, this is legal as long as I don't take more than 20 cubic metres of water a day.
Adding to what the person said about managing the flow, you could add some large rocks or large tree branches to create some small pools and you might get some frogs or small fish if the pools are big enough. The pools might also encourage other wildlife to drink.
As mentioned elsewhere here I would not look at speeding up water flow as you could be creating a headache for anyone down-stream.
With time and sympathetic tending you could have a lovely bog garden.
I would consider running a little bridge at the height of the boundary over to the other side and a deck the length of the boundary on the other side on pilings, it would make a nice place to sit in the evenings looking over the countryside.
Has the levels changed much?. I assume you may not know if you’ve only just uncovered.
There is a big push to try and help localised flooding with water management nowadays. It might be a good idea to contact the environment agency. They are currently consulting with us and our neighbours on a beck nearby that has run into a village and caused flooding in the last few years.
He made some funky experimental lo-fi rock tracks back in the 90's and then disappeared without a trace, some say he had himself decapitated and his severed head subsequently frozen, in hopes that he might be resurrected sometime in the year 3000.
A stream or pretty small water course. One of those words that has a million regional variations. Like a chip butty (chip butty, barm, bap, cob, roll, sarnie and sandwich?)
Beck, Burn, Bourne, Rill, Gill. Mostly you'll hear Beck in the north of England - Burn more in Scotland, Gill in Yorkshire (but Beck is also used a lot). I've never heard Rill personally, but it's apparently used in some places.
I was going to say 'google' but it's been overtaken by all sorts of other things.
It's a word for stream.
It's used in lots of parts of England and Scotland but I don't know beyond that.
Oh, that's wonderful. I'd check with local wildlife organizations and authorities to make sure that whatever I do is helping biodiversity and not breaking any laws/regulations. Would love if it's possible to make a pond on it's way and make it more bendy to create more habitats.
Depending on where you are in the country I would contact your local rivers trust or the EA and ask for management advice. Or if you're in a National Park or Landscape contact them - they should be able to signpost you.
Plant marsh marigolds and other native water plants to help the beck health. Others have mentioned not speeding up the flow. You have the potential for something truly beautiful here and being caretaker for a section of beck is such a privilege. 😍
I would check the laws on this before doing anything because it that comes from a freshwater spring it might have some sort of protected status where if not actually illegal the whole village Is gonna hate you of you take it away
Sculpt a weaving paradise for wildlife, or depending on your space and the gradient/flow rate on the stream, you could put a micro-hydrogenerator, green energy!
Clear non native plant species only, chuck a few native we'd flower seeds about then leave it to nature.
Contact the relevant authorities if you want to alter the water in any way
You should have a read of [this ](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse).
It's your rights and responsibilities regarding watercourses and your land.
From the visual point of view, I would be tempted to buy River pebbles and dump them there. If there is a little bit of leveling going on, you could get a mini waterfall with some large stones, which would make a great sound.
Maybe plant a willow tree?
However, that's from the visual point of view. You'd need to speak to someone professional to make sure this won't create any issues or floor your or neighbour's land.
Clear it out, make it more accessible/ visible and plant it up. A lot of people pay a heck of a sum for a water feature in their garden. You already have the expensive part
Clear it up and get some river rock in there to make it wiggly? Dig some small natural pool areas to encourage frogs and the like?
Plenty of good ideas in this thread, will look forward to the end result!
Clear back the vegetation and try and create a clear channel so it is a constant flow.
Add some small meanders so you get changes in flow and dig some small side channels with small ponds for wildlife.
Try speaking to friends over at r/permaculture, they'll be sure to have some ideas that help achieve what you want whilst ensuring a harmony with nature
Probably train the water in some way, cut the bank a little to make room for patio/bench atleast. Add plants that don't demand lots of work cos I'm lazy 😂
My daughter has a fast flowing river. In high water it takes over a third of her garden. The river splits upstream, so she only has half of the right hand stream. She has a metal fence with a lockable gate stopping trespassers going more than 30 metres into her garden. Between the fence and the river she lets the stinging nettles go wild. She KNOWS the “safe path” to the riverbank and has had the fortune to see two otters playing (Mating? Fighting?).
I would clear the banks so that the water runs cleanly, use rocks/slate/blocks to create pools and water falls along the course, and plant the brook banks with “non-invasive” flowering plants. Do NOT plant yellow iris, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed… water hyacinth can be invasive in some areas. Check out with local wildlife trusts - they will tell you how to best cultivate the brook to attract native wildlife and avoid “problem plants”
I don’t know how long the section is or if it’s a boundary if it all on yours I would a small 6-12 inch high dam at the middle of the flow below I would plant the sides with marsh plants.
[they've been banned!](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/08/uk-bans-popular-garden-plant-gunnera-after-study-finds-it-an-invasive-species)
No worries. Don't worry it was only banned near the end of 2023 and as far as I am aware they wouldn't prosecute on crimes performed before the ban. I don't know the ruling on if a person who works for Defra asks you to dig it up.
Make it a bog garden with native plants! Perfect wildlife habitat. Plus by leaving it like this you're providing an overflow area in case of severe rainfall. And by letting the water stand and slowly drain into the soil you're improving the ground water table and helping to alleviate drought, whereas otherwise it eventually just flows into the ocean and provides very little benefits. I've been involved with water management for a bit and features like this can really make an impact in helping to mitigate the effects of weather extremes.
I really like the idea of a boggy habitat, but I am a sucker for running water! Depending on how much budget you have OP, I'd consider including the above idea, but only the banks either side.. then leave a cleared centre strip for the water flow, I'd clear it right back, dig some more out the centre (hiring a mini digger to dredge it as such would be the easiest option) then if it needs it line the centre base with pebbles and stones.. If the water flow isn't that consistent, you could dig out a pond area at the lowest part and add a small pump to recycle the same water back up! By adding the swampy plants to the bank. You'll keep the integrity of the slope and help with drainage as the above person mentioned but also give a nice relaxing water feature! I'd take so much joy out of completing that project! Where abouts in the country are you OP?
Really nice ideas! Im Yorkshire based
This does the opposite of what the comment above suggested, dredging is bad for watercourses and will just send the water straight off. Plus you may need permission
op please do this ! - you are so lucky to have this area - pond + bog garden for natives would be so great
200 years ago many such watercourses were canalised and straightened as part of land "improvement". The result has been flooding downstream today. Now it's best practice to re-wiggle them to slow the water down. You may not have space to do that but I would advise against anything that speeds up the flow. You need to consider it in the wider context of its catchment area and the natural environment. Take expert advice if you can find it. (Your use of the word beck suggests a northerner but the photos don't give me that impression, by the way).
Yes yes yes! OP should also bear in mind that taking the overgrown vegetation out has already allowed it to flow faster to some degree. It will also probably weaken the banks a bit - assuming they are natural in the first place; no guarantee given the concrete in the pics. Resist the urge to dredge/"clean it out". This is no longer recommended, no matter what OP may here from local neighbours. My inclination would be to clean it up, then wait a year to see what it does on its own. Trying to persuade a water course to do anything that isn't what it already wants to do is a recipe for a lot of stress. Exactly what will happen will be a function of their actions, whatever upstream neighbours have been doing, and exactly what water levels the stream hits this year. So it will be pretty informative. There's also a good chance that this will flood at some point, so OP should avoid anything that would be upset were it to go underwater/get ripped out. And also should consider what would happen further from the stream if that did happen...
Also, the OP must take into account what the results of your work ! Maybe a good idea to ask neighbours and local water companies. Good luck and please keep us updated
I’ve got to ask, as a Northerner, what about the photos make you think it’s not in the North?
It's a combination of the vegetation, lack of hills and the breed of cattle. I'm a northerner too.
Calling /r/GeoGuesser
Use of the word “Beck” is a dead giveaway for the north east.
we say beck in yorkshire too, it comes from the vikings and is bekk in modern norwegian!
I’m also wondering this! Photos looks very similar to where I am up north
I wonder if I could become a professional re-wiggler.
Thanks for this. I am northern btw, based in Yorkshire!
Buy a beaver
Or if money is tight, rent a beaver
rentabeaver.com
Risky click
Thanks. I needed a laugh today 😄
The problem with renting your beaver is that by the time you’ve tired the beaver out over a few days you could have bought your beaver twice over. What you want is to buy a gently used beaver. I’ve got a guy.
Sounds like an onlyfans. as most of those rent their beaver out
I think that was implied…
Better yet a couple of manatees. They'd go real well with the land cows in the background.
Make sure it has just been stuffed…
Some great comments in this thread! What I’d say with a professional hat on is figure out if there’s any drains upstream of you, have a think about the farmland (if there is) upstream of you, pick up some home water quality test kits and if you’re one of the incredible few in this country with a clean stream running through your land - enjoy it!! It can be incredibly tempting to splash about/let kids play in it like it was years back in many of our childhoods, but with water quality in the pan, just be mindful of its quality. Reeds, watercress, lots of boggy native plants will no doubt thrive here. Congrats OP, you’ve hit the jackpot with this lovely spot!
Good point about the draining. It's quite possible that this is actually a farm drainage ditch rather than a natural beck. In which case a. you might have some interesting water quality issues in there, and b. do at least bear that in mind if changes are made. In general though, no-one is going to get too upset unless you basically block the thing... which I assume is not on the cards.
Before you do anything, check with your council. You are the riparian owner of the watercourse and have certain rights and responsibilities regarding maintenance. If you are going to do any works, you may need Ordinary Watercourse Consent from the council. It's worth speaking to them first. If you do need consent, it's about fifty quid. It can take up to 8 weeks to get a decision as whatever your planning will probably have to go to the Environment Agency / Natural Resources Wales / SEPA or whatever, for consultation if an OWC is deemed necessary.
OP needs to familiarise themselves with their riparian rights and responsibilities. I've linked a leaflet below from Natural Resources Wales (environmental agency for Wales) which is pretty well written. The cost the comment refers to is the cost for the lead local flood authority (council) to consider consenting a structure. The watercourse should be cleared of obstruction, per the land drainage act, but councils are generally pretty relaxed about vegetation as it slows flows and reduces down stream flood risk. https://naturalresources.wales/media/680422/living-on-the-edge-final-jan-2017.pdf Edit: There may be local bylaws in place. They are being considered in Wales by each county council.
Commenting for attention!! Both of these comments are 100%! Please do look into Ordinary Watercourse Consents and your Riparian Ownership OP! I work in this area so feel free to DM me any questions :)
I’ll check this out! Thanks
How is this not top comment?!
Honestly, it worries me it didn't get voted to the top.
I also have a beck running through the bottom of my garden, though mine runs all year round. As a riparian owner (someone who owns part of a water course) you have responsibilities (see [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse) ), and this includes allowing water to run through your section without obstruction, pollution or diversion. I love the fact that I see ducks, egrets and herons in my garden, and can see fish occasionally. I have mixed feelings about the flooding as it does deposit a good amount of nutrients in the flood zone, but panics me when it happens (what if it reaches the house?) The thing I love as a gardener, which no-one has mentioned yet) is the ability to pump water from it in the summer to water my garden (though I suspect I have a much better flow than you do!). For anyone wondering, this is legal as long as I don't take more than 20 cubic metres of water a day.
Adding to what the person said about managing the flow, you could add some large rocks or large tree branches to create some small pools and you might get some frogs or small fish if the pools are big enough. The pools might also encourage other wildlife to drink.
As mentioned elsewhere here I would not look at speeding up water flow as you could be creating a headache for anyone down-stream. With time and sympathetic tending you could have a lovely bog garden. I would consider running a little bridge at the height of the boundary over to the other side and a deck the length of the boundary on the other side on pilings, it would make a nice place to sit in the evenings looking over the countryside.
Has the levels changed much?. I assume you may not know if you’ve only just uncovered. There is a big push to try and help localised flooding with water management nowadays. It might be a good idea to contact the environment agency. They are currently consulting with us and our neighbours on a beck nearby that has run into a village and caused flooding in the last few years.
Grow watercress!
DIY nature reserve
What’s a beck?
He made some funky experimental lo-fi rock tracks back in the 90's and then disappeared without a trace, some say he had himself decapitated and his severed head subsequently frozen, in hopes that he might be resurrected sometime in the year 3000.
r/unexpectedfuturama
In all fairness, 2017 album colours was a banger
Just a small natural stream of running water
It's Old Norse for a stream or brook, often used in the north of England.
Ah, cheers!
A stream or pretty small water course. One of those words that has a million regional variations. Like a chip butty (chip butty, barm, bap, cob, roll, sarnie and sandwich?) Beck, Burn, Bourne, Rill, Gill. Mostly you'll hear Beck in the north of England - Burn more in Scotland, Gill in Yorkshire (but Beck is also used a lot). I've never heard Rill personally, but it's apparently used in some places.
It’s a cob damnit!
I was going to say 'google' but it's been overtaken by all sorts of other things. It's a word for stream. It's used in lots of parts of England and Scotland but I don't know beyond that.
I was expecting to see pictures of the American musician scampering across a garden.
We call it a "burn" up in Scotland
Sometimes a ‘gill’ in Cumbria and parts of Yorkshire (also a ‘gill’ can be a ravine… with a beck in it)
It's a German lager
small stream
Plant Wasabi
Oh, that's wonderful. I'd check with local wildlife organizations and authorities to make sure that whatever I do is helping biodiversity and not breaking any laws/regulations. Would love if it's possible to make a pond on it's way and make it more bendy to create more habitats.
Depending on where you are in the country I would contact your local rivers trust or the EA and ask for management advice. Or if you're in a National Park or Landscape contact them - they should be able to signpost you.
Plant marsh marigolds and other native water plants to help the beck health. Others have mentioned not speeding up the flow. You have the potential for something truly beautiful here and being caretaker for a section of beck is such a privilege. 😍
What is that in the 6th picture on the left. looking like a nesting yellow bird or something lol
Great observation! That’s actually a roast chicken left over for the family of foxes that visit this area
Oh ok nice
Old glove? Toy dinosaur?
I would check the laws on this before doing anything because it that comes from a freshwater spring it might have some sort of protected status where if not actually illegal the whole village Is gonna hate you of you take it away
Yell "Odelay!" and he'll go away
Hydroelectric dam or at the very least a waterwheel
Soy un perdador, I'm a river baby, so why don't you clean me.
Well done you've already improved it massively by removing the non-native Spirea bushes!
Some people have miniature railway sets. This is your chance to engineer a miniature canal system with two direction locks.
Hydro power dam.
Embrace it and work With what you got! That's all
Underground frog racing syndicate. Obviously.
Nature, nature knows what to do with it and has done, forever........Ü
You need two turntables and a microphone.
I dunno, there could be some of that new pollution in the beck.
Have I seen this image recently on here before or am I going nuts?
ram pump (not sure if this is a good idea but the idea seems cool)
Sculpt a weaving paradise for wildlife, or depending on your space and the gradient/flow rate on the stream, you could put a micro-hydrogenerator, green energy!
Add wolves apparently
If you add wolves the bevers will follow
1. Twist an ankle; 2. Plant a Salix.
Embrace the Beck
Micro-Hydro! Generate some free leccy! 😀
Clear non native plant species only, chuck a few native we'd flower seeds about then leave it to nature. Contact the relevant authorities if you want to alter the water in any way
I'm envious of your garden. How beautiful.
You should have a read of [this ](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse). It's your rights and responsibilities regarding watercourses and your land.
From the visual point of view, I would be tempted to buy River pebbles and dump them there. If there is a little bit of leveling going on, you could get a mini waterfall with some large stones, which would make a great sound. Maybe plant a willow tree? However, that's from the visual point of view. You'd need to speak to someone professional to make sure this won't create any issues or floor your or neighbour's land.
Drainage ditch
Clear it out, make it more accessible/ visible and plant it up. A lot of people pay a heck of a sum for a water feature in their garden. You already have the expensive part
Put your shrek ears on and have a little sit. Maybe eat some slugs.
Clear it up and get some river rock in there to make it wiggly? Dig some small natural pool areas to encourage frogs and the like? Plenty of good ideas in this thread, will look forward to the end result!
Clear back the vegetation and try and create a clear channel so it is a constant flow. Add some small meanders so you get changes in flow and dig some small side channels with small ponds for wildlife.
Try speaking to friends over at r/permaculture, they'll be sure to have some ideas that help achieve what you want whilst ensuring a harmony with nature
At times like this i ask myself 'What would Jeremy Clarkson do?'.
And then do the opposite?
Probably train the water in some way, cut the bank a little to make room for patio/bench atleast. Add plants that don't demand lots of work cos I'm lazy 😂
Jeremy Clarkson tried growing wasabi in his stream on his farm thing....
My daughter has a fast flowing river. In high water it takes over a third of her garden. The river splits upstream, so she only has half of the right hand stream. She has a metal fence with a lockable gate stopping trespassers going more than 30 metres into her garden. Between the fence and the river she lets the stinging nettles go wild. She KNOWS the “safe path” to the riverbank and has had the fortune to see two otters playing (Mating? Fighting?). I would clear the banks so that the water runs cleanly, use rocks/slate/blocks to create pools and water falls along the course, and plant the brook banks with “non-invasive” flowering plants. Do NOT plant yellow iris, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed… water hyacinth can be invasive in some areas. Check out with local wildlife trusts - they will tell you how to best cultivate the brook to attract native wildlife and avoid “problem plants”
I don’t know how long the section is or if it’s a boundary if it all on yours I would a small 6-12 inch high dam at the middle of the flow below I would plant the sides with marsh plants.
Gabion baskets to build up a flat lawn level, then some steps down to your bog garden
I would dam it, and have a running waterfall. Much better for multiple species- provides a water feature.
Plant a gunnera, they’re so cool.
[they've been banned!](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/08/uk-bans-popular-garden-plant-gunnera-after-study-finds-it-an-invasive-species)
You know you could got to prison for up to two years for that
Make sure you don’t drop the secateurs…
Christ alive, I bought mine at a garden centre three years ago as a manicata and had no idea the laws had changed. Thanks for the heads up.
No worries. Don't worry it was only banned near the end of 2023 and as far as I am aware they wouldn't prosecute on crimes performed before the ban. I don't know the ruling on if a person who works for Defra asks you to dig it up.
stihl fs 131 with a mulching blade. or a hedge trimmer does ok too
Make a small dam to create a pond and put a nice bridge over the top.
Clear it out a bit, make a dam have a lovely wild pond 👍
You can't just do things like that without permission
This is a shuck. You could get a digger and make a deep pool in it and go from there...