Factors affecting the distribution and abundance of aquatic plants in a navigable Lowland river; the River Nene, England

Investigations were conducted into the causes of a decline in the abundance of rooted aquatic plants in the River Nene. These were formerly troublesome to navigation and obstructed summer storm flows and were regularly cut by Anglian Water until 1976. After 1977 plant growth caused only localized problems so cutting ceased. An investigation into the causes of the plant decline was initiated in order to provide predictions for management decisions about the future use of machinery and personnel. It was concluded that there was a natural loss of plants by scouring in the abnormally high flows of 1976/7 winter. The regular pattern of maintenance dredging, which had been implemented following water industry reorganization in 1974, was shown to suppress abundance for at least five years after dredging. These two sequential events had lowered abundance over the navigable Nene to levels which no longer warrant weedcutting.