2006
SU2804 : Natural meander in canalised Highland Water, New Forest
taken 18 years ago, near to Bank, Hampshire, England

Natural meander in canalised Highland Water, New Forest
About 150 years ago, some of the New Forest rivers were "canalised" through deepening, straightening and widening. This drained the Forest, providing better conditions for growing timber which was the government priority for the Forest at the time. This photo is looking upstream along a straightened section of Highland Water, north of Queen Bower. A tree has fallen from the bank into the ditch, creating a debris dam. The flow of water has been diverted to the left, eating into the steep-sided bank and reintroducing a meander into the otherwise artificially straight river. This part of Highland Water is due for 'restoration' in 2007 as part of the Life III project to reverse the effect of these historic drainage works by putting the river back into its original meandering course, and replacing much of the material which has been washed away.