The project will remove a 2 m concrete weir on the River Alt, opening up 49 km of main river and tributaries to fish and eel movement, improving biodiversity in the upper reaches.
The River Alt flows for 28 km from the urban areas of North Merseyside into Liverpool Bay at Hightown. The Alt catchment covers an area of 103 km² and includes approximately 35 km of tributaries draining both urban and rural landscapes.
This project is a follow on grant from a previous pre-demolition project supported by the Open Rivers Programme.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Dam removal: demolition |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| River | Alt |
| Removal timeline | Autumn 2026 |
| Expected km to be opened | 49 km |
| Focal species | European freshwater eel, freshwater fish species |
| Organisation | Mersey Rivers Trust and Environment Agency |
| Website | coming soon. |
The River Alt can be divided into two sections. The lower reaches, downstream of the weir, support a diverse range of fish species, including European freshwater eel, and are home to species such as otter and water vole. In contrast, the upper reaches are failing under the Water Framework Directive, primarily due to low fish numbers.
Removal of the weir will restore connectivity, enabling fish and eel migration and improving biodiversity across the entire catchment.
The project aims to remove the central weir structure and replace it with a three pool and riffle system, allowing free movement of fish and eels throughout the catchment. This will lead to increased species diversity in the upper reaches of the River Alt. The existing man-made concrete structure will be replaced by a more natural channel form, improving both ecological function and the visual quality of this river section, which is located alongside a popular walking route.
Funded by
