Scotsbridge

Scotsbridge

A grassland in Rickmansworth with a skate park, play area, tennis courts, football pitches and more. At Scotsbridge, there is also the opportunity to walk along the River Chess, a globally rare chalk stream, to observe the wildlife.

Address: Park Road, Rickmansworth, WD3 1AT

Access to the River Chess at Scotsbridge

Schools

Please be aware that students are not permitted to access the River Chess at Scotsbridge due to insurance issues, the need for landowner permission and the fact that the river is not maintained for public access. The effect that large school groups have on the river is outlined in the following text. Visitors are asked to notify the council in advance, even if they do not plan to enter the water, and to provide insurance and risk assessments where required.

History

The River Chess is a rare and ecologically valuable chalk stream, where many various species can be found living along the riverbanks, in the vegetation or even in the gravel.

Over 100 years ago, the River Chess at Scotsbridge was straightened to power the paper mill, which is now a restaurant. The faster flow of water meant the production of the mill was higher, producing more paper than a slower flow would have. The channel flows through the restaurant and meets a bypass downstream of the mill.

Erosion and habitat change

Flood risk on the River Chess at Scotsbridge has been worsened due to significant environmental stress. Primarily due to erosion and habitat damage, both influenced by the straightening of the channel as well as people and dogs entering the river.

The straightening of the channel has created a singular fast flow, accelerating the breakdown of the riverbanks. This, alongside people and dogs entering the river leads to damage of the vegetation on the banks, and weakening of the soil. This also reduces the amount of habitat for rare species that live in the River Chess, including water voles and brown trout.

Safety

The fast-flowing water due to the narrowed channel, and the depth of the water in some areas make the River Chess unsafe. Large sections have unstable banks, creating a falling risk.

The hazards highlighted make the river unsuitable for the public and dogs but also hinder conservation efforts that the council are trying to achieve.

Members of the public can help the protection of the River Chess by keeping dogs on leads or under close control and ensuring people do not enter the water.

Water Voles at Scotsbridge

Water voles (Arvicola amphibius) are one of the UK’s most endangered mammals. Identified by their round faces, brown fur, short furry tails and their unique swimming style, associated with the ‘plop’ sound when entering the water. These rodents are a vital part of our wetland ecosystems, but their populations have declined over the last 50 years by over 90%. This is due to habitat loss, pollution and predation by the invasive American mink. Water voles therefore are now legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

At Scotsbridge, water voles are thriving in burrows along the banks of the River Chess. The burrows stabilise the riverbanks and create habitats for other wildlife. Often described as ‘ecosystem engineers’ – water voles feeding habits and burrowing activities maintain healthy wetland ecosystems, supporting a wide range of species.

However, water voles are extremely sensitive to disturbance. Human activity such as people or dogs entering the River Chess can damage their burrows resulting in them abandoning their homes. Members of the public can help their protection by keeping dogs on leads or under close control and reporting any water vole sitings to the council.

At Scotsbridge, the presence of water voles is a positive sign of a thriving ecosystem. By ensuring the protection and enhancement of their habitat, we can safeguard this important species and give them a chance to rebuild their dwindling population.

Bank Protection and Habitat Creation Project

Scotsbridge Open Space in Rickmansworth includes a 500m stretch of the river Chess, a valuable chalk river, which is publicly accessible and very popular. Due to its history as a mill stream, the river channel is raised above the flood plain, making it particularly vulnerable to bank erosion.

The river here is frequently accessed by dogs and children, including numerous school groups, and regularly suffers from bank erosion as a result. High water levels throughout 2024 have exacerbated the issue, and multiple small breaches have developed in the bank, managed temporarily by sandbags.

This project aims to deliver soft-engineered bank protection works to restore the river bank and prevent further bank erosion, alleviating local flood risk associated with breaches in the riverbank. To further stabilise the bank and provide additional habitat benefits this work will be combined with improvements to in-channel and marginal habitats, and temporary fencing of short sections of the riverbank.

How will we undertake this?

• Bank reinforcement: Natural materials will be installed along the bank which have been eroded, bringing the height back to its previous level
• Temporary fencing: Bank reinforcement structures will be temporarily fenced for ~5 years to give the opportunity to vegetate and become established free from disturbance
• Natural woody habitat structures and flow deflectors: This will increase diversity of flow conditions, protect bank reinforcement works and direct flow away from vulnerable areas of the bank. The size of these structures are designed to prevent any impact on flood risk
• Gravel margins: Gravel margins will be established in 2 areas where erosion is particularly significant. The bank will be landscaped and local gravels laid on the bank and in the river. Flow deflectors will be used to direct flow away from these areas and reduce movement of gravels
• Tree work: This will increase light levels in the channel and encourage growth of marginal and emergent vegetation. Hedge laying will take place to promote new growth, revitalise the hedge and thicken its base, increasing the value for wildlife in the long term
• Interpretation: New interpretation will highlight the challenges faced by the river Chess at Scotsbridge and promote responsible enjoyment of the river

We have secured grant funding for the project from the Thames Water River Chess Smarter Water Catchment, as well as from UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The project is being delivered in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council’s Countryside Management Service.

Progress

Week 1 (14 April 2025 - 17 April 2025)

Week 2 (21 April 2025 - 25 April 2025)

Week 3 (28 April 2025 - 2 May 2025)

Week 4 (12 May 2025 – 16 May 2025)

GCSE Geography Data

GCSE Geography data from the River Chess has been collected by Three Rivers District Council in aid of assisting schools to provide sufficient data and photographic evidence for their student’s coursework.

The data follows a methodology for the total width, wetted perimeter, depth across the river, velocity, bedload sample and gradient of the River Chess. It shows photographic evidence and specific W3W locations from when and where the data was taken, as well as a display of the River Chess and Scotsbridge throughout the seasons, including flooding periods.

The link below takes you to the dataset. If you have used this data, we invite you to share your findings with us at leisure@threerivers.gov.uk.