Shopham Loop

Club News Sept 2005

One year on since restoration and the Shopham Loop looks very different today as the pictures below illustrate. The bare banks have been colonised by a myriad of natural plants and grasses without any encouragement from us. Several species of fish including dace, chub, trout and grayling have been caught, barbel have also been spotted in the Loop but none reported caught. Had the water levels not been so low and clear this summer no doubt a lot more fish would have been caught in the loop although the same could be said for the rest of the river. The reduction in the water flow is illustrated in the pictures where the river flows over the gravel riffle at the top end of the Loop.
Shopham Loop before restoration

The Loop in June 2004 prior to the restoration

Shopham Loop after restoration

Above is how the Loop looks now in September 2005

A thorough survey by the EA of the Loop and the main river at Coultershaw is planned in the coming seasons to assess the impact of the restoration.