Hanningfield Reservoir Study

Count On Us have recently completed an innovative bridleway usage study at the Hanningfield reservoir in Essex, which is the site of a proposed major sludge dewatering scheme.

The reservoir at Hanningfield is an artificial body of water built in 1957. Located to the South of Chelmsford, it services the London Boroughs of Barking, Dagenham, Redbridge and Thurrock. Since its construction, large parts of the reservoir and surrounding countryside have been developed as a nature reserve and are home to vast numbers of wildlife.

There are also many public footpaths in the woodland surrounding the water which are regularly used for recreational purposes. It is therefore key to any development to assess the potential impact on users including pedestrians, cyclists and equestrian traffic.

The proposed sludge dewatering scheme at the Hanningfield reservoir will potentially provide a more natural way to treat water in the region without the use of chemicals. But as a major project at the site it requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which determines the possible impact - positive or negative - on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects. The recent study conducted by Count On Us, investigated the usage of the bridleway surrounding the site, with the results feeding into the EIA.

The survey was carried out by filming and recording the use of the bridle path over 7 continuous 24-hour periods. Due to the lack of infrastructure at the site, cameras were installed in trees around the reservoir to monitor activity. The low power consumption film systems run from their own power supply, making them ideal for this type of long term, remote monitoring.

Nick Tynan from Count On Us commented “it is exciting to be involved in such an innovative project. It was a challenge to ensure the monitoring devices were sited safely and yet inconspicuously, luckily the trees provided the perfect anchoring points!”.