The Dulas rises near to Middle Maes Coed and flows for approximately 9km in the valley between the Escley and the Dore, which it runs into at Pontrilas having flowed through the village of Ewyas Harold. It is a medium to low gradient stream with a good pool, riffle sequence and adequate areas of good quality spawning substrate. However siltation is a major problem due to severe over shading and stock access to long stretches of the river. The last 2 or 3 miles is suitable as a small stream trout fishery.

Informal surveys and inspections have indicated that there is a very high population of White claw (native) Crayfish and in stream insect numbers and species appear to be plentiful and there appears to be a reasonable population of wild brown trout. The Dore is subject to a reintroduction of the Water Vole and the Monnow catchment, including the Dulas, is subject to an ongoing mink eradication programme run by the Game and Wildlife Conservancy Trust. Because the Dulas is a tributary of the Dore it is very probable that if the habitat was improved that Water Voles would re-colonise this stream.

 
Most of the river is easily viewed from roads and public rights of way as well as being close to houses and runs through the village of Ewyas Harold, which is well served by local amenities including a primary school. Therefore any habitat and other project works will have to have community backing.

Through concerns raised by Ioan Williams, Environment Agency, I became involved in trying to reduce severe stock grazing and access damage to a footpath, which runs along the banks of the Dulas, just upstream from Ewyas Harold. I met; the farmer, HC’s Area Footpaths Officer, Ioan and Lois Macdonald-Ames (WUF) and we recommended that a suitable short length of fencing and coppicing could be carried out to prevent damaging stock access and significantly improve the river.

So we were very pleased to work alongside the Wye and Usk Foundation www.wyeuskfoundation.org , who report below, to carryout this important Project.

At the time of writing (Nov 2009) it is hoped that the rest of this farm and another significant length of the Dulas can be restored in 2010.

 

 

Prepared by Simon Evans

 

The Wye and Usk Foundation has conducted its operations on a catchment- wide scale since 1996 and during this time has built up knowledge of the rivers and the variety of pressures affecting them. We have developed and implemented cost effective techniques for making good degraded watercourses, remedial work in respect of water quality including acid waters; rectification of barriers to migration, and developed socio-economic mechanisms to ensure sustainability. We are a key stakeholder and a proven delivery method for 3rd sector actions within the catchment. From this position we think we are well placed to assist in the delivery of the aims of the Water frame work directive.

Between April 2008 and March 2009 the Wye and Usk foundation had an ambitious programme of work amounting to £617,519 of spend across ten projects. The WFD award was a further £100,000 to complete additional works.

 
These addition works ranged from further liming to ameliorate for acid waters within the Upper Irfon.  Restoration of degraded geomorphology across 8 km of stream and reducing P delivery to a stream failing on that parameter by supporting two improvements to farm infrastructure at one known problematic location.

One of the most degraded locations in the Monnow catchment. This 670m section was fenced and coppiced. The results just 2 months later are fantastic and will improve still further as the river continues to recover.
In total 1,270m of tree work was completed and 942m of fencing and 3 water gates installed to create a wide buffer to allow the river to naturalise. Inclusion in the Wye and Usk  Passport will ensure that these improvements are maintained.