A £105,000 grant will pay for a weed cutter, canoe crews and a weevil trial to clear floating pennywort from the Weaver between Winsford and Acton Bridge.

Floating pennywort is to be cleared from the River Weaver through Northwich, paid for by a £105,000 grant. The Canal & River Trust announced the money on 5 November.

The work covers the Weaver Navigation between Winsford and Acton Bridge, the stretch that runs through Northwich. The Trust says it is “due to start later this year”.

The grant comes from the Veolia Environmental Trust, through the Landfill Communities Fund. United Utilities put in £10,000 first, which the Trust says helped secure it. The details are in the Trust’s announcement.

What the money pays for

The Trust is leading the project. It plans three approaches:

  • an amphibious weed cutter to pull the pennywort out mechanically
  • paddle training for local groups and volunteers, so they can clear the weed from canoes
  • a trial release of “thousands of tiny weevils” on one of the river’s arms, to eat the plant as a natural control

The Trust has not said which arm of the river gets the weevil trial.

Why it matters on the Weaver

Floating pennywort is not native. The Trust says it was brought to the UK by the aquatic plant trade in the 1980s. It grows into dense floating mats that block sunlight, smother habitats and tangle boat propellers.

It nearly stopped racing in Northwich this autumn. Northwich Rowing Club called a volunteer clear-up for 25 October to keep its course open for this weekend’s Autumn Head, which runs from Vale Royal Locks to Hunts Lock. We covered that on our Autumn Head page.

The Weaver Gowy Catchment Partnership raised the problem to help win the funding. It is hosted by Groundwork CLM and includes:

  • the Angling Trust
  • the Canal & River Trust
  • the Environment Agency
  • Groundwork
  • United Utilities

What the Trust and United Utilities said

Liz Ostrowski, the Trust’s business and corporate engagement partner, said invasive species like pennywort are “a massive headache for our charity, as well as boaters, anglers and precious wildlife, every summer”.

She said the work “will benefit all types of canal user”.

Emma Birch, United Utilities’ area engagement lead for Cheshire, said the company’s “initial contribution of £10k has been used to unlock such a significant amount of funding”.

The bigger picture

The Trust says it removes more than 2,500 tonnes of invasive weed a year across its canals and river navigations. That costs it more than £1 million a year.

The Weaver Navigation runs for 20 miles, from Winsford Bridge to the Manchester Ship Canal.

What it means for you

If you row, paddle, fish or boat on the Weaver around Northwich and Winsford, a weed cutter should be working the river from later this year.

The volunteer canoe training is the part residents can join. The Trust has not yet said how to sign up. Its volunteering pages list current opportunities.

We will add the start date and the weevil trial site when the Trust publishes them.