The River Clun and its catchment has changed significantly over the past 70 years. People who live here can remember tickling trout in the ‘50s and ‘60s and there were freshwater crayfish and pearl mussels up and down the catchment. There was a rich biodiversity of river invertebrates, butterflies, otters etc, and a clear river bed. There was much less sediment and turbidity as uplands and land adjacent to waterways remained unploughed. More water was retained in uplands and wider undisturbed areas of peat.

The presence of pearl mussels meant Clun was designated a SAC (Special Area of Conservation), meaning that regulations prevent building development in the Clun catchment, because no new nutrients from sewage treatment can be discharged into the river; this has socio-economic consequences for bringing new people into the area and retaining families, maintaining schools, jobs, and work.

The Onny pipeline proposal by Severn Trent is an example of the pressure put on the area because of the declining state of the river. This proposal will pump sewage effluent from new developments in Bishops Castle along a pipeline into the Onny to avoid the Nutrient Neutrality regulations in the Clun; in other words, exporting the problem downriver. There is significant local opposition to this. If you’d like to object to this scheme, you can find more details and sign the Stop the Pipe petition here. 

The River Clun Monitoring Group was set up in 2022 to monitor the river quality. Our aims are to raise awareness of how the water quality of the Clun impacts on all our lives; to increase monitoring where new groups form (and provide equipment); to present data for clear interpretation of the water quality and biodiversity and to work with local and national groups to improve water quality of rivers. We make monthly measurements of physical properties (temperature, water flow, height, total solids/conductivity): this tells us about seasonal and weather-related changes. We measure ammonia, which comes from sewage, agricultural inputs, and fertilisers; nitrate which is from soil and manure; phosphate, which is from sewage, fertilisers, washing machines, agricultural waste; turbidity, which is a measure of suspended and dissolved matter in the river; and invertebrates which tells us about the longer-term health of river ecology.

We have about 30 volunteers who take part in the monitoring. We work closely with the landowners whose river stretches we sample. We have regular volunteer meetings, checking and calibration of equipment and monitoring methods and our steering group meets every 2 months to oversee it all.

In 2025 a number of events are planned around the river. From 29th May/ June 8th: there will be River Clun Festival: with art, music, talks, Ellie Chowns MP. Other events which are being planned are in August an event in the Upper Clun, in September the Clun Climate Environment groupwill hold a half day event at Clun Memorial Hall. In September the second Dennis and Margaret Twist Memorial event will be focussed Food and Land.

You can watch the excellent BBC Countryfile programme broadcast on 12th January about improving waterways in Shropshire and encouraging the recovery of atlantic salmon in the River Onny.