Life returns to River Coly after farm slurry spillage

Life is being restored in the River Coly following a major pollution incident in May.

Hundreds of fish were killed when 100,000 litres of farm slurry was spilt into Southleigh Stream, near Colyton, in the spring.

The stream is a tributary of the River Coly, which in turn feeds into the River Axe.

The Environment Agency has now reported that a contractor has completed nearly eight weeks of remediation and gravel rehabilitation on Southleigh Stream, from the point of the slurry discharge down to its confluence with the Coly.

The work included removal and disposal of slurry based silt, sediment and contaminated agricultural matter.

The Environment Agency said that some invertebrates and fish that are more tolerant to fast flowing agricultural pollution will have survived the incident. There are also reports that some minnows have already been sighted in the lower reaches of Southleigh Stream.

The gravel rehabilitation work will also enhance the possibility of migratory salmonoids successfully spawning in the river this winter.

Contractor SEED Environmental has recently been additionally commissioned to carry out remediation and gravel rehabilitation on the main River Coly between Bonehayne Farm and Chantry Bridge in Colyton.

No further update has been given on any possible enforcement action following the spillage.

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