River Dare restoration survey

Closes 14 Mar 2025

Opened 31 Jan 2025

Overview

Read this page in Welsh / Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

Natural Resource Wales (NRW) is seeking to improve the natural character of rivers across Wales.

To do this, we are looking at opportunities to remove man-made structures that are negatively impacting river health. Restoring rivers will benefit nature and people, both now and in the future.

This project aims to identify and assess river restoration opportunities that could be implemented along the River Dare, through the Dare Valley Country Park.

The River Dare starts just west of the project site and flows east towards Aberdare and is a tributary of the River Cynon. The map below shows the project area.

Map of River Dare project location

The surrounding landscape and the River Dare through the project site has been heavily changed over time due to the history of coal mining in the area. The riverbanks are lined with blockstone bank protection, which is shown in the photograph below.

Blockstone along the banks of the River Dare

The blockstone has been installed to support the banks and reduce the loss of the banks. This limits the type of habitats and wildlife that can live on the riverbanks as there are is no vegetation along the river. The banks are also unnaturally high, confining the water and preventing it from flowing into its surrounding floodplain during periods of high flow, which is more likely to cause loss and damage to banks in other areas along the river.

Within the River Dare there are also several barriers to fish being able to swim upstream, including a culvert, a brick-lined channel, and two weirs. The photograph below shows a weir at the site.

Weir in the entrance to a culvert

View the restoration opportunities that we've identified for the River Dare. You can see the ideas in more detail in the online survey using the link below.

Give us your views

Areas

  • Aberdare East
  • Aberdare West/Llwydcoed

Audiences

  • River restoration

Interests

  • River restoration