Flowing river water along a key section of Vicar Water in Clipstone has been restored after more than 70 years.

Vicar Water flows through the country park, named after the river, and then alongside Clipstone Colliery. The 600m section undergoing restoration — from the railway bridge to Baulker Lane — was previously heavily modified, with much of it buried in an underground railway culvert.

Initial groundworks has now exposed the culvert, which hasn’t seen the light of day in around 70 years, and the river will again flow above ground. It is believed the river was straightened and culverted during mining construction in the 1950s.

The planned work includes restoring a more natural river channel through ‘deculverting’ and river regrading; introducing berms, riffles, pools, and meanders to improve water flow; and enhancing wildlife habitat, such as through improving the passage of fish and water quality. The creation of floodplains will contribute to flood alleviation and wetland habitats.

Additionally, beaver analogue dams — structures that mimic the natural impact of dams created by beavers — will be installed to slow water flow and create pools and wetland habitat during high flows.

Due to mining fissures in the sandstone bedrock that runs under the former colliery, the new and existing river channel is being clay lined to stop water losses and enable the river to adapt to low flows.

In partnership with landowners Welbeck Estates and contractors Ebsford Environmental, the restoration is part of the Three Rivers Restoration Project — a collaboration between Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Severn Trent that aims to improve the water environment in Rainworth Water, Vicar Water, and Bevercotes Beck.

The trust is being supported in the delivery of the Three Rivers Project by specialist staff from its subsidiary, EMEC Ecology.

Emily Farrell, project manager at Ebsford, said: “We’ve brought in heavy machinery for this exciting project and are delighted to be working with the trust to bring life back into the river and improve water flow. More than 20,000 cubic metres of spoil will be removed, the equivalent to a quarter of a million wheelbarrows of earth.

“An initial fish rescue prior to starting work highlighted healthy species still living in the river, including perch and ruffe.”

Wildlife Trust project manager Ian Higginson added: “We met a dog walker on Vicar Water who remembers the river at the top end (Vicar Dale) before mining, and tickling trout — rubbing their underbelly to make them relax before you can scoop them out of water easily by hand.

“This is by far the most ambitious element of the Three Rivers Project we’re delivering in partnership with Severn Trent, and among the most complex habitat engineering work the trust has overseen.

“While we’re not suggesting folk should be tickling trout any time soon, we’re hopeful the species will become a common sight in years to come.

“We expect the improved habitat will attract birds like kingfishers and little egrets; fish such as eel, bullhead, and stickleback, as well as trout; along with dragonflies, water vole, otter, Daubenton’s bats, and aquatic insects such as mayflies.

“We are proud to be helping to regenerate a former coal mine by bringing life back to the river for the benefit of the local community. The river will once more become the green heart of Clipstone, transforming the local environment for people to enjoy and value.”

Neil Pope, of Severn Trent, said it was pleased to fund the work.

“We’re working hard to improve river health across our region, which will in turn better protect the wildlife and habitats that live in and around our rivers,” he added. “Working with our partners is just one of the ways we’re doing that.”