PaulB wrote:River very clean at the moment. Lots of growth but I suppose that's the natural look the Environment Agency prefer.
Paul, it's nothing to do with the look, though it is better than looking at a bare pond like it used to be when the engineering works were there. Main purpose of the beds is to keep a smaller main channel during the summer so the silt doesn't get deposited by low flows, keeps the channel clear and preserves the gravel beds that the trout use for breeding in the winter.
Second purpose is to provide a breeding ground for all the tasty invertebrates that the fish and birds feed on.
An amazing pic as you say, could be taken in the middle of a traditional English village!