Historic Mine Pollution in the Conwy Catchment
The North Wales Rivers Trust has been working alongside the Mining Remediation Authority to investigate opportunities for improving water quality within the Conwy catchment through the use of nature-based solutions and natural flood management (NFM).
Historic lead mining has left a legacy across many Welsh rivers, with contaminated surface water runoff and mine drainage continuing to impact watercourses long after mining activities ceased. Finding sustainable and cost-effective ways to reduce these impacts is an important step in improving river health and supporting wildlife recovery.
As part of an ongoing feasibility study, our team has been carrying out detailed site assessments, collecting flow measurements, surveying drainage pathways, and collating hydrological data across the site. This information is helping us build a clearer picture of how water moves through the landscape and how runoff from the historic lead mine enters the surrounding environment.
The data collected will be used to assess the potential for a range of nature-based interventions designed to intercept, slow, and redirect surface water before it reaches contaminated areas. Potential solutions may include swales, leaky barriers, wetland features, attenuation ponds, and the restoration of natural drainage pathways that work with the landscape rather than against it.
By diverting cleaner surface water away from contaminated mine workings and rerouting flows through natural treatment systems, there is potential to reduce the mobilisation of metals, improve downstream water quality, and create valuable habitat for wildlife at the same time.
Nature-based solutions offer an exciting opportunity to tackle some of the environmental challenges left by historic mining while delivering wider benefits for biodiversity, flood resilience, and climate adaptation.
The feasibility study is still underway, and we look forward to sharing the results and potential next steps as the project develops. Through collaboration with the Mining Remediation Authority and other partners, we hope to identify practical solutions that will help restore and protect the rivers of the Conwy catchment for future generations.