River Dane

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 53.1920, -2.2899

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Also within

Cheshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (3) Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SJ792670 — Favourable 100.14 2010-12-16
SJ801664 — Unfavourable Declining 28.94 2010-12-16
SJ810660 — Favourable 65.26 2010-12-16
SJ821652 — Favourable 101.41 2010-12-16

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Quaternary

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Description Four reaches of the River Dane are particularly important for fluvial geomorphology. They exhibit a well developed modern meander belt and a complex sequence of Holocene terraces. Radiocarbon dates from wood preserved in the younger terrace deposits indicate aggradation during historical times, followed by recent dissection and the development of the modern meander belt. The meanders include a wide range of rapidly developing forms with good examples of channel change by meander migration, growth, 'double heading' and cut off. The lowest reach, from Pinfold Rough to Davenport Hall Farm, includes a well developed Late Pleistocene to Holocene terrace sequence, including dated sites for the youngest terrace. There is also a documented sequence of channel change and bend development over the last 140 years. The next, from Davenport Hall Farm to Dingle Wood, includes the most rapidly developing bends, together with a major 20th century cut off bend. The reach from Dingle Wood to Pool Wood includes rapidly migrating bends and a 20th century cut off. It is also important for the lack of interference with the channel. The uppermost, from Pool Wood to Radnor Bridge, includes active meander bends with recent and historical cut off activity and also sections in the terrace deposits. Detailed studies of the River Dane have provided important data on the Holocene terrace sequence, the history of channel change and meander development, the dynamics of bend development and the role of islands in channel pattern change.

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea