About the partnership

The Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership (BACP) comprises a range of organisations, groups, authorities and individuals dedicated to working together to improve the water environment and provide wider benefits for people and nature at a catchment scale – known as a Catchment Based Approach (CaBA).

Formed in 2012 with support of central government, the partnership has produced a catchment plan to work towards achieving a better water environment for all.

The partnership has recently launched the Online Projects Map, which provides a geographical display of the BACP Action Plan. All of the projects have been mapped and you can click on each project to find out more information.

The BACP Steering Group has supported the development of a Catchment Partnership Fund. The fund is administered via a small grants scheme on behalf of the partnership- to find out more information about the fund or to find out when the next phase of the Catchment Partnership Fund will be please view our Catchment Partnership Fund page.

The Bristol Avon catchment encompasses the North Somerset coastal streams and the Lower Severn Vale sub catchments. In its entirety, the catchment drains over 2,800km² of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset, with the Bristol Avon River itself flowing through the dramatic Avon Gorge and into the Severn Estuary.

There is a strong farming heritage, particularly in the north of the catchment, and the catchment landscape is important for wildlife, angling, navigation and recreation.

The Bristol Avon and its tributaries flow through the towns of Malmesbury, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Frome and Radstock and in its lower reaches, through Bath and Bristol. The catchment is home to more than one million people. The Bristol Avon catchment also encompasses the North Somerset coastal streams and the Lower Severn Vale sub catchments.

Why do we need to work in partnership?

The government aims to ensure all waterbodies in England meet good ecological status by 2027. Any waterbody that does not meet good ecological status is classified as failing under the European Union’s Water Framework Directive.

These are just some of the water-based challenges within the Bristol Avon catchment that can be addressed more effectively by working together:

Only 11% of the catchment is classified as having ‘good ecological status’.

Although this is typical of other catchments in the UK, it demonstrates the scale of the challenge to meet the Water Framework Directive targets.

89% fail to meet the targets.

Due to factors including physical modification, phosphate levels, sediment load and low fish populations. Some landowners are losing valuable topsoil, nutrients and pesticides. Due to erosion, run-off or leaching; sometimes linked to poor soil structure and compaction

Heavy rainfall running off rural and urban areas causes surface water and river flooding in specific locations.

Tidal flooding continues to be a threat in the lower reaches of the catchment.

What is the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership?

BACP is one of over 100 catchment partnerships across England to support the CaBA which embeds collaborative working at a river catchment scale to deliver cross-cutting improvements to our water environments. 

BACP is supported by a Steering Group and there are also various project task groups who meet regularly to develop and deliver partnership projects from across the catchment. During 2020/21 the BACP is being co-hosted by Wessex Water and the West of England Rural Network (WERN).

For more information on our governance please feel free to read our updated Terms of Reference.

Questions and queries

If you have any questions about the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership, please email info@bristolavoncatchment.co.uk