The Dee Water Framework Directive (WFD) Management Catchment is a landscape of real contrasts, stretching across the border of England and Wales and linking the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) to the open plains of Cheshire and the wild mudflats of the Dee Estuary. There are thriving communities such as Chester, Wrexham and Whitchurch, as well as a vast range of farmland, woodlands, canals and wildlife‑rich waterways.

For our Environmental Destination (ED) programme, we are focusing on a specific “area of interest” within the catchment, relevant to water company abstractions. Our focus is those tributaries in England where the public water supply companies actively abstract water or where their groundwater abstraction impacts on flow to surface waterbodies. These four water bodies are Morlas Brook, Shell Brook, Worthenbury Brook (Worthenbury Lower) and Aldford Brook—and they represent the full character of the Dee system, from fast‑flowing upland rivers to peaceful lowland streams weaving through agricultural landscapes. Some influencing abstractions sit just outside the Dee catchment, so we’ll also be working closely with neighbouring catchments to make sure our efforts are joined‑up – specifically the Severn Middle Shropshire and the Weaver Gowy management catchments.

This is an area rich in special habitats, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) such as Shell Brook Pastures and the Afon Dyfrdwy (River Dee) itself. Local authorities manage many of the smaller watercourses, and the much‑loved Llangollen Canal adds heritage and recreational value. All of this work is supported by the Middle Dee Catchment Partnership—a collaboration of farmers, communities, environmental groups and local organisations who share a common goal: a cleaner, healthier, wildlife‑rich water environment. Through shared evidence, coordinated action and community involvement, the partnership is working to enhance biodiversity, support sustainable land management and ensure the Dee catchment continues to thrive for both people and nature.