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A gathering of local stakeholders, the summit will be an opportunity to learn about our plans to facilitate your river-sensitive lifestyles and practices. A structured morning session will be followed by an afternoon drop-in session.

Date: October 4th 2025
Venue: Kingsbridge Community College

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Please email Juliette to request your space, places are limited.

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Local river champions are pushing back.

 

The BLUEprint-for-Rivers team has mobilised communities, landowners, and decision-makers to turn the tide by designing (literally) a blueprint for rivers.

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Already, BLUEprint is working to showcase local farmers using nature-based solutions such as dam-type buffer zones to hold nutrients for repurpose on the land and protect water quality, and those investing in precision farming with advanced nutrient planning techniques. By leveraging trusted local networks, the project aims to make change from the ground up—with the belief that if we make it local, we can make it happen.

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On Saturday the 4th of October, the River Summit will bring partners together to detail opportunities for the next phase of action: BLUEprint 2.

 

Key speakers include Caroline Voden MP, Cllr Paul Arnott (Devon County Council Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Water Quality) and Cllr Caroline Leaver (Chair of Devon County Council), who will hear how local action is driving real change. The BLUEprint team will demonstrate how taking local responsibility can deliver meaningful reductions in pollution—while urging government to hold water companies to account and demand full transparency on sewage treatment upgrades and results.

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Building on the success of the first stage—which is mapping out key actions for improving water quality both within multiple sectors of the community and geographically —BLUEprint 2 will strengthen River Water Quality Groups for the River Avon, River Gara & Slapton Ley, and the Salcombe-Kingsbridge Estuary. These groups will lead practical, locally driven plans to:

• Support farmers and landowners (practically and financially) to adopt nature-based solutions (NbS) such as riparian buffer zones, leaky dams, silt traps and reedbeds—keeping soil and nutrients on farms.

• Reduce pressure on inadequate sewage treatment works by promoting river-sensitive water use, responsible toilet and drain habits, and sustainable flood management.

• Encourage households and businesses to manage rainfall run-off and maintain septic tanks responsibly.

• Urge local councils to prioritise Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) and properly assess sewage capacity before approving new developments.​

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🎤Expert informative presentations

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• Giving a detailed picture of our catchments.

• NbS case studies with photographic and eDNA evidence.

• Recommendations for scaling up interventions across South Devon.

• Identify key contamination source types and high-risk periods.

• Inform mitigation strategies: buffer strips, fencing livestock, dog waste signage, CSO upgrades.

• Guide further long-term monitoring and citizen science engagement.

 

🌿Criteria for NbS Prioritisation

• Visible signs of faecal entry (e.g. cattle access).

• Known septic tank clusters or CSOs.

• Willing landowner participation.

• Areas with community access and engagement potential (e.g. schools, footpaths).

• Existing habitat corridors or SDNL alignment.