Water
meadows
Watermeadow construction dating back over 300 years has influenced the character of many floodplains associated with chalk rivers. In addition to this flood defence works have altered the structure of natural river channels by removing natural habitats and draining adjoining wetlands.
The creation of watermeadows required considerable skill and experience. The desired results were achieved by intermittently flooding the meadows with water diverted from the river during winter and early spring. Men who operated and maintained the meadows were known as ‘mead men' or ‘drowners'.
Rivers such as the Test and Itchen maintain a fairly even temperature throughout the year and carry a considerable amount of chalk which is generally thought to be a significant factor in encouraging the growth of grass by reducing the acidity of the soil.
The sluice system of the Itchen Navigation was important for winter flooding and summer drainage of the adjacent watermeadows. The watermeadows were part of a complex and highly technical regime which irrigated and protected the grass, provided nutrients, created early grazing and allowed a second annual hay crop. This system allowed the Itchen Valley to be intensively farmed in Georgian and Victorian times. Watermeadows fell into disuse in the early 20th century after the advent of alternative fertilisers and a rise in labour costs.
Attempts to create watermeadow systems in other parts of the country were generally unsuccessful or uneconomic as the techniques employed owed their success to the special characteristics of chalk streams. There are still several working watermeadows in Hampshire and it is hoped that Winnall Moors Nature Reserve will provide a demonstration system in future years.
