News

DOUR BY NAME BUT NOT BY NATURE

The River Dour in Dover, which had 40 working water mills less than a century ago is being taken over by the Environment Agency and turned into a tourist attraction.

There are to be signposted riverside walks which it is hoped will bring in an influx of visitors.

The Dour had lived up to its name in recent years but has seen some improvement since 1995. It will now be managed by the Agency which will include steps to tackle pollution and the build up of debris.

Fish now thrive in the River Dour, and there has been a substantial improvement in the quality of the river, which supports one of the best wild brown trout fisheries in Kent.

The Dour is well stocked with a range of bottom-dwelling animals much more typical of a chalk stream, with a thriving population of freshwater shrimps and other species such as caddis fly larvae and aquatic snails, indicative of a healthy river.