Cove Brook

To the north of the railway bridge carrying the South West Main Line the channel was enlarged to make it wider and deeper, reducing the risk of flooding.

The volume of water in the brook at the time was increased, because it was swelled by the treated outflow from Cove sewage treatment works.

[2] In 1996 the Cove Brook environmental initiative began, and as part of that the Environment Agency dug out the concrete sections, and recreated a more naturalised channel.

With assistance from volunteers who were part of the Cove Brook Greenway Group, paths were created, which now run for most of the length of the river.

The Environment Agency carried out a programme of works to re-create a more natural waterway, and although it runs through an urban area, it now provides a 2-mile (3.2 km) green pathway through Farnborough which is rich in wildlife.

In 1996, residents formed the Cove Brook Greenway Group, a volunteer organisation which undertook further work, clearing rubbish, planting hedges and creating a nature reserve.

Reasons for the quality being less than good include the presence of flood protection structures, which prevent the free movement of fish and other organisms, and runoff of water from roads and contaminated land.