It's official - millions of pounds, along with gallons of water, are to be poured into canals in the Five Valleys in one of the most exciting projects in the area for decades. Now the cash has been secured months of hard work lie ahead to enable the first phase of restoration to be finished by the end of 2008 as planned. James Davis reports on the roadmap to regeneration.

THE ambitious canal project has received widespread support but a few questions - such as how wildlife will be protected and where will the water come from - still remain a mystery.

As reported last week, more than £22-millon has now been secured to revive the six-mile stretch of water between Brimscombe Port and Stonehouse.

The SNJ has seen full details of the work ahead contained in a comprehensive Project Atlas.

It answers many concerns and contains meticulous details of every lock, bridge, stretch of tow-path or changes planned for existing channels.

There is also information on conservation, canal-side developments and it outlines how the community will be involved.

Andrew Stumpf, regeneration manager at British Waterways and project leader, says the work is not as complicated as many think.

"The engineering is relatively simple," he says.

"Conservation is probably where we will be pushing the boundaries."

It is precisely this issue that has raised concerns - even among the canal's most enthusiastic supporters.

The document highlights the diverse wildlife living in or around the canal - from bats and birds and water voles to otters.

"Time has moved on and our knowledge of restoration has moved on leaps and bounds," said Mr Stumpf.

"The works will bring change as it is a major task to restore a canal.

"But where there are valuable habitats we will seek to and are compelled to preserve them as there are many protected species on the way."

Mr Stumpf also quashed suggestions that a much-talked-about and impending national drought could cause problems with the canal's water levels.

"It is something we are conscious of nationally," he said.

Experts say that while some water will be lost through surface evaporation, transpiration from channel-side foliage and as boats pass through locks, the Slad Brook and Painswick Stream could also be diverted to feed water to the canal.

"And we are negotiating with the Environment Agency to top-up in Brimscombe."

"But in the most extreme conditions back-pumping will recycle water in the canal."

The fact-packed guide illustrates hundreds of details.

It reveals that the canal rises from around 25-metres to around 55-metres above sea-level between Stonehouse and Brimscombe.

And it also predicts that around 215,000 additional day-visitors will be attracted to the waterway each year, spending an estimated £531,000 in the local economy.

Work on the first-phase is due to start in Cainscross this summer with work spreading in both directions along the channel before its completion in December 2008.

And if a £15-million bid to the National Lottery's Living landmarks Fund is successful, work between Stonehouse and Saul will start in 2007 and be completed by 2010.

This would crucially link Stroud's rejuvenated waters with the national canal network via the Gloucester & Sharpness canal.

The project atlas can be downloaded at http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/cotswolds/conservation_management_plan/downloads.html