A new river, three quarters of a mile long, has been built in north Norfolk, providing a fresh habitat for wild trout and wildlife.
It is the longest known man-made river in the UK, restoring a stretch of water which was diverted through a brick tunnel more than 100 years ago.
River Glaven's new channel lies in the Bayfield Estate, which is owned by father and son Robin and Roger Combe.
And its winding path meanders through the grounds in front of Bayfield Hall, running alongside the estate's wide stretch of lake.
'We have had to second guess nature,' said river designer Richard Hey. 'But this time next year you won't be able to tell it is man-made.'
The Glaven's natural course was disrupted when part of it was widened to create a lake in the hall's gardens in the 1820s.
Silt from Letheringsett Mill further up the river began polluting the lake, and the estate's former owners, the Jodrell family, became involved in an ongoing dispute with the mill owners, the Cozens Hardy family.
It was eventually resolved, and a straight brick tunnel was built to divert the water flow from the lake in the 1890s.
But without the natural curves, dips and stone bed of the original river, it no longer provided a suitable environment for wild trout.
However a group of organisations, including the Wild Trout Trust, the Norfolk Rivers Trust and the River Glaven Conservation Group, persuaded Mr Combe to allow a new river to be built.
Tim Jacklin, from the Wild Trout Trust, said the river would encourage trout to travel up against the stream, helping the wild fish return to the county's rivers.
He said: 'A lot of the rivers, particularly in low-land areas have all been engineered for drainage, but they don't function naturally and require constant maintenance.
'What we have here is a sustainable channel that looks after itself.'
Work began in August, and the water will be allowed to freely flow down the river on Monday.
The project was funded by a larger scheme costing £1.3m, which was won by Norfolk Rivers Trust from the Catchment Restoration Fund. This was match funded by £500,000 from local groups.
The partnership project also included help from the Environment Agency.
Landowner Mr Combe said: 'Having been initially sceptical, they have done such a wonderful job. I was expecting chaos, mess and disruption, but in a year or so it will be a wonderful thing and I am looking forward to seeing it completed.
'I didn't want to agree to it to begin with but I am very pleased I changed my tune and was persuaded to go ahead with it. It will be a good addition to the park. This will be our contribution for the next half millennium.'
Do you have a conservation story for the EDP? Email sabah.meddings@archant.co.uk
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