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===Alteration of route===
Before the 13th century the direct route to the sea at Highbridge was blocked by gravel banks and peat near Westhay.<ref>{{cite web|title=Meare and Ferran Mere |work=Sacred Sites around Glastonbury |url=http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/sacredsites/meare.html |accessdate=1 November 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/webis/2009030103401520120802135217/http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/sacredsites/meare.html |archivedate=12 MarchAugust 20092012 |df= }}</ref> The course of the river partially encircled Glastonbury from the south, around the western side (through [[Beckery]]), and then north through the [[Panborough]]-[[Bleadney]] gap in the [[Wedmore]]-[[Wookey]] Hills, to join the [[River Axe (Bristol Channel)|River Axe]] just north of Bleadney.<ref>{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|year=1982|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|series=The making of the English landscape|isbn=978-0-340-20116-9|pages=110–112}}</ref> This route made it difficult for the officials of [[Glastonbury Abbey]] to transport produce from their outlying estates to the Abbey, and when the valley of the river Axe was in flood it backed up to flood Glastonbury itself. Sometime between 1230 and 1250 a new channel was constructed westwards into [[Meare Pool]] north of [[Meare]], and further westwards to [[Mark Moor]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dunning |first1=Robert |title=A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 8, the Poldens and the Levels |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol8/pp1-7 |website=British History Online |publisher=Victoria County History |accessdate=14 September 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005160622/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol8/pp1-7 |archivedate= 5 October 2015 |df= }}</ref> It then divided into two channels, one the [[Pilrow]] cut flowing north through [[Mark, Somerset|Mark]] to join the Axe near [[Edingworth]], and the other directly west to the sea at Highbridge.<ref>{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|pages=110–111|isbn=978-0-340-20116-9|year=1981}}</ref> During monastic times, there were several [[Fishing weir|fish weirs]] along the lower reaches of the river. They used either nets or baskets, the fishing rights belonging to the [[Bishop of Bath and Wells]] and the Abbot of Glastonbury.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10036/20952/Glastonbury%20Abbey.pdf?sequence=1 |title=Making the Most of a Bad Situation? Glastonbury Abbey, Meare, and the Medieval Exploitation of Wetland Resources in the Somerset Levels |last=Rippon |first=Stephen |publisher=Exeter University |pages=30–31 |accessdate=4 November 2008 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703002414/https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10036/20952/Glastonbury%20Abbey.pdf?sequence=1 |archivedate= 3 July 2015 |df= }}</ref>
 
===Drainage improvements===
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==Hydrology and water quality==
At Bruton Dam, the nearest measuring station to the source of the river, the normal level of the river is between {{convert|0.6|m}} and {{convert|2.08|m}} with the highest level ever recorded being {{convert|10.7|m}} in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=River Brue at Bruton Dam |url=https://www.riverlevels.uk/river-brue-bruton-bruton-dam |publisher=River Levels UK |accessdate=20 September 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095015/https://www.riverlevels.uk/river-brue-bruton-bruton-dam |archivedate= 4 March 2016 |df= }}</ref> Within the town of Bruton at Bruton Surgery the normal level is between {{convert|0.17|m}} and {{convert|0.69|m}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=River Brue at Bruton Surgery |url=https://www.riverlevels.uk/river-brue-bruton-bruton-surgery |publisher=River Levels UK |accessdate=20 September 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072246/https://www.riverlevels.uk/river-brue-bruton-bruton-surgery |archivedate= 4 March 2016 |df= }}</ref> Further downstream at [[Lovington, Somerset|Lovington]] the normal level is between {{convert|0.08|m}} and {{convert|0.56|m}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=River Brue at Lovington |url=https://www.riverlevels.uk/river-brue-lydford-on-fosse-lovington |publisher=River Levels UK |accessdate=20 September 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404025738/http://riverlevels.uk/river-brue-lydford-on-fosse-lovington |archivedate= 4 April 2017 |df= }}</ref> The furthest downstream monitoring station at Clyse Hole near [[Street, Somerset|Street]] records a normal range of {{convert|0.15|m}} and {{convert|0.49|m}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=River Brue at Clyse Hole |url=https://www.riverlevels.uk/river-brue-street-clyse-hole |publisher=River Levels UK |accessdate=20 September 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071133/https://www.riverlevels.uk/river-brue-street-clyse-hole |archivedate= 4 March 2016 |df= }}</ref>
 
For the purposes of monitoring of water quality the Brue and Axe are considered together. In 2013 19 water bodies within the area were considered to have moderate water quality with two being poor and four good quality. Agriculture and rural land management is the largest factor affecting water quality followed by the water industry. Transport, industry and manufacturing also have an effect.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brue and Axe - Summary|url=http://environment.data.gov.uk/catchment-planning/OperationalCatchment/4wsx/Summary|publisher=Environment gency|accessdate=20 September 2015}}</ref>
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[[File:The River Brue, Westhay - geograph.org.uk - 192924.jpg|thumb|upright|The River Brue crossing [[Westhay Moor]]]]
 
The Brue Valley Living Landscape is a UK [[Conservation biology|conservation]] project managed by the [[Somerset Wildlife Trust]]. The project commenced in January 2009 and aims to restore [[habitat]]. It aims to help wildlife sustain itself in the face of [[climate change]]<ref name=swtbrue>{{cite web|url=http://www.somersetwildlife.org/brue_valley.html |title=Brue Valley Living Landscape |publisher=Somerset Wildlife Trust |accessdate=2 July 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605030653/http://www.somersetwildlife.org/brue_valley.html |archivedate= 5 June 2011 |df= }}</ref> while guaranteeing farmers and other landowners can continue to use their land profitably. It is one of an increasing number of [[landscape scale conservation]] projects in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|title=Future Landscapes: Draft Policy for Consultation|url=http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/futurelandscapes_tcm6-8638.pdf|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140605090108/http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/futurelandscapes_tcm6-8638.pdf|dead-url=yes|archive-date=5 June 2014|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=19 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=A Living Landscape |url=http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/living-landscape |publisher=The Wildlife Trusts |accessdate=2 July 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/2013152018410020121016234058/http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/living-landscape |archivedate= 116 JanuaryOctober 19702012 |df= }}</ref>
 
The project covers an area of approximately {{convert|12,500|ha}} encompassing the floodplain of the River Brue from a little east of [[Glastonbury]] to beyond the [[Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors SSSI]] in the west. Almost a quarter of the project area is designated as [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI), [[Special Protection Area]] (SPA) and [[Ramsar site]]. The project area accounts for almost half of the [[Somerset Levels and Moors]] [[Special Protection Area]]. The area includes land already managed for conservation by organisations including [[Somerset Wildlife Trust]], [[Natural England]], the [[Hawk and Owl Trust]] and the [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds]]. These include [[Shapwick Heath]] [[national nature reserve (United Kingdom)|national nature reserve]], [[Westhay Moor]], [[Catcott Lows]] National Nature Reserve, [[Ham Wall]] and [[Shapwick Moor]]. There are 25 [[scheduled monument]]s and 746 [[Historic Environment Record]]s in the project area including internationally important sites such at the [[Glastonbury Lake Village]] and [[Sweet Track]]. Research on the Somerset Levels and Moors has been crucial to the understanding of the natural and human history of wetlands.<ref>{{cite book |last=Brunning |first=Richard |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Wet and Wonderful: The Heritage of the Avalon Marshes |year=2007 |publisher=Somerset Heritage Services |location=Taunton, Somerset |isbn=0-86183-380-5 }}</ref> The project is based solely on the peat-based soils of the Somerset Moors. It does not extend on to the marine clay soils of the more westerly Levels.<ref>{{cite web|title=South Drain Water Level Management Plan |url=http://www.somersetdrainageboards.gov.uk/media/South-Drain-WLMP-Brue-Approved-Apr-10.pdf |publisher=Somerset Drainage Boards |accessdate=20 October 2015 |deadurl=no |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005060629/http://www.somersetdrainageboards.gov.uk/media/South-Drain-WLMP-Brue-Approved-Apr-10.pdf |archivedate= 5 October 2015 |df= }}</ref>
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