2025 Updates

RIVER STATUS It has been a busy year in the UK water world. Helped by regular feedback to the Environment Agency (EA) and a wet 2024 our river has remained in water with flow along its length since 16th October 2023. However the recent low rainfall and reducing groundwater levels will make this summer and autumn challenging for the river. The EA still has only limited river monitoring on which to base management of their augmentation scheme.

LIVE MONITORING The WRPS has now setup live cameras providing hourly pictures of the EA's gauging boards at both gauging weirs upstream and also downstream near the A1303 bridge. These are solar powered and deliver hourly images with occasional dropouts on cloudy days. (LIVE CLICK HERE)

DFASS We have supported the DFASS group (Dungate Farm Augmentation Support System) which will be meeting the Regional Director of the EA highlighting the failings of the current augmentation arrangements and how it might be improved.

CUNLIFFE WATER COMMISSION This wide ranging review is due to report by the end of June this year. Their Call for Evidence (CLICK HERE) provides a detailed history of the Water Industry and how it is regulated up to now. The WRPS has made a submission to the commission along with many other local river groups. (CLICK HERE)

WATER QUALITY SURVEY On February 23rd this year WRPS volunteers, with the help of Dr Steve Boreham, undertook an initial water quality survey with samples taken from 21 sites along the river between the headwaters and downstream of Quy Mill Hotel. The report is available (CLICK HERE) and had some surprises but did not show any serious contamination. The plan is to repeat the study in June/July when the water levels are lower and the risks of contamination higher.

CAMEO has led ongoing discussions with the EA regarding groundwater modelling. The aim here is to investigate whether a different and potentially dynamic pattern of abstraction from the surrounding 5 or so major abstraction boreholes would help restore the river flow in dry periods.