A few years ago, whilst on a walk along Barwick Lane I came across the sight of a tractor operating in the River Rib.
Yes, you did read IN.
Being somewhat acquainted with the rather expensive and lengthy process required before acquiring a licence for such work, I contacted the River Rib CaBA Catchment Co-ordinators (HMWT) who advised that they weren’t aware of any approved works in that area of the River Rib and that this activity should therefore be reported to the EA. This was duly done.
Move forward in time to yesterday and as I drove up Barwick Lane I noticed what looked like piles of chalk along the river bank in a similar area to where I had seen the tractor some years previously.
Last evening I went down for a closer look and discovered that a stretch of riverbed and bank had been apparently scoured over a stretch of 150 metres. To my understanding this is a clear breach of the regulations in place to protect our streams and rivers.
For those keen to understand exactly why dredging rivers and especially chalkstreams is a very bad idea should read Charles Rangeley-Wilson’s blog on the subject, which references the incident on the River Lugg in Herefordshire – Dredging makes flooding worse.
Also worth a read is the Environment Agency blog from April 2023 and a reminder that Mr Price was sentenced to 12 months in prison and fined £600,000 for his actions.
This has now been reported to the Environment Agency, Incident reference 2184855
Friends of the Rib & Quin will be attending ‘A Picnic for Change’ on Hartham Common in Hertford on Sunday 20th August. This year the event is celebrating our local chalk streams and will run from 12 noon.
Site: River Quin, Gravelly Lane Ford, Braughing Recorders: Andy Ayres, Mark Wilkinson Survey date: 28th July 2023 Time: 1650hrs Flow (0-5): 2, clear Air temperature: Water temperature: 13oC Weather:
This Wednesday North Herts Council Cabinet Panel for Environment will be holding a meeting via zoom with a focus on water.
The Panel is comprised of Councillors and all meetings are open to the public to attend. The idea is for it to be a forum where climate/environmental issues can be discussed, and gain the ideas, views, and updates of the public, experts, and councillors.
North Herts Council’s Executive Member for the Environment requested that the topic of the July meeting be Water. The council have requested presentations from the Wildlife Trust on some work they are doing within the district, and the water companies on supply and waste water disposal. Friends of the Rib & Quin have been invited to attend and participate in the public discussion.
You can watch a playback of the streamed meeting from the Council’s YouTube channel below.
Pauline, Andy and Toby were at the Braughing Wheelbarrow Race on Saturday to talk to visitors about our chalk streams and show young and old the river flies and other invertebrates that live in them. There was also the opportunity to look at the levels of nutrient pollution in the River Quin with samples taken for both phosphate and nitrate testing.
Friends of the Rib and Quin 