After the chaos of last month’s circular which some received fine, some received one or more attachments only and some apparently didn’t receive at all, I’ll keep this message simple.
The Chalfont St Peter work group last month did a fantastic job and we also made a start on the seasonal unclogging of the Mill Leat. All in all the corridor is now in pretty good condition all the way from Misbourne Farm to below Chalfont St Peter, with just a few sections needing some maintenance.
in a few days, the website will be updated to show this month’s flow, distance and dipping readings. Adding some earlier records to the graph issued last month underlines the change over the last two years and it is hard to see any other explanation for the substantial improvements than our efforts. As always, much of the information has been provided by John Norris, John Gladwin and Dave Anderson who do a wonderful job month on month recording river data for The Chiltern Society (with essential help from friends like you!). This data is shared with the Environment Agency and should help ensure that decisions taken and work done affecting the river are soundly based.
The main measurement exercises each month are borehole dipping (normally on the 1st of the month) and flow measurement. It is the flow measurements which are the most challenging, involving some rather repetitive and time consuming readings with at least one of the team spending some time standing in the river! They are also the most important in demonstrating (or perhaps otherwise) the case for localised remedial lining to get and keep the river flowing through the Chalfonts. Could you join the pool of measurers from whom we would draw occasionally? And, by the way, we and the Environmental Agency would welcome some more volunteers for training in and undertaking some invertebrate surveys: I’ll be sorting out the training day shortly.
The trickle of people registering their interest in our activities continued in the month and this News now has a circulation of well over 200. However, I am conscious that I am not following through with several supporters who have only given phone numbers and don’t use the Internet. I wonder if two or three of you would be prepared to become our “telephone tree” – basically a monthly call to up to half a dozen people, passing on our news and views. Maybe this role would suit one of the several of you who have told me how much you support what we are doing but are unable to help us with the physical work on the river? If this interests you, please call to discuss.
Last year we had a very enjoyable “end of season/Christmas ” meal and we decided at our recent “not a meeting” to go for the same again this year. We have a provisional booking for 7.30 p.m. on Thursday 9th December. I have put the details on the website (under “Future Action”) – it looks even better than last year and it is slightly cheaper – even if I can’t negotiate a further discount! Please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to join us: if necessary we will work on a “first come, first served” basis.
Our next full work day will be on Saturday 6th November when we will be welcoming some additional support from the Chalfont St Peter Youth Centre. Work plans are yet to be settled. Please let me know as soon as you can if you expect to be able to join us, though I’ll probably be in touch again beforehand.
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