Just for a change I’ll leave the river till later and begin with the MRA 4th Annual Dinner.  Following last year’s success, we have again reserved the Ivy House (on A413 between CStG and Amersham) for evening of Wednesday 12th December.  The menu looks great – 3 courses for just £20.00, or a two course option for £17.00, both exclusive of drinks.  If you normally support us as a single worker, this is a good chance for your husband/wife/ girl/boy friend to meet the gang and other dittos; if you normally support us from the wings rather than in the river, this is a good chance to keep in touch with our activities with no risk of getting muddy or wet, if you just fancy a nice evening, don’t look anywhere else and, by the way, conversation is not restricted to rivers!

Please let me know as soon as possible, at latest by 20th November, if you can come and I will send menu choices etc. out to you.

So, to the river:  We had an absolutely super workday last month with several new volunteers and young volunteers, well rewarded by the sight of water flowing over the wier in Mill House garden and on its last few yards towatds the ford.  On the other side of the ford, we also cleared half the distance towards Chalfont St Giles.    We all went  away expecting to return a few hours later to dance in the water in the ford.  Amazingly, frustratingly, apart from distinct rain related incidents, it hasn’t got there!  Last weekend,  a reasonable flow was still reaching the Mill but, despite further recent encouragement by volunteers, disappearong before the ford.  Obviously, this is all related to the nature of the leat, abstraction at Affinity’s CStG pump station, disturbance from the pump station’s wash-out pipe etc., but, in fact to have flow this far at this time of year, following the long drought prior to April is not a bad position.  While still low by normal stadards, groundwater levels are rising and above those at the same time last year.

                                                                                                         

It was good to be invited to meet with Richard Benyon – Minister for the Natural Evironment – and others at a recent event hosted by River Chess Association literally in the Chess at Latimer.  This meeting further underlined the importance and  crtical state of the Chilterns Chalk Streams.  The minister appeared well aware that the current lack of a satisfatory balance between abstraction and the environment is not acceptable and appreciative of the work and expertise of the various groups such as ours.  Later this month, there are meetings with HS2 Ltd to try to secure some guarrantees of protection for the river (and aquifer) should this project ever proceed, with Environment Agency to review Affinity’s consultants prposals for augmentation mentioned last month and again with Affinity themselves a a pre-consultation regarding their next Water Resources Management Plan.

For MRA, we have our next informal “not a meeting” from 07.45 on Thursday 22nd November at The Ivy House; any one  who fancies a drink and ad hoc chat that might touch on riversfrom time to time but, most likely, other incidentals as well, are very welcome.  And our next and final for 2012 work party will be  Sunday 25th November.   We won’t be working in the leat this time, but above, for example in the rough area behind Arlow Kennls, and below, hopefully with some water, through the field o Chalfont St Giles.  As usual, pleae let me know if you can join us and I will send you more details just before.

That had better be all for now. We hope to see you soon and RSVP ASAP PLEASE RE DINNER and WORK PARTY!