People often ask:
Q. Are there any fish in the river?
A. Yes, while several of the invertebrate monitoring sites frequently note sightings of minnows and sticklebacks, you can spot some nice trout around Little Missenden.
Q. Are there any fish in the river?
A. Yes, while several of the invertebrate monitoring sites frequently note sightings of minnows and sticklebacks, you can spot some nice trout around Little Missenden.
Q. Where does the River Misbourne begin?
A. We usually say at Mobwell Pond opposite the Black Horse, (the balloon flying pub), on the Aylesbury Road N. of Great Missenden.
A. We usually say at Mobwell Pond opposite the Black Horse, (the balloon flying pub), on the Aylesbury Road N. of Great Missenden.
Mobwell Pond (sometimes dries up completely)
Q. Why do you say “usually”?
A. Being a “winterbourne”, it can be several miles down the valley during the drier months and, occasionally in the Spring, a little further up into the fields the other side of the railway line.
A. Being a “winterbourne”, it can be several miles down the valley during the drier months and, occasionally in the Spring, a little further up into the fields the other side of the railway line.
Q. Where does the River Misbourne flow to?
A. It joins the River Colne at Denham just before the Colne flows under the A40 on its way to join the Thames at Staines.
A. It joins the River Colne at Denham just before the Colne flows under the A40 on its way to join the Thames at Staines.
Q. What is the borehole dipping all about?
A. We join with the Chiltern Society monthly to measure how deep the water table is below ground at boreholes approximately every mile up the valley from Chalfont St Peter to well above Mobwell. I tabulate and graph the results on the MRA website to show how the levels vary compared with rainfall and the extent of flow.
A. We join with the Chiltern Society monthly to measure how deep the water table is below ground at boreholes approximately every mile up the valley from Chalfont St Peter to well above Mobwell. I tabulate and graph the results on the MRA website to show how the levels vary compared with rainfall and the extent of flow.
Q. Why does the river sometimes disappear in the stretch through the Chalfonts?
A. Very simply, because the underlying layer of chalk has a different porosity than the layers further upstream.
A. Very simply, because the underlying layer of chalk has a different porosity than the layers further upstream.
Q. So why does it sometimes flow in this section?
A. If there is enough water in the river at Amersham, some will make it all the way through without seeping into the ground, especially if we keep the watercourse clear and free-flowing.
A. If there is enough water in the river at Amersham, some will make it all the way through without seeping into the ground, especially if we keep the watercourse clear and free-flowing.
Q. I thought all the problems were caused by the water companies taking our water.
A. It’s a lot more complicated than that! Affinity Water works very closely with the Environment Agency and others to ensure they can supply the water we all need with least impact. By 2020, we can look forward to further reduction in abstraction from the valley as networks to other sources are strengthened.
A. It’s a lot more complicated than that! Affinity Water works very closely with the Environment Agency and others to ensure they can supply the water we all need with least impact. By 2020, we can look forward to further reduction in abstraction from the valley as networks to other sources are strengthened.
Q. When can I find out a bit more about the river and what you do?
A. Come along to our next informal group chat – we call them “not-a-meeting”s – on Thursday 26th at 7.45 p.m. at The Ivy House.
A. Come along to our next informal group chat – we call them “not-a-meeting”s – on Thursday 26th at 7.45 p.m. at The Ivy House.
Q. And when is the next Work Party Day?
A. On Saturday 7th March, probably in two shifts a.m. and p.m. – please let me know if you can join us and for which shift.
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