Happy Easter!  Birds are singing, flowers are flowering, trees are budding and rivers flowing: I’ve even seen the sun briefly today.  It’s a wonderful world.

The groundwater dips taken at the beginning of the month and, indeed, those at the beginning of February and March show a really close correlation with those for the same month in 2011.  3-month rainfall totals are also very similar, although 6 and 12 month totals are higher.  I notice that, by the end of 2011, the river was completely dry from above Chalfont St Giles.   At present, it continues to flow well, as it now has, almost without exception, since January 2013.  We will see!  What do you make of the tables and graphs on the website?

Contractors have been seen jetting culverts and drains through CStP though one wonders about the value of this work compared with the need to tackle the well documented problem of surcharged sewers.   Meanwhile surveyors working on behalf of consultants working for the Environment Agency have been making very detailed topographical studies through the village. As far as I know, there are no plans for any significant work though it would be good to have road levels/drainage  sorted outside the Party Shop.

After the March Work Party, we felt the watercourse was in generally good condition from Amersham through to CSP and we’d made a good start on establishing some “view points” and a possible picnic spot near CSP allotments.  Gardeners will know this is the time of year when much needs to be done to keep on top and set the stall out for the rest of the year so there will still be plenty to do on our next outing.  In particular, we will be targeting the bank-side by the new path in CStG including removing and burning various debris we have created over the years – a task deferred from January and still hoping for assistance form the Youth Club now the weather is better.  Unless, we have a really good turnout, we will again have to postpone any attempt to tackle the encroaching alder and other near Amersham Mill.  It’s been good to see the husbandry of the farmer upstream of Quarrendon Mill this year.

Anyway, please let me know if you can join us on Sunday 26th April – morning or afternoon session, or both – and I will send specific suggested work plans.

Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing some of you at our “Not-a-meeting” at the White Hart, Chalfont St Peter (NOT the one at CStG!) at 7.45 p.m. on Tuesday 21st April.  It has been good to welcome and chat with some new faces at these little gatherings this year.