2021 – November News

It has been another good month on the work front. Four good work parties rescued the watercourse from beneath about a kilometre of dense watercress downstream of Chalfont St Giles, establishing flow well into the sheep fields Meanwhile, several groups have worked on the reach through Chalfont St Peter and, while still work in progress, much is now ready for the reappearance of the springs. Just today, another group has come forward with a plan to maintain the section at the back of their street. All these preparations should help to optimise flows into 2022.

After thirteen years of taking pride in being a group of “do-ers”, not “talkers”, we had to succumb this year to the demands of our insurers that we have a constitution and a committee. So, Misbourne River Action has come of age and I am grateful to Dave Cooper and Mel Barnet for joining me on the initial Committee. We now need to have an AGM at which you will have the opportunity to elect who you wish and adopt or amend the constitution which will be on the website soon. By definition, all individuals receiving this note are members.

It’s been heartening to have a good number of enquiries about the dinner and we can now confirm it will again be at The Greyhound, on 15th December. Please let me know as soon as possible if you will be joining us for the usual fun, friendly and not overly fluvial evening.

It so happens that our first (ten minute?) AGM will also be that evening – shall we say 7.20? I can’t imagine it will be a very solemn affair (!) and the rest of the evening will be just as good as ever. Nevertheles, we will need people to stand for a committee position and help map the way forward.

If you haven’t already seen it, you may be interested in this link to an article in Bucks Advertiser regarding Misbourne Environment Protection Ltd. “Googling” MEP will take you to a number of other posts. There has certainly been a lack of any apparent evidence of the EA really scrutinising HS2’s methodology and no real consultation with MRA as was originally promised. All along, I have hoped for some betterment to the Misbourne’s leaking reaches from HS2 funds and, if MEP are ultimately unsuccessful in the aim of stopping HS2, it would be wonderful if their raising of the stakes led to lining a substantial stretch with natural materials as approved by EA for the Chiltern Society Lottery bid some years ago.

A few of us enjoyed our first “not-a-meeting” for a long time. We will have another, in The Greyhound, on Thursday 25th November at 7.30 – all who fancy a drink and a chat will be very welcome; just turn up and find us. Chat is definitely not restricted to our river, but it is a good chance to discuss some of its fascinating and frustrating characteristics and meet new members.

November is not a great time of year for work parties. Nevertheless, given the momentum generated recently, it would seem a shame not try and do a bit more, encouraging flow towards Cherry Acre. If you would like to join us, weather permitting, 10.00 to say 12.30 on Saturday 13th, please let me know. Meanwhile, if the ad hoc groups haven’t done so, we will have a try at finishing off between the Council Offices and Community Centre on Thursday 25th from 1.00 pm.and, again, please let me know.

Our little WhatsApp Group is growing. Its purpose is to enable anyone to let other volunteers know that they are intending to do some clearing on such and such day and time and hopefully attract others on the Group to join them. Send your mobile number if you wish to be added.

As is often the case, perceptions of recent notable weather events have not been borne out by monthly statistics. October’s rainfall, while above average was only a little over half of last year’s exceptional figure and total for the twelve months is virtually the same. Nevertheless, this graph shows groundwater levels are well above average for October so we can expect good flow well into 2022. As always, it and much more can be found on our website.

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