Crazy British weather! Annual rainfall to end March ’25 was about 560mm – just under 90% long term average, among lowest in last 60 years; annual rainfall to end March ’24 was 930mm – 150% long term average, among highest in past 60 years !  Despite exceptionally low rainfall in March, groundwater levels are still relatively high due to the exceptionally high rainfalls a year ago but now clearly below “exceptional” – see graph below.   We can probably expect to see the wetlands drying quickly in the next month or two.

MRA volunteers have been busy again clearing several long standing, well built obstructions (boys will be boys!) through the woods adjacent GX Golf Course and beginning to open up the tributary that comes down from the Gerrards Cross Gravel Formation.  Our planned spring work party at CStGiles was cancelled because another volunteer had already single handedly created an excellent regime from village centre thu’ to the sheepfield – many days of hard work.

Instead, some of us worked to investigate the deposits at the outlet to the precinct culvert in CStPeter and downstream at Chiltern Hill Bridge.  It was good to determine for sure at last that there is indeed a structural concrete base to both locations with well over half a metre of sediment in each location.  Both are much wider than the general river up and downstream so flow is slower and, particularly as volumes reduce, more deposits will occur, further raising the bed and reducing the capacity through the village.

It was great to attend a conference to celebrate improvements on the River Chess and especially to learn of the various “Citizen Science” Projects. This link https://chesssmarterwatercatchment.org/citizen-science/ takes you through to their website which includes an on-line version of the excellent report.  Much of this is typical of the work we will be able to build upon if/when similar funding for Mending the Misbourne is made available in upcoming determinations.  Of course there is already a strong and dedicated team monitoring river fly invertebrates at 14 locations, and unparalled monthly recording of groundwater levels since 1992 – not to mention expert birdwatchers and fishermen.  Other sparks include a contact with University of Nottingham interest in monitoring pollution and a volunteer beginning a project to study the different plant habitats.  Do let me know if you would like to join in any of this or, indeed, have an idea to initiate another study project.

If you do look at the Chess report, you will notice the high standard of the presentations.  These are way above anything our current small committee has the time or ability to produce, (the Chess work had several full time employees at peak),  but if someone out there has some basic skill in maintaining websites – we use WordPress/Pagelayer – I would love a bit of help!

Our March “not-a-meeting” was well attended and had a lively buzz of varied conversations.  Work party dates of Saturday 26th April and Thursday 1st May were agreed – probable locations being Amersham (Church to Tesco) and Bottom House Farm (downstream).  Please let me know if you can join us.  We also confirmed MRA would again have a stand at Chalfont St Peter Feast Day – as usual help will be appreciated.  As always, plenty of posts in the WhatsApp Group – let me know if you’d like to join in.

“Not-a-meeting” April will be on Thursday 24th April from 7.15pm at The Greyhound – all welcome!

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