First off, you will be delighted to have confirmation of what you will all have expected – the great comeback has begun! Dave’s dippings for the beginning of December show a healthy rise in groundwater levels and there is now flow right through Amersham and past the bridge on the by-pass (A413). This is great...
Author: bob (bob )
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2019 – November Nuggets
A most unexpected email this week advised that we have been awarded £200! If I understand it correctly, the money comes from funds raised in store by TK MAX and Homesense, through an initiative called “Neighbourly”, for TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) who have allocated funds to your good selves. So, ladies, we should have more...
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2019 – October Observations
Hopefully, no regular readers of these notes expected to see a river flowing through the valley below Amersham following the recent showers. However, it is perhaps a little disappointing that the groundwater measurements taken last Wednesday showed a further average drop of over 0.3m during September. Also, there is still a dry bed past the...
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2019 – June Jumble
If you didn’t see Countryfile on BBC this week, I really recommend that you try and find it on “catch-up” and enjoy a very interesting and somewhat encouraging programme all about chalk streams. While concentrating on water quality and pollution issues, the programme does mention lack of rainfall. You may have received notice from your...
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2019 – Spring Notes
Many thanks for various enquiries about my health and the Misbourne – typically along the lines of “Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the Misbourne/Bob is”. There was nothing of concern causing the gap since the last note but I try not to fill your inboxes when there is nothing to...
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2018 – October Optimism
Understandably, some of you have taken me to task for my earlier prediction that we would see flow back to Chalfont St Giles by May. Well, with tongue in cheek I claim my forecast was correct all along as, throughout the summer, there has been flow as far as, and a bit beyond, Misbourne Farm...
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2018 – Summer Synopsis
Thanks for all your recent emails regarding the state of the river, the weather and the absence of work parties. As always, the Misbourne presents a rather contrarian image. This photo last weekend by the Jaguar garage in Amersham where there are a couple of hatches of fry compares very well with the dry bed...
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2018 – April Advances
Slowly, some results from HS2’s massive ground investigation programme are becoming public. Revisions to the British Geological Society’s maps in 1992 enabled a huge step forward in appreciating the geology of the Chilterns and the Misbourne valley. Understanding of the various chalk strata has evolved subsequently with work by, particularly, Dr Haydon Bailey. Some of...
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2018 – February Fanfare
I hope your New Year has got off to a good start and you have enjoyed the break from MRA adventures. Last autumn we were dismayed to see that the poor recharge of the last two or three years had resulted in no flow all the way back to Amersham Church – the first time...
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2017 – November Numbers
Oh dear! Here we are, one month into the annual recharge season with groundwater levels still falling and, as gardeners will know, a high “soil moisture deficit” – i.e. the ground is very dry. The Environment Agency report for Hertfordshire and North London states “Groundwater levels continued to fall at all of our groundwater sites...