Our little river has been punching well above its weight in the news and social media forums recently with the lead articles being mainly about sewer overflows in Chalfont St Peter and groundwater flooding in Chalfont St Giles – (not forgetting the CStG pond liner!). It has been fun trying to...
Category: From the Riverbank
Post
2024 February Flows
Seeing the standing water in the fields along the valley, it seems incredible that it was only 3 weeks ago that the streams finally joined up to give continuous flow all the way from Mobwell Pond to the Colne. Just two weeks earlier Mobwell Pond was full but no flow out, actual flow began at...
Post
2023 – October Ode
A good month! As noted last time, a big effort was going to be required to properly clear the blocked and overgrown watercourse all the way from CSt Giles to Water Hall on the outskirts of C St Peter. We are delighted to report “mission accomplished”, after three tough work parties, There is now unimpeded...
Post
2023 – September Sallies
You already know that this year, to date, we have had a driest February, a wettest March, a hottest September and all manner of ups and downs in between. Overall, this has given one of the wettest 12 months in the past 30 years but distinctly average in the past three months. Some will have...
Post
2023 – August Aquatics
Lots to report again! While itself not as wet as July in 1991, 2008, or 2012, the 12 month total to end July this year was only matched in the past 30 years by the year ending July 2001. That reflected the exceptionally wet season 2000 – 2001: many will remember the associated groundwater flooding....
Post
2023 – July Journal
In the past month MRA has exhibited fruitfully at Chalfont St Peter Feast Day, Boug Meadow on National Meadows Day, and at Chiltern Open Air Museum “Green Festival”. Big thanks to Mel Barnett for all his work at Feast Day, including providing the ever popular display of river invertebrates, and to Paul Heath. Our river...
Post
2023 – June Jewels
I’m conscious that, deliberately or otherwise, some of you find my pearls have dropped into your “junk” box. As a quick gauge of our readership, I would be really grateful if you could just tap “reply” to this one to let us know it has been received – comments optional!! Our several small work...
Post
2023 – May Momentum
Well, that was a very encouraging month for the Misbourne since the last ramblings. There is water in Mobwell Pond – the notional source of the upper winterbourne – though maybe not flowing out yet; and ducks on the broadwaters of Missenden Abbey. Small outputs from the springs above Chalfont St Peter have been giving...
Post
2023 – April Advances
Dear All Spring is indeed sprung, the grass is riz, and it is becoming more obvious where the Misbourne iz! Springs at the broad waters below Missenden Abbey are the start of strong flow all the way to well past Chalfont St Giles. After a 1/2 mile gap, there are several places where bits of...
Post
2023 – March Moisturising
Dear All At just over 4mm in Chalfont St Peter, February’s rainfall was far below average – in fact the driest February since 1993. As a result, the seasonal recharge of the aquifer stalled as did the springtime emergence of our river. As reported last month, work parties in December and January coaxed the flow...