Category: From the Riverbank

“Enough is enough!”, you may cry as yet more precipitation precipitates, but please don’t blame the messenger. It will be little surprise that groundwater levels have risen well along the valley and in the Chilterns during the last two months. Indeed, a glance at the rainfall record in our Quickview pix shows that both the...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...