Tuesday 14 October 2008

Strines LWD - Status report 14-Oct-2008

Tim Jacklin, WTT, reports:

I walked the Strines section to check on how the introduced LWD had weathered the recent high water.  It was still there (phew!) despite the flows shown in the attached pic taken by Paul Gaskell a couple of weeks ago.  It was interesting to see the effects of the LWD even after a relatively short space of time; the structures have pulled the anchor cable taut and swung into positions alongside the bank, and there has been an accumulation of finer sediment between the LWD and the bank.  On the willow on the riffle there is some bed scour taking place (see other pic) and areas of clean gravel below it, which is great.  On the structures in the ‘glide’ sections there doesn’t appear to have been as much bed scour as I had hoped (e.g. the most downstream structure).  I think there is still some settling in to be done on some structures as some side branches shear off and the main trunk can reach the river bed.

In terms of having the desired effect on river morphology, I am thinking more and more that the structures need to be BIG.  This presents practical problems in felling trees of that size, and it would be much easier to retain LWD of that calibre as it falls in.  This will require DNMAC to  look out for this, and for EA Fisheries/Biodiversity to influence Ops Delivery to retain rather than remove.

Felling larger trees isn’t impossible, but it would need a tree surgeon to be able to climb and reduce the tree to a height that could then be dropped into position without causing wholesale damage to other trees, opposite banks, etc. 

Hague Bar LWD 14-Oct-2008

EA Ops Delivery team and WTT Conservation Officer Tim Jacklin have today installed more  Large Woody Debris into the upper Goyt. 

Tim J says: "We completed the LWD introduction at Hague Bar today.   It all went well and we introduced five structures, including some larger trees than at Strines. "

Grid Ref SJ858855

Monday 13 October 2008

Co-op shopping trolleys Sep-2008

Goyt Co-op shopping trolleys Sep 2008
Surveying what rubbish there is dumped in the river in New Mills in preparation for an autumn clean-up I saw a shopping trolley and bike frame lodged under the the bottom of the Millenium Walkway - fairly difficult to access and probably requiring a block-and-tackle winch or a boat ideally to remove.

During the same week I was at Strines and saw two more rusting trolleys deeply embedded in gravel well-clear of the normal river level, and a third in the river. Then downstream of Station Road bridge alongside the new housing development a further two trolleys.

Since they all had once belonged to the New Mills Co-operative store I have been in touch with the company and we are hoping that the Co-op will assist us in their removal.
Please click the photo to view the gallery of photos.

Strines LWD 22-Sep-2008

Goyt - Strines - LWD Sep 2008
On Monday 22-Sep-2008 the EA Ops Delivery team and WTT Projects officer Tim Jacklin installed the first Large Woody Debris into the upper Goyt. Please click the photo to view the gallery of photos taken that day.

Members of DNMAC please note that the club has committed to assisting the EA to monitor the security of the large debris in the river: if you think any of the debris is likely to break free please get in touch with me.

Grid Ref SJ075864