The Environment Agency recently published a consultation on future charges for many of the topics they regulate. Whilst many of the proposals are uncontentious, some threaten to seriously undermine the good work of Trusts, anglers and may others who do small or medium scale environmental works. In particular, some of the charges for small in-stream… Continue Reading
KWVR at Haworth
Rodley Nature Reserve Fish Pass
Green Ripples
Castleford Millenium Bridge
River Aire at Ferrybridge
Malham Cove
Saltaire
‘Tis the season to be planting….
Winter weather may be a good excuse to stoke the fire, contemplate the drinks cabinet closely and turn one’s back to the outdoors. However, that cold weather also causes dormancy in trees which means winter is the ideal time to get out planting, provided the ground is not too water-logged or too frozen! Trees are… Continue Reading
Knottingley Hydro officially open
The Knottingley Weir hydro officially opened on Nov 5th 2017. The green contraption on the weir is the eel pass and the outflow from the hydro is in the immediate foreground just below the outflow from the fish pass. The other photo shows Geoff Boycott (mike in hand) addressing the invitees just before he unveiled the… Continue Reading
Stopping flooding in Leeds – FAS2 consultation
Leeds FAS2 is the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 2. This major flood risk management scheme is being designed to substantially reduce the risk of any repeat of the Xmas 2015 flooding. The Environment Agency and Leeds City Council have been working together for the last 18 months to come up with their outline proposals… Continue Reading
Harden Beck just got better!
Beckfoot Mill Weir on Harden Beck was independently identified by both Kevin Sunderland of the Aire RT and the Environment Agency as an obstruction to fish passage and an interruption to natural geomorphological process. EA fisheries data confirm that grayling are only recorded in the beck up to the weir, and since it is only… Continue Reading
CSO at Apperley Bridge spews out rags again
Yorkshire Water has cleared teh CSO gate at Apperley Bridge of the sanitary towels, wet wipes and other unflushables that were almost completely blocking it, a few weeks ago. A visit at the end of July produced photo’s that demonstrate that the system is disfunctional: from package labelling to humans’ flushing behaviour to filtering and… Continue Reading
Tree works on rivers
Earlier this year many of us expressed serious concern about the way in which the Environment Agency were undertaking tree clearance/improvement work on the Upper Aire. No need to repeat the details of the saga here because the important point is that the EA have learned from what they acknowledge was a pretty dire performance.… Continue Reading
More weirs made swimmable!
Aire Rivers Trust has agreed to fund work to improve fish passage and reinstate connectivity on several small to medium-sized weirs on tributaries between Bingley and Malham. The work is being coordinated by Professor Jonny Grey, Research & Conservation Officer for the Wild Trout Trust, in partnership with the Environment Agency and various other organisations… Continue Reading
Turbines at Chapel Haddlesey and Knottingley
Two hydros and fish passes are under construction on the lower Aire. Chapel Haddlesey The turbines have already been installed and the baffles for the fish pass will be delivered in early June 2017. The fish pass and the two Archimedes Screws are expected to be in use by the end of June. Knottingley The… Continue Reading
Walks around Bradford’s Becks
Friends of Bradford’s Becks have just published a (FREE!) guide to a series of walks around Bradford’s Becks. The booklet contains detailed guides to several walks around the area as well as background information on the becks, the wildlife to be found, the history of the beck and how to keep our watercourses clean. You… Continue Reading
