February 7-9
The winter programme of environmental works is complete.
During this time, 170 metres of channel has been cleared of scrub, 720 hedging whips have been planted, a further 74 metres of hedge has been laid and bonfires have kept us warm during some very chilly weather. Although spared the severe frost and ice of the January work party, the weather on this occasion was still ‘uninviting’: damp and grey with a bone-chilling easterly breeze.
In addition to the environmental programme, a further milestone was reached, not possible in last month’s freezing weather. Having first raised the level of the Phase 1A temporary dam as mitigation against future storm surges, the pipe connection between Phases 1A and 1B past the farm crossing was deployed. Although 1B had already accumulated a lot of rainwater since it was completed in July, it has now filled completely. Approximately half the length of channel between Crickheath Bridge and Schoolhouse Bridge is now in water.
Beyond these rewatered sections, work continued to profile the channel ready for lining next month (weather permitting). 100 metres has now been completed. The channel in this area widens on a bend and the offside bank is now slightly below the required height above water level. A further complexity is retaining sufficient material to create soft banks behind the retaining wall blocks (see the May 2024 work party report). There is more work to do profiling the channel in this area which may require some trial and error adjustment but excellent progress has been made so far.
Aside from clearing, profiling and lining the channel, there are always a multitude of other tasks required in support. Time was spent on Saturday cutting pegs from lengths of angle iron for securing towpath boards and, on Sunday, cutting lengths of lining materials ready for the next work party.
