October 2-5
Although uncomfortably wet and windy at times, we were spared the worst of Storm Amy and much was achieved.
As last month, the main work areas were Phase 2 (joining on from the section finished over the summer) and the Waen Wen area towards Pant. Once again, a handful of volunteers attended on Thursday to give the work party a head start tackling a variety of jobs notably brushcutting at Waen Wen, pumping out the recently-completely Phase1B and reseeding the banks there before wind conditions made seed sowing impossible.
Work in Waen Wen continued from that started last month. The ground here is clearly very fertile evidenced by the thickets of undergrowth and lush growth such as the reedmace shown above. However, by the end of the work party, we had reached a fence at the far end where the channel meets a grazed field and sheep keep it clear. This southern limit is 600 metres from Pant Bridge. A total of 410 metres has now been cleared. Where conditions were suitable, material generated was burned in the basin, but the majority was stacked tidily on the banks for chipping at a later date. Large trees in the channel will be removed by contractors. The basin at Waen Wen is extensive and will be the next winding hole beyond the current limit of navigation at Crickheath Basin.
Meanwhile, in Phase 2, profiling the channel to its final dimensions could start following the clearance and site strip last time. But first, the temporary clay dam separating Phase 2 from the completed Phase 1B was removed. The original expectation was that the completion water test and sign-off for Phase 1B would be performed as soon as it was finished but the extreme need to conserve water this year put an end to that plan. Instead, this completion test will be performed for the combined Phase 1B and 2 sections. As 1B will remain dewatered till then, there was no longer a need for the dam. But a waterproofed channel does, by design, retain water and so when it rains, it fills and, without the dam, water would run off into the current work area.
To prevent this, a mini clay bund has been retained where the clay dam was situated, the water level in 1B having been reduced by pumping into 1A on the Thursday. Between work parties, a gap will be left in the bund to allow water to pass from 1B into Phase 2 where it will drain into unlined ground. Just before the next work party, the gap will be closed to hopefully prevent water entering the work site. This bund will be removed and the narrow gap it occupies will be lined and blocked on completion of Phase 2. It sounds ingenious; how effective it is only time will tell.
The weather brought by Storm Amy was a challenge all round, not only for plant works in muddy conditions but also for those volunteers not having the luxury of working from inside a digger cab. An extended lunch break was taken on Friday during a particularly heavy downpour. Thankfully, the rain eased off in the afternoon even though it remained gusty. Conditions were equally challenging on Saturday when a guided tour for Society members and a group of other much respected restoration volunteers from BBHT sheltered under Schoolhouse Bridge. Here they took the opportunity to hand over a cheque for £200 towards the restoration effort. Altogether £300 was contributed on Saturday for which we are enormously grateful.
Finally, a special word of thanks must be given to Chris who has produced a banner for the compound fencing and other promotional boards along the towpath.
