September 6-8
Two out of three’s not bad. Benign weather on Friday and Saturday helped enormously but Sunday was soggy.
The top priority now is to complete channel works in Phase 1A before this area refills with water over winter. The southernmost 70 metres of channel in this section requires lining and blocking with a temporary dam constructed at the south end. As an interim measure, there will be a pipe past the farm crossing connecting the channel in Phase 1A and Phase 1B.
Friday saw the start of lining and blocking which had three variations to the standard approach. The first was to achieve the transition from unlined to lined channel. The second to make an effective connection to the base of the wharf wall in this area rather than liner continuing above water level on both banks. Both operations were a little fiddly to start with but by Friday lunchtime, the method was being perfected. The final variation, which proved a great help, was access for block delivery. Normally blocks are delivered down a chute from the bank top whereas here, not only did we have easy access from the compound along the channel bed but the bed was firm enough to take the weight of tracked dumpers to deliver blocks without getting damaged. By Saturday evening, 40 metres of channel had been lined and a large area blocked.
Heavy rainfall overnight, which persisted through much of Sunday, put a stop to any more lining activity. Thankfully it was possible to finish all the block laying in the lined area and make good the transition to unlined channel and base of wharf wall along their entire lengths. Sterling work from a high turnout of volunteers in such miserable conditions.
Elsewhere, plant operations involved constructing a temporary clay dam further down the channel towards Schoolhouse Bridge. This marks the limit to the next area of works which will begin in earnest once the activities in phase 1A are completed. A small remaining area of site strip and profiling in Phase 1A was completed so preparations are now complete for the remaining 30 metres of lining and blocking.
Finally, Saturday afternoon saw the annual guided tour of works for the benefit of members and local residents led by the Society’s chairman David Carter. Compliments abounded.
