New Water Bill Could Drain Our Rivers Dry

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: New Water Bill Could Drain Our Rivers Dry

for rivers in the south east...very grim reading

I'm no 'green' guy but it's incredible what some people even think about. Even if this new Water Bill doesn't go through, it's unbelievable that some people really think of such nonsense. Are they just plain st***d or what?

learning to fish said:

Are they just plain st***d or what?

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There is no what about it, they are clearly just plain stupid!




That said, and as my old grand-pappy used to say, "always shoot for the good feeling Son" so . . . . . . . . . . on the positive side:



At least if the rivers were to run dry it would stop all those blinking paddlers - so, as they say, every cloud etc. etc. etc.


[insert smiley thing > > > > HERE ]

Why does the heading say COULD.

Surely, either it will or it won't.

As Peter says, try to look at any positives. Save money on Waders. You'll be able to see the Barbel and Chub easier.

My main fishery I have known for sixty years and been a member for 43 years I have seen the water gradually drop over those years. With more and more houses and a big increase in population. So we are having a bore hole drilled to keep the lake at a reasonable level. We will be drawing off from the London aquifer 115 metres below . The bore will go though the underlying strata's then though the London clay into the chalk . This aquifer is 100% full since 2000 because of the drop off in industrial pumping in the London area . In 1962 it was about 70% full. It is not cheap to have one of these bores drilled and the first people you need to speak to for advice on this matter is the EA they are only to pleased to point you in all the right directions we found them a great help in this matter. Shop around as many companies as you can and get plenty of quotes you will be surprised how much they can vary. It is a simple fact that the more people on this island nation of ours the more water will be needed and unless you try to cover your interests you may end up with a dry hole in the ground or a dry river bed. Water to drink will always come before water to fish in. I have heard of waters in Hertfordshire where there is no London clay to protect against draw off though the gravels that are going bit by bit as the increase in demand in the London area goes up and up. The future does not look good so if you think that you could have your own bore look into it I am not saying it is a guaranteed answer in all cases but it is worth considering.

Peter Jacobs said:

so . . . . . . . . . . on the positive side:

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My local river is so polluted that it's become economically unviable to clean the water, so much so, Thames Water surrendered their abstraction license.

How's that for a positive?




*Reality check - The Canal and River Trust already bleed it dry, as they're exempt from quantifying their abstraction!!!

cg74 said:

My local river is so polluted that it's become economically unviable to clean the water, so much so, Thames Water surrendered their abstraction license.

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. .. so a prime location to offer the Paddlers a voluntary access agreement then?



Seriously though, it is criminal how many streams and rivers have been vandalised by authorities over the past 4 decades!

cg74 said:

My local river is so polluted that it's become economically unviable to clean the water, so much so, Thames Water surrendered their abstraction license.

How's that for a positive?




*Reality check - The Canal and River Trust already bleed it dry, as they're exempt from quantifying their abstraction!!!

Click to expand...

Two of my local rivers were open sewers until the late sixties and by the 80's were holding some fish in 89 they were stocked by the NRA with chub dace and barbel they had other species present from flooded lakes along their courses . The beam is still polluted by road run off and the stock of barbel did not take but it has a fair head of chub and perch with the odd carp. The Ingrebourne has fared better with very good chub dace and some barbel. when I look back at the state these rivers were in when I was a youngster though to my early twenties it is amazing to see them today they look just as a river should most of the time.

Sadly I think the disregard being shown to the environment by the government and it's agencies is going to lead too much irreparable damage.

The River Test post-deregulation of dredging and abstraction at full potential:
http://lgam.wdfiles.com/local--files/drainage-channel/Open-drain3.JPG