Wildlife Circus

Sediment: view from the Hogsmill Sediment: view from the Bonesgate A wet start: - our band of twelve walkers- gathering at the confluence of the Bonesgate with the Hogsmill - discussed the amount of sediment flowing down the minor river from Chessington and the effect on its fauna. From a fish perspective this can transport beneficial food resources as the routine presence of the kingfisher testifies, perching just above the deep pool carved at the join.     However, in times of spate the system can be  overloaded with suffocating sediment. Lucy read  'A Ramble by the River Side' by John Clare, a highly accessible poem with resonances of the Hogsmill, due to the coincidence in species such as teal; followed by a passage from Richard Jefferies on finding bluebells in the district with a reluctance to divulge the location; based on his wish that we find beauty for ourselves. We discussed how sensitive species can be lost during urban densificatio...

As a recap, there was a large spill of sewage onto Green Lane Recreation Ground and the Hogsmill river 8.2.16, when 2,500 bags of waste were removed (posted 21.2.16). Since then it has continued to be bad news for the Hogsmill river, with sewage entering the river every month (see: sewage spill into the Hogsmill River 19.4.16; spates and sewage 23.6.16). Much of this has been via the 'channel of cess' on the north-east bank near California Road as well as other surcharging manholes. But a large release of sewage occured last Thursday, in the early hours of the morning from the final settlement tanks. Something of a puzzle is that an amount of rag was also noted, which should not be associated with the final stage of sewage treatment.  As usual this has largly gone  uncommented upon. This silence is not commensurate with the large amount of sewage that has entered the water course.  On the tiday Thames there are regular announcements for rowers when there is a spi...

Number to ring in the case of pollution Rag or sewage around  trees  The following item will be of most interest to pollution volunteers or PAV's, those who volunteer along the Hogsmill river - either collecting the rubbish, monitoring water quality and the amount of 'rag' at misconnected outfalls - and to some of you that may be considering any of these activities in the future (see previous posts and side tabs on the Hogsmill). During the early hours of 8.2.16, there was a major sewage spill onto Green Lane recreation ground some of which ended up in the Hogsmill river Grid Reference TQ 20062 67989. This was covered during a February posting hogsmill-sewage-spill and in the Surrey Comet.“What appears to have happened is that a power failure at our Hogsmill treatment works, in the early hours of 8th February, put the inlet pumping station out of action. This, combined with a burst of very heavy rain earlier that night, caused incoming flows to back up and di...

Dead barbel Clattern bridge abuttments Unfortunately,  the same river that  Lucy wrote so lyrically about in a previous post,  was  subject to a serious sewage spill during the early hours of 8.2.16. This was apparent from dead fish floating in the water, including this adult Barbel seen at the Clattern bridge 4 days later. Due to an electrical failure, pumping equipment failed and subsequent pressure caused a blow - out at the Green Lane Recreation Ground. Many will remember this site has been subject to lengthy closures in the past (2003) due to sewage contamination and remedial works. Green Lane Recreation Ground will be 'closed until further notice' reads the notice on the gate. The clean-up is a lengthy operation and 2,500 blue bags (to the right of the photo)  containing rag (toilet paper etc.) have been removed so far. Toilet paper hanging from low-lying vegetation  But who is going to clean-up the river banks as the tide of s...