This is the 9th month of water testing and likely to be the coldest month we have had to go out in so far. Well done all of us for collecting the results with special kudos to those who went above and beyond with River Fly monitoring.

River Blackwater:

The main stories from the Blackwater this month were that:

• The sites at Lakeside and Lynchford Road contained more sediment. The sechi tubes are usually full to the top at these sites but not this time.
• Sandhurst Sewage works looks idyllic but take a closer look at the outlet where white foam is accummulating.
• The nitrates were high at some points.
• Certainly for the sites: Lynchford Road, Holly Bush and Lakeside the Earth Watch comments concerning supporting wildlife were grim.

The River Hart

We now know that the River Hart meets the River Whitewater at Rosie’s Tea room.

and also that the sampling sites for Poulter’s Bridge, Pilcot Farm and Pale Lane are on the River Hart. The Nitrate results are high in places.

The final bit of news for the River Hart is that Crondall Village Pond is still dry – the duck house looks a bit redundant.

The Whitewater

No picture for the River Whitewater but Deptford Lane was tested – a useful fact is that the River Whitewater comes above ground ‘near the large springs’ close to this site.