This is month 5 for testing the sites of the rivers in the Blackwater Valley. To get further details of the data please visit https://www.freshwaterwatch.org/pages/bbb6188c5aa34bb5a7bbb4fd93299346
The featured image map with all the red markers does indicate that most river sites are in poor health with a few exceptions.
Noteworthy observation from the water testers:
- We now know that duck weed (lemna minor) is not blanket weed and not classified as an algae. Even though big patches of duck weed will stop sunlight getting down into the river.
- Aldershot sewage works nitrate results were high at 10, phosphate between 5-10. And the treatment plant was discharging as usual.
- Winston is a very fine looking horse and not a water tester.
This Demoieselle Damselfly Nymph was found at Tices Meadow on the River Blackwater when testing for river fly “by far the best range of river fly seen on any of the sites so far along the River Blackwater or the River Hart. Fantastic to see!!” So where nature is cared for such as at Tices Meadow and Rowhill Copse and away from added effluent it can thrive or at least exist.
For the September session two water testers were interviewed and filmed. We hope you like the result.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rvPwvjLKU_-j4LzzHwWA3mHxLp1Lr_Pu/view?usp=sharing
A gallery of pictures of the testing locations. Some with captions.
