The Times has written a very interring article on the plight of Chalk Streams in England.
Charles Rangley -Wilson has made a power statement:
For those of you that have walked around Ivel Springs lately will have noticed works going on by Anglian Water. It appears that Anglian Water are putting in new sections of pipes that takes the sewage form Baldock to Letchworth. Given that this old pipeline was responsible for several leaks and spillages over the past two years we are pleased that action is now taking place. We have asked Anglian Water several times for an official statement that we could send onto you but sadly at the time of writing nothing has been received.
Summary of RevIvel response to AFFINITY WATERS Water Resources Management Plan Consultation February 2023.
Statement from Affinity Water:
Our WRMP aims to address a significant future shortfall in water resources in our supply
area.
Population growth, climate change and the demand for water are putting significant
pressure on the local environment and water resources in Affinity Water’s supply area.
Without action – the area Affinity Water supplies faces a possible shortfall of 449 million
litres a day by 2050. We want to hear what customers and stakeholders think about our
draft plan to help us shape our final plan which we will publish in Autumn 2023.
Every five years, Affinity Water produces a WRMP which addresses these future challenges
and provides a roadmap for a reliable, resilient, sustainable, efficient and affordable water
supply to customers between 2025 and 2075, whilst taking care of the local environment.
The actions include:
reducing customer demand,
driving leakage down further than ever before,
smart metering
significant investment in new infrastructure for new sources of water
working across the water industry to plan and share resources regionally.
The plan will also make the regions water supplies more resilient to droughts, which are
becoming more frequent due to climate change.
Consultation Questions:
Have we balanced the main factors relating to Environmental Destination in our
draft plan?
RevIvel fully supports the need for prioritisation where abstraction should be reduced, with
a clear focus on head waters and iconic tributaries of chalk streams. According to CaBA
chalk streams should see total abstraction reduced to achieve A10%R (10 % of catchment
recharge). We support the focus on the headwater where abstraction reductions will
provide whole river benefit by increasing biodiversity and enhancing recreational
opportunities.
RevIvel are concerned about the transfer of water from Grafham Water via Sundon TP to
facilitate planned licence reductions in WRSE region (Chilterns chalk streams) in AMP 8.
RevIvel propose that it would be better that this water is used within the Upper Bedford
Ouse catchment where it will be available for future abstraction and reuse as per the John
Lawson solution for the benefit of the River Ivel. The Lawson report proposes significant reduction in abstraction at the headwaters of the Ivel allowing chalk water to flow down the
Ivel, joining the Ouse at Tempsford and later being taken off at Offord for Grafham Water.
Then according to Anglia Water /Affinity Water agreements, water is then transferred south
to Sundon TP and onto the North Herts area. This would follow the principles of Chalk
Streams First and the recycling of water back into the Upper Ouse catchment would benefit
the Ivel and Ouse and WRE overall. The Great Ouse Act (1961, amended 1971) was passed
in the 1960s to facilitate water transfer into the N Herts area, knowing that this area would
be subject to water stress in the future. We believe that Affinity is not using their allocation
from Grafham Water as originally intended. Can water from Grafham Water be better
utilised within the Upper Bedford Ouse catchment rather than being exported from the
WRE area?
There is a current desk-based feasibility study on the Upper Ivel to evaluate the likely
recover of downstream flows along the Ivel and beyond if borehole abstraction of chalk
water at Baldock/ Letchworth is significantly reduced. If this desk study (due in 2023) shows
the John Lawson solution to be workable then RevIvel propose a full or partial
implementation in AMP 8. Switching off the borehole pumps may be considered a PILOT
scheme and would benefit the Upper Bedford Ouse in the 2025-2029 timeframe. This would
demonstrate that Affinity and Anglian Water are committed to the Chalk Streams First
principle and prepared to follow up a favourable report with action rather than just further
rhetoric. Using the Ivel as pilot scheme would also provide both water companies with a
very positive PR win.
Environmental destination delivery should be delivered separately from demand
management and leakage management and should be accelerated. Failure to meet demand
or leakage targets should not be used as an excuse for the scaling down or slowing down of
environmental targets. The proposed timeline would see the death of many Chalk streams
and the further loss of genetically unique flora and fauna.
Does the adaptive plan support your main concerns.
Revivel support the concept of adaptive planning.
Some agile thinking and willingness to deviate when opportunities arise should be
considered. An example of this would be rapid adopting of the John Lawson proposal
following the outcome of the Ivel feasibility study.
RevIvel support the focus on water efficiency and leak reduction.
Environmental destination plans should not be linked in any way to the industry’s ability to
manage leaks or reduce per capita consumption.
We support metering in water stressed areas and are supportive of a tiered approach to
water tariffs above 110 litre / person/ day.
Which measures you consider are most likely to support management of demand
and should be considered for inclusion in our draft plan.
‘SOS ‘campaign is laudable but has failed to deliver the demand reductions needed in the
short and long term. More needs to be done.
Smart water meters in water stressed areas are key and should be installed ASAP.
Affinity Water should fully exploit the data available from the smart meters to communicate
with their customer base and encourage more responsible use.
National Housing Planning policy needs to focus on embedding water consumption targets
for new houses. Local government need to enforce/ regulate adoption.
Industry should be encouraged to manufacture water efficient toilets/ showers, baths etc.
Water Companies should be part of this process.
OFWAT should consider implementation of a tiered approach to domestic water tariffs
where usage above the sustainable 110 litres / capita / day is penalise
Your thoughts in relation to the SROs that we have identified.
The rainfall is greatest in the west and north of the country whilst the population growth is
primarily in south and east. Transfers across the country are essential and will lower the
burden on already water stressed areas.
RevIvel fully support the investment in new water sources provided that they do not cause
environmental degradation to the water bodies in question and that all possible measures
are taken to minimise the spread of harmful or invasive species.
We encourage adoption of all Strategic resource Options (SROs). We welcome the scheme
such as GUC and Minworth SRO which can elevate pressure on groundwater supplies and
will support urgently needed reduction in chalk stream abstraction in AMP8-9.
RevIvel are aware that in AMP 8 water will be brought in from WRE region to allow
reductions in chalk abstraction in the Chess and Misbourne catchments. We believe the
reductions in abstraction at the headwaters of both these rivers should be dealt with at a
local level by rolling the abstraction licences further downstream and later by using water
made available from the proposed new sources (ie Grand union Canal GUC / Abingdon
reservoir) being brought on-line.
Water transfers from Anglian Water to Affinity Water already exists as detailed in The Ouse
Act (1961, amended 1971). RevIvel understand Affinity has in the past used only a fraction
of their allocation preferring to abstract pure chalk water from the aquifer under North
Herts.
RevIvel request more clarity on how much water is available to Affinity Water from Grafham
Water in the WRE region. Affinity Water should seek to maximise their take-up of their
allocation from the reservoir and use it to reduce abstraction for the benefit of North
Hertfordshire chalk streams (Ivel, Hiz, etc) which are in the Upper Bedfordshire Ouse
catchment.
Are there other factors that we should take into account in our best plan?
For too long demand management has unilaterally driven policy and actions. Affinity Water
need to give more weight to environmental consideration. Sustainability needs to be
implemented rather than being frequently used jargon. Application of Chalk Stream First
(CSF) principles go a long way to addressing items in the Environmental and Social Benefit
objectives such as improving biodiversity and other environmental benefits in the
headwaters of chalk streams.
Starting now, Affinity Water need to demonstrate their commitment to CSF principle by
practical application across their whole supply area. If the current feasibility study on the
Ivel has a positive outcome, then Affinity Water rapidly adopt implement the study findings
and allow chalk water to flow down the Ivel in AMP 8.
Regenerative Farming techniques over chalk catchments are fully supported by RevIvel and
we hope this can be embedded in national ELMs strategies by DEFRA. We congratulate
Affinity Water for taking a lead in this area.
All data presented courtesy of the Environment Agency and Met Office (Crown copy right
2022)
Rainfall:
January started with generally mild, unsettled and wet conditions with close to the average monthly rainfall in the
first two weeks. The second half of the month saw much drier and colder weather. Over January’s rainfall in the
Upper Bedford Ouse catchment (including the Ivel) was 103% of Long-Term Average (LTA).
Monthly rainfall totals for the past 12 months as a percentage of the 1961-1990 LTA
Despite receiving above average rainfall in October and November the Upper Bedford Ouse catchment remains in
drought.
Soil Moisture Deficit (SMD)
The Met Office MORECS grid squares covering the Ivel has remains at 0-10mm SMD, having reached field capacity
and recharge is underway. The west and south of the region has received more rain over the last few months, and
this is reflected in the SMD chart compared to northern and eastern areas.
Soil Moisture deficits for week ending 31 January 2023. Data based on MORECS data for real land use.
Definitions:
Soil Moisture deficit (SMD) – The difference between the amount of water in the soil and the amount of water that
the soil can hold (field capacity).
Field Capacity (FC)-The amount of water the soil can hold is generally called field capacity which is the amount of
water that remains after gravitational forces have drained water from the soil.
Ground Water (GW):
Looking at the regional picture across the East Anglian chalk, GW levels are now classed as Normal compared to
historic January levels. Data is presented from a borehole at Charlton, nr Hitchin showing recovery in GW levels, it
being at the bottom of the normal range. It can be considered broadly similar to the situation in boreholes at
Baldock, Letchworth.
Springs and River flows:
The main spring at Ivel Springs in Baldock started to flow on 14 th January 2023.
The second spring at the Ivel Springs nature reserve (upstream of culvert) in Baldock started to flow on 1 st January
2023.
Flow at Blackhorse mill was seen by the end of the first week in January 2023.
Three springs now flow in Radwell meadows.
The river Ivel flows are officially measured at Blunham. The river has been low to notable low through the summer
but returned to normal (green zone) during October-December period. In January, the river at Blunham has
responded directly to significant rainfall events (relative wet condition in first half of January followed by a dry
second half of the month). By the end of the month, with the lack of rainfall, the river flow had reduced to the
bottom of the “normal” range.
Reservoir Stocks:
Water from the Ouse is transferred at Offord into Grafham Water.
Recovery of reservoir stocks in Grafham Water remains slow with the reservoir currently only 75% full (blue line on
graph) (Notably Low). The current stock levels are a long way from the normal operating level of 90%+.
End of January Grafham Water reservoir stock compared to the Normal operating Curve, Drought Curve
and 1995-1996 stock levels.
Looking forward:
Thank fully Oct- Nov – Dec 2022 were wet months with 150% of LTA.
January rainfall was 103% of the LTA.
A lot more rain is needed in February and March 2023 to support the continued recharge of the aquifer and to
improve the chances of flow of the chalk springs in Baldock, Norton and Radwell in the spring and summer months
2023.
The Upper Bedford Ouse catchment has been in official drought since end June 2022.Over this time Affinity Water
has applied its drought management plan with the local area being in Drought Level 1 and Drought Level 2 (4 levels
in total). The focus of the drought management to date has been to reduce customer demand and reduce
leakages…. Pumping of the groundwater from the boreholes around Baldock and Letchworth continued throughout
July to December. Affinity Water abstracted all the water they could within legal and physical limits irrespective of
rainfall / aquifer recharge. Throughout this time no temporary drought orders were applied (no hosepipe ban).
Affinity Water fully accept their actions will see chalk stream dry up for long periods of time……….
Since 2019, when RevIvel have been highlighting the plight of the chalk headwaters of the Ivel and Affinity Water
have been making all the right noises, more water has been taken from the aquifer than ever before!
Consequence, the river Ivel and its associated flora and fauna continues to suffer……..
Definition of Chalk stream is a river which derives a significant proportion if its flow from chalk groundwater.
In 2004 the Environment Agency indexed 160 chalk-streams in the Biodiversity Action Group report The State of England’s Chalk Rivers. The index in this paper includes the rivers listed in that 2004 BAP report and is an attempt to go into more detail and itemise all English chalk-streams according to the definition above. It was complied using high detail geological maps available online via the British Geological Survey Map viewer in conjunction with online satellite maps and local knowledge.
To view the index please click on the link below.
https://www.revivel.org/app/uploads/2023/02/Chalk-Stream-Index-2014-copy.pdf
Credited to Charles Rangeley-Wilson, Dr. Haydon Bailey, as well as the Environment Agency who compiled the first index in 2004 and WWF.
Water situation for Upper Ivel – Dec 2022
All data presented courtesy of the Environment Agency and Met Office (Crown copy right
2022)
Rainfall:
December started off relatively dry with cold settled conditions dominating. On the 12 th of December we were all
woken to the surprise of 3 inches of snow, the cold weather prevailed until 18-19 th when warmer weather saw the
snow melt. As we neared Christmas and New Year celebrations, we saw the return to a succession of Atlantic frontal
systems bringing rain. Post thaw conditions have been Ideal recharge conditions for the aquifer. December’s rainfall
in the Upper Bedford Ouse catchment (includes the Ivel) was 99% of Long-Term Average (LTA). In the last Quarter of
2022 (Oct- Nov-Dec), we have seen 150% of expected rain (versus LTA).
Monthly rainfall totals for the past 12 months as a percentage of the 1961-1990 LTA
However, there is long way to go to make up for the lack of rain throughout 2022.The blue line tracking well below
the expected annual rainfall of 600mm (LTA)
Soil Moisture Deficit (SMD)
The Met Office MORECS grid squares covering the Ivel has improved to 0-10mm SMD by the end of the month
indicting that the soils have reached field capacity. You will have no doubt noticed standing water in some parts of
fields. Recharge of the chalk aquifer is now very likely in response to rainfall events. The west of the region has
received more rain over the last few months, and this is reflected in the SMD chart compared to eastern areas.
Definitions:
Soil Moisture deficit (SMD) – The difference between the amount of water in the soil and the amount of water that
the soil can hold (field capacity).
Field Capacity (FC)-The amount of water the soil can hold is generally called field capacity which is the amount of
water that remains after gravitational forces have drained water from the soil.
Soil Moisture deficits for week ending 31 December 2022. Data based on MORECS data for real land use.
Springs and River flows:
The main spring at Ivel Springs in Baldock remained dry throughout December 2022.
The second spring at the Ivel Springs nature reserve (upstream of culvert) in Baldock was still dry on 30th December
2022.
No flow at Blackhorse mill in December 2022
Changes during December – 3 springs now flow in Radwell meadows.
Any current standing water in the riverbed at the iron bridge and Norton (upstream of the Radwell meadow springs)
is the result of A1/M road / hard surface runoff.
Standing water in the Ivel springs reserve is a result of rain events and surface water run off from Baldock town.
The river remains low through Radwell but is recovering from Stotfold onwards.
The river Ivel flows are officially measured at Blunham. The river has been low to notable low through the summer
but returned to normal (green zone) during October. During November and December, the river at Blunham has
responded directly to significant rainfall events (relative dry condition in first half of December followed by a wet
second half of the month).
Reservoir Stocks:
Water from the Ouse is transferred at Offord into Grafham Water.
Recovery of reservoir stocks in Grafham Water remains slow with the reservoir currently only 67% full (blue line on
graph) (Notably Low). The current stock levels are a long way from the normal operating level of 90%+.
End of November Grafham Water reservoir stock compared to the Normal operating Curve, Drought
Curve and 1995-1996 stock levels.
Looking forward:
Thank fully Oct- Nov – Dec 2022 has been wet with 150% of LTA.
Much more rain is needed in Jan – March 2023 to support the continued recharge of the aquifer and to improve the
chances of flow of the chalk springs in Baldock, Norton and Radwell in the spring and summer months 2023.
We know Affinity Water will abstract all the water they can from the boreholes around Baldock and Letchworth.
within legal and physical limits irrespective on how much rainfall/ aquifer recharge, With no regard for the
environmental consequences to our precious chalk stream.
On new year’s day 2023 there was a trickle of flow on the River Ivel at Radwell but upstream it remained dry since April simply because Affinity Water continued to abstract as much water as they could physically suck out of the boreholes above Ivel Springs.
A December 1955 newspaper article warning of impending water shortages concluded “Careful technical research is necessary into the balance between rainfall, percolation into the chalk and proposed extraction of water from the chalk by 1973 and after”.
1955 was a time when post war development surrounding London was really getting going; the new towns at Stevenage and Harlow were being built, and huge new estates were popping up around every town; for example the Grange and Jackmans estates nearly doubled the population of Letchworth.
With all this new development, the government recognized the chalk aquifer was not going to be able to deliver all the required water fairly soon, so, unlike today, they actually did something about it, and they did it, by today’s standards, very quickly.
The Great Ouse Water Act received royal assent on 3rd August 1961. At an estimated cost of £12,887,000 (£317 million in today’s money) the Act provided for a new “Diddington Reservoir”, a pumping station on the bank of the river Great Ouse with which to fill the new reservoir, a water treatment works next to the reservoir, and plumbing to carry clean water in bulk in four directions, to Wellingborough, Bedford, Ampthill and Sundon, to be injected into existing local networks.
The act also provided for an allocation of that water: The Lee Valley Water Company and the Luton Water company were to receive at the new Sundon service reservoir a combined average of 81,829,000 litres per day, or 44% of total Diddington output.
Renamed “Grafham water” by popular local demand, they started filling the new reservoir in December 1964. Once it was full, and the recreational and wildlife infrastructure was completed, it was inaugurated with great fanfare by the Duke of Edinburgh in July 1966.
The act provided for a review of entitlements once the pipelines, pumping stations and service reservoirs were fully operational, and this came in the form of the Great Ouse Water Order 1971 (Statutory Instrument No 2196 of 1971). It said that by 1976 the total output from Grafham would be 55% greater than originally estimated, and nearly half of it, 47%, was allocated to the two water companies receiving water at Sundon. The Luton Water Co. got a modest 8% increase, but the Lee Valley Water Co. got a massive 183% increase which reflected the huge amount of new and planned housing in their operational area and perhaps recognition that excessive abstractions from the chalk aquifer in the region could result in lasting environmental damage.
On 1st January 1973, The Luton Water Company was taken over by the Lee Valley Water Company which gave them total control of all imports to Sundon from Grafham. In 1994 the Colne Valley, Rickmansworth and Lee Valley Water companies merged to form Three Valleys Water plc. Veolia Water UK took control at privatization in 1987, and in 2012 that business was purchased by a consortium which renamed it Affinity Water. In May 2017, Allianz together with its partners acquired 100 percent of the equity interest in Affinity Water.
Anglian Water took control of Grafham and its plumbing at privatization in 1987.
During this period, any concern for the environment seems to have been overwhelmed by corporate interests and all the complicated company restructuring and privatizations which went on. The bottom line is that it is a bit cheaper to abstract water from the aquifer than import it from Grafham, so today, much more water is abstracted from the Baldock boreholes than in the 1970’s, and there’s no water in our river.
Some parts of the 1961 Act and the 1971 Statutory Instrument have been repealed, but today it appears that the entitlements to water from Grafham remain exactly as parliament ordered more than 50 years ago in December 1971; Affinity Water, owned by a German multinational financial services company headquartered in Munich, Germany, has the right to bulk import an average of 136,000,000 litres per day from Grafham into Sundon for injection into the Affinity Water network.
Today, the OFWAT Water trading (‘Bulk supplies’) register shows how much Anglian Water is exporting, and how much Affinity is importing from Grafham. For some reason each company has declared slightly different numbers, but in the last three years it would appear an average of 53,804,924 litres of clean water arrived at Sundon every day.
On the face of it then, Affinity are under-utilizing their rights to water from Grafham by as much as 60% or 82 million litres per day, but there is a note in the Affinity transfer registers which says Ordinarily we can take 76 million litres/day average entitlement, to 94 million litres/day peak entitlement. What this means is difficult to say, but it doesn’t appear to align very well with the entitlements issued by Parliament in 1971.
Even then, it would appear that Affinity has at least 22 million litres/day spare capacity which is more than double that needed for the implementation of the Chalk Streams First principle on the Ivel as described in the Lawson Report which proposes Affinity Water back off abstraction at the source of the Ivel to a sustainable 10% of recharge and import the rest of the water they need from lower down the river via Grafham as parliament had intended.
In an October 2022 joint statement in response to the Lawson Report, Affinity Water and Anglian Water claimed that the terms of Great Ouse Water Act imposed limitations on the increased volume of water they would need to import, and they claimed the infrastructure is not adequate to accommodate any increase in volume above the current capacity. Given what is said above you can make up your own mind on why they say this or whether it’s really true, but they do concede it will be necessary to dedicate resources for a feasibility study on the proposal that could start as initial desk-based approach fairly soon.
All of the agencies involved in water infrastructure in the South East of England agree that the real solution is more reservoirs and more water transfers, but they are also all masters at kicking cans down the road; they’ve been talking about new reservoirs for 40 years, and may well continue talking about them for another 40. By today’s standards, it is totally miraculous that an infrastructure problem identified in 1955 resulted in a very large new reservoir at Grafham being filled just 9 years later.
To revIvel, it looks like the entitlements to water from Grafham and the infrastructure capacity to bring it to this area already exist, thus, if there was a will, our river could be saved quite quickly and at very low-cost.
Our job, your job, everyone’s job for 2023 is to persuade Affinity Water, Anglian Water, The Environment Agency, Water Resources East and anyone else who will listen, to stop kicking cans and implement the solution the Lawson Report proposes sooner rather than later.
Over 200 people attended the première of our film ‘Restoring the Upper Ivel’ on 7th January 2023, which was screened in the drama studio at Knights Templar School, Baldock in an overwhelming show of community and cross-party political support.
The film highlights the plight of our river the Upper Ivel which rises from springs in Baldock, one of only 225 chalk streams in the world.
The short film tells the story of our river from its heyday, when flow was sufficient to support mills, trout fisheries and a thriving watercress industry, through to the current plight of the river. The springs and upper reaches of the river are now dry for long periods, largely due to the high quantities of water abstracted (pumped) by the water company (Affinity Water) from the underground aquifer which feeds the springs.
Thanks to members, supporters, and donors in the Spring of last year with the ‘Save our Stream’ appeal we were able to commission a report from industry expert, John Lawson, which notes the Upper Ivel as amongst the most over abstracted chalk streams in the country.
With John’s advice, the film explains how Affinity Water and Anglian Water have agreed to explore the proposed solution to restore flow to the river. The aim / hope is that by 2030, the volume of water taken from the aquifer would be substantially reduced to sustainable levels so the springs and river may thrive again. A circular, low-cost solution is being proposed using largely existing pipelines and facilities. What’s more, this solution may be a pilot project for saving chalk streams nationally. Feasibility studies will start in 2023.
Affinity Water already has plans to reduce abstraction by 228,000,000 litres per annum which sounds impressive but translates only to a reduction of 625,000 litres per day. To put this into context, RevIvel’s request is for a reduction in abstraction of 10,600,000 million litres per day in order to enable the aquifer, and therefore the river, to recover.
RevIvel event organisers, Kathryn Mackenzie and Chris Hobbs, would like to extend enormous thanks to all who attended for their tremendous support to restore the river.
RevIvel have created a YouTube channel and here is the link to the film: https://www.youtube.com/
Or click on the link below ….It’s just over 11 minutes long and well worth viewing.
Some wonderful feedback and comments were received that include ….
Heather Bhasin, Baldock resident said ….“Wow! I was both very impressed and very shocked by the film. I knew things were bad, and that the springs were drying up, but I had no idea quite how bad. But I think more of a shock was discovering quite how straightforward the solution may well be. I had been wondering why any water company would consider trying to alleviate the situation. But now that I know that practically everything is already in place, I’m wondering… why on earth would they not?”
David, local resident said ….“I meant to say how well the video was made and how clearly the case for practical reform was conveyed to non-experts”
Comments on Facebook include
Cllr Alistair Willoughby said….It was absolutely fantastic to go along and watch the premiere of the Revivel Film.
The incredible work of all of the volunteers on their campaign has led to this next stage, and it is now incumbent on all of us to continue working to a solution that benefits the ecology of our beautiful natural environment!
Jane Havercroft said …..A really interesting film and wonderful to see so much support from the community
Becky Briant said…..Do check out the film. It’s a really interesting insight into what we need to do to help wildlife locally
Andrew Northcott said ….This was really impressive
Cllr. Tamsin Thomas, Letchworth East said ….Fantastic session today with the RevIvel Association on how we can reverse the damage to the River Ivel by over-abstraction by privatised water companies.
My list of takeaways to be explored in more detail:
The River Ivel is near dead but it can be brought back for future generations. While many parts of the upstream river are dried up, downstream parts are still thriving thanks to tributary rivers. Overtime, the biodiversity will return…once the water starts to flow again. It is not too late but action must be taken.
The near death of the Ivel is a direct consequence of over-abstraction (taking too much water) when other choices are available. The challenge being that chalk does such a good job of naturally cleaning water, abstraction costs reduce by almost half.
Workable solutions do exist thanks to earlier investment in water infrastructure that is not being taken advantage of.
The vast majority of chalk stream rivers in the world are in the UK. We have a unique obligation to protect this natural heritage.
The cost of bringing the Ivel back would be ~£7 per year per household
Affinity Water and Anglian Water are at the table thinking about how they can do better. This is thanks to the activism of Hertfordshire residents.
The work of RevIvel volunteers is incredibly impressive and the event today was massively oversubscribed with people queuing out the building. People really do care about the natural environment and rightly expect water companies to steward Britain’s water resources responsibly.
We really do hope you enjoy watching the film and it would be great if you could share the link with family and friends to help spread the message.
All data presented courtesy of the Environment Agency and Met Office (Crown copy right
2022)
Rainfall:
During November the pattern of Atlantic frontal systems continued with high rainfall events from fronts passing over
on the 2 nd , 6 th , 15-16 th , 19 th , 24 th and 26 th Nov. The Bedford Ouse catchment of which Ivel is a part, recorded
catchment- average rainfall in excess of 100mm, equivalent to about 200 percent of the long-term average (LTA).
Monthly rainfall totals for the past 12 months as a percentage of the 1961-1990 LTA
However, there is long way to go to make up for the lack of rain throughout 2022.The blue line tracking well below
the expected annual rainfall of 600mm (LTA).
Soil Moisture Deficit (SMD)
The soil moisture conditions showed a significant wetting through the month. The Met Office MORECS grid squares
covering the Ivel improved to 10-20mm SMD by the end of the month indicting that the soils are nearly at field
capacity. Recharge of the chalk aquifer is now likely in response to further rainfall events.
Definitions:
Soil Moisture deficit (SMD) – The difference between the amount of water in the soil and the amount of water that
the soil can hold (field capacity).
Field Capacity (FC)-The amount of water the soil can hold is generally called field capacity which is the amount of
water that remains after gravitational forces have drained water from the soil.
Ground Water (GW):
With the soil moisture deficit now in the region 10-20mm SMD we can expect the start of recharge of the chalk
aquifer in the hills around Baldock, North Herts.
Looking at a regional picture across the East Anglian chalk, GW levels remain at Below Normal / Normal levels
compared to historic November levels.
Springs and River flows:
The main spring and second spring at the Ivel Springs nature reserve in Baldock remain DRY.
The main spring stopped at the end April 2022 (having flowed for only 8 weeks) and the 2 nd spring stopped by end
June 2022.
There are no springs flowing at Norton.
Changes during November see 2 additional springs flowing in Radwell Meadows.
Any current standing water in the riverbed at the iron bridge and Norton (upstream of the Radwell meadow springs)
is the result of A1/M road / hard surface runoff.
Standing water in the Ivel springs reserve is a result of rain events and surface water run off from Baldock town.
The river remains very low through Radwell but starting to recover from Stotfold onwards.
Reservoir Stocks:
Water from the Ouse is transferred at Offord into Grafham Water.
Recovery of reservoir stocks in Grafham Water is slow with the reservoir currently being currently only 64% full (blue
line on graph) (Notably Low).
Looking forward:
October and November have been wet but we need to see this pattern continue throughout December 2022- March
2023.
We need at least 120% of normal throughout the winter for the groundwater to recover and there to be any hope
of seeing the upper Ivel flow in 2023!
Sadly, we could see this coming because the 2021 winter rainfall was low resulting in limited recharge of the chalk
aquifer by springtime 2022.
RevIvel was warning Affinity Water of this and asking them to reduce abstraction way back in April 2022 (when the
Ivel 1st spring dried up!).
Affinity Water continued to abstract as much as they could within legal limits and physical capability during 2022.
Affinity Water principally rely on ground water (GW) with some provision from Grafham Water reservoir and did not
apply a Temporary Use Ban (hose pipe ban) in 2022 despite GW and rainfall being notably low in our catchment in
the summer.
The EA advised Affinity Water to reduce abstraction. The advice was ignored, and abstraction continued albeit
limited to 10 Ml /day due to physical constraints.
It is not clear why they behaved as they did.
Hoping for winter water is surely not a strategic plan.
Unless we get a wet winter, we can expect 2023 will be a challenging year for the Upper Ivel………..