The river Lea runs past the bottom of my hill north of Luton town centre,
about 4 or 5 km (or 10km depending on which stream you follow) from
its source. So it's not very big, but it carries an awful lot of urban water
away when it rains and usually floods the A6 after a 30mm downpour.

It first dried out in mid-August, ran for three days after 11mm fell on
22nd August, and for a week after the recent rains which totalled
about 30mm. But it's gone again now. I remember the river being
dry briefly in 1997, 1976, 1964, and I'm told it was in 1959 too.
But never in mid-November.

This is a good indicator of how far the water table in the chalk of the
Chiltern Hills must have dropped ... especially notable because it
follows the unprecedentedly high water table of 2001, and also
bearing in mind that much less water is extracted from the chalk via
artesian wells these days compared with 30 or 40 years ago.

Philip Eden

Philip Eden wrote:
The river Lea runs past the bottom of my hill north of Luton town centre,
about 4 or 5 km (or 10km depending on which stream you follow) from
its source. So it's not very big, but it carries an awful lot of urban water
away when it rains and usually floods the A6 after a 30mm downpour.

It first dried out in mid-August, ran for three days after 11mm fell on
22nd August, and for a week after the recent rains which totalled
about 30mm. But it's gone again now. I remember the river being
dry briefly in 1997, 1976, 1964, and I'm told it was in 1959 too.
But never in mid-November.

This is a good indicator of how far the water table in the chalk of the
Chiltern Hills must have dropped ... especially notable because it
follows the unprecedentedly high water table of 2001, and also
bearing in mind that much less water is extracted from the chalk via
artesian wells these days compared with 30 or 40 years ago.

I noticed yesterday that the level of the River Stour has risen
significantly through Canterbury in the past week or so (not looked for
about 10 days). In fact it's risen so much that it now just reaches the
bottom of the height marker stick!

It's not an excellent indicator of the true river level owing to the
plethora of sluices and weirs, but I usually make a point of checking
the level at the height stick on the Causeway and outside Sainsbury's
whenever I pass.

It's worth noting that the level of the river is approximately three to
four feet below what it was this time in 2001 - I'd guess the river's
running about one foot deep at the moment.

Unfortunately, the ducks are now required to swim around and they can't
easily stop for a quick breather in the middle of the river!

Jonathan
Canterbury

In uk.sci.weather on Fri, 7 Nov 2003 at 23:52:42, Philip Eden wrote :
The river Lea runs past the bottom of my hill north of Luton town centre,
about 4 or 5 km (or 10km depending on which stream you follow) from
its source. So it's not very big, but it carries an awful lot of urban water
away when it rains and usually floods the A6 after a 30mm downpour.

It first dried out in mid-August, ran for three days after 11mm fell on
22nd August, and for a week after the recent rains which totalled
about 30mm. But it's gone again now. I remember the river being
dry briefly in 1997, 1976, 1964, and I'm told it was in 1959 too.
But never in mid-November.

This is a good indicator of how far the water table in the chalk of the
Chiltern Hills must have dropped ... especially notable because it
follows the unprecedentedly high water table of 2001, and also
bearing in mind that much less water is extracted from the chalk via
artesian wells these days compared with 30 or 40 years ago.

Tiny though it is, the river Chelt never seems to completely dry up, not
even in 1976.
--
Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

Email to pahyett[AT]activist[DOT]demon[DOT]co[DOT]uk

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
.. .
The river Lea runs past the bottom of my hill north of Luton town
centre,
about 4 or 5 km (or 10km depending on which stream you follow) from
its source. So it's not very big, but it carries an awful lot of urban
water
away when it rains and usually floods the A6 after a 30mm downpour.
It first dried out in mid-August, ran for three days after 11mm fell
on
22nd August, and for a week after the recent rains which totalled
about 30mm. But it's gone again now. I remember the river being
dry briefly in 1997, 1976, 1964, and I'm told it was in 1959 too.
But never in mid-November.

This is a good indicator of how far the water table in the chalk of
the
Chiltern Hills must have dropped ... especially notable because it
follows the unprecedentedly high water table of 2001, and also
bearing in mind that much less water is extracted from the chalk via
artesian wells these days compared with 30 or 40 years ago.

Philip Eden

The River Ver still seems to be flowing quite well near its source and
is in much better condition than it was several years ago (1997) when it
dried up as far as St Albans; this is probably a result of less water
abstraction at the Friars Wash pumping station which has been of
enormous benefit to the river.

Unlike the River Lea the Ver gets all of its water from springs; I
assume that the Lea is flowing well downstream of the sewage works
discharge (it may be fully treated but its origin can easily be
detected).

Alan

"Alan Gardiner" wrote in message
...

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
.. .
The river Lea runs past the bottom of my hill north of Luton town
centre,

The River Ver still seems to be flowing quite well near its source and
is in much better condition than it was several years ago (1997) when it
dried up as far as St Albans; this is probably a result of less water
abstraction at the Friars Wash pumping station which has been of
enormous benefit to the river.

Unlike the River Lea the Ver gets all of its water from springs; I
assume that the Lea is flowing well downstream of the sewage works
discharge (it may be fully treated but its origin can easily be
detected).

Alan, I have a vague memory, presumably from 1997, of the Ver
drying up all the way down to St Albans, ruining the watercress
beds. Is that right, or is it an older memory intruding?

pe

In message , Alan Gardiner
writes

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
. ..
The river Lea runs past the bottom of my hill north of Luton town
centre,
[snip]
Unlike the River Lea the Ver gets all of its water from springs; I
assume that the Lea is flowing well downstream of the sewage works
discharge (it may be fully treated but its origin can easily be
detected).

Alan


The Lea is certainly fine downstream at Ware.
--
Tim

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
.. .

"Alan Gardiner" wrote in message
...

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
.. .
The river Lea runs past the bottom of my hill north of Luton town
centre,

The River Ver still seems to be flowing quite well near its source and
is in much better condition than it was several years ago (1997) when it
dried up as far as St Albans; this is probably a result of less water
abstraction at the Friars Wash pumping station which has been of
enormous benefit to the river.

Unlike the River Lea the Ver gets all of its water from springs; I
assume that the Lea is flowing well downstream of the sewage works
discharge (it may be fully treated but its origin can easily be
detected).

Alan, I have a vague memory, presumably from 1997, of the Ver
drying up all the way down to St Albans, ruining the watercress
beds. Is that right, or is it an older memory intruding?

pe


Phillip

Not too sure about '97 but certainly '95 and '90 however water abstraction
at Friars Wash was much higher then. Incidently I seem to remember that the
lower levels of abstraction were due to the diversion of water from the Lea
catchment around Luton. I could be wrong on this but if it were the case it
would smack of robbing Peter to pay Paul given the drying out of the Lea.

Regards Sean

.... can't remember all the details, but we were living in St. Albans
('snorbens') up to 1998, and I certainly remember a lot of fuss around
96/97 about abstraction (Ver) - particularly the suspicion (I put it no
higher), that such was happening but was being denied! I still have
press cuttings from the time where Three Valleys are urging people to
conserve water, despite a wet June.

Martin.

"Sean Mcdonald" wrote in message
...

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
.. .

Alan, I have a vague memory, presumably from 1997, of the Ver
drying up all the way down to St Albans, ruining the watercress
beds. Is that right, or is it an older memory intruding?


Not too sure about '97 but certainly '95 and '90 however water
abstraction
at Friars Wash was much higher then. Incidently I seem to remember that
the
lower levels of abstraction were due to the diversion of water from the
Lea
catchment around Luton. I could be wrong on this but if it were the case
it
would smack of robbing Peter to pay Paul given the drying out of the Lea.

Ah, now things are beginning to fall into place. That would explain a lot.
It can be argued that it's no great loss as far as Luton is concerned. Such
a
large part of the town was built in the catchment in the last 100 years or
so,
with so many houses in the flood-plain, but during the period when
artesian abstraction was at its highest, so I guess there were few concerns
about flooding. After 2000-01 it was clear that hundreds of houses,
dozens of businesses, parts of the A6 and the inner ring road, were all at
risk from flooding resulting from a combination of a rising water table and
an extremely 'flashy' catchment. The one big loser in all this is the big
lake in the rather attractive Wardown Park which has comprised extensive
mudflats since August.

Philip Eden

"
Alan, I have a vague memory, presumably from 1997, of the Ver
drying up all the way down to St Albans, ruining the watercress
beds. Is that right, or is it an older memory intruding?

pe

No - I think that you are correct and your memory is working OK.

Alan