Started: 6 Jan 10.00am & 17 Mar 10.30am (listed in blue)
Weather: cold overcast on 6 Jan & wet with hail on 17 Mar
Revisited: 31 Mar, clean up day (listed in red)
Survey carried out by: Tim Harmer and Lesley Harmer
Area of survey from the bottom end of Shardeloes Lake to the footbridge and ford
(Ref track from London Road East)
- Grill from lake looks clear. However new barbed wire fence fitted along the public foot path gives no clear access. Tree branches and a large amount of weed in the river behind the Cricket Club and a tree in the river near the club gate.
- Between Shardeloes Drive and Amersham by-pass bridge and further along to Amersham High Street bridge. Rubbish around bridge needs clearing.
- Copas Farm is private land, so unable to undertake survey. However from the High Street bridge heavy vegetation was seen in the river on this farm land. Also rubbish.
- To Mill Lane. The river is locked behind gates giving very little visual access.
- The stretch of river immediately downstream from Mill Lane to the corner of Barn Meadow. River running well and clean on one side but has thick vegetation on the cottages side of the river. Riparian owners need to clear.
River Misbourne, Mill Lane to the corner of Barn Meadow, 23 Jan 2019 - The Barn Meadow reach is clear and flowing well.
- We did not have access to the river between the culvert and Pondwick. At Pondwick the river has thick dead vegetation and up to the council office building. This needs clearing by the Town Council and riparian owners.
- At Badminton Court the river flowing well.
- Church Mead. There is vegetation in the river but running OK.
- Car park area has dead branches in the river. No supermarket trolleys found in the river. However I removed one trolley on the river bank and rubbish. There is always rubbish at the Tesco corner or the council car park.
- Behind Tesco supermarket rubbish in the river (part cleared on 31 Mar, clean up day).
- River running behind Tesco car park and overflow culvert all OK. Rubbish part cleared on 31 Mar, clean up day. However needs to keep eye on Tesco area.
- At Station Road Bridge the River is flowing. However on the Tesco and small farm side there is large amount of weed growing but flowing OK. (Town council removed old wheels dumped into river over the bridge.)
- West Arch or the road bridge to Ambers and river fork at the Jaguar Garage also weed needs clearing but flowing OK.
- Area from Lookers (Jaguar) Garage to the footbridge and ford. Generally clean but with a weed growth.
- From where the river emerges from the Two Arches under London Road West there is weed growth in the river.
- Moving along into Bury farm field the river has fallen trees and bushes which need clearing but river running well and clear.
- Moving under the A413 by-pass going along the river towards the foot bridge, we found a number of trees and bushes that had fallen into the river and weed growing. However river running clear. Please note because of the autumn rain and summer hot weather it was very difficult to see the river condition at a number of points.
- At the ford and foot bridge. There is a large amount of weed growth. This needs to be removed as it is across the river.
Tim Harmer,
for the Amersham Society Committee
Foot note: The ownership of land abutting a river or other water course is usually presumed to extend from the edge of that land to the middle of that river or watercourse unless otherwise indicated in the title deeds. This Riparian Ownership confers rights and responsibilities. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse gives information about this.