BRISTOL AVON RIVERS TRUST FIXED PHOTOGRAPHY

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If you have been out in the Valley recently you may have noticed laminated boards at the fence overlooking the Wetland and on the Wooden Bridge. These have been erected by BART to hopefully get the users of the valley to participate in monitoring the effect the Leaky Dams and Berms installed last year are having. Our Wetland is one of the areas chosen by the Resilient Frome Project. The remit is to restore more natural flow patterns in heavily modified urban tributaries and implement nature-based flood management solutions across North Bristol.

I encourage you to take part. Put your camera into the metal fixed point alongside the poster. Take your photo then move your camera to the QR code on the smaller info board. You will be able to upload your photo there. The information will be linked to the RiverHub dashboard.

Wanton Vandalism

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I very sadly have to report that on Saturday the 20th of December, around 18.30, some very selfish individuals destroyed the bench we installed by the stone bridge. It was used and loved by young and the elderly as a place to rest and have some quality time. One cant imagine why anyone would want to do that. It had taken a good deal of effort and the benevolence of the Downend Round Table to help us put this bench in place only last year.

Higher water in the stream around The Stone Bridge

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Several residents have shown concern about a different level of water in the stream than they are used to seeing, especially around the stone bridge and are afraid the stream is blocked.

The Leaky Dams to the North of the stone bridge are designed to slow the flow of the stream, especially after heavy rain, to allow more water to collect and seep into the wetland. This means that the wetland area will not dry out as much as it did, which will help to improve marshy habitat for plants like the marsh marigold and willowherb. Dragonflies, damselflies and moths will benefit. Some of the birds that used to feed here like the snipe and water rail may return.

This is all part of the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust project relating to the Avon Flood Management Plan, to not only improve the wetland but to use it to help hold flood water back in areas around the county to prevent flooding downstream and into the city.

Please rest assured that this is being monitored by BARTS and The Friends of Leap Valley. It may look like the stream is blocked but at the forth Leaky Dam the water is flowing well.

Orchard Fire

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Some of you may know that there was a fire in Leap Valley Orchard recently. Fortunately the Fire Brigade were called so only a few of the trees are singed and an area of the grass is blackened. It could have been much worse as the grass in very dry. There were young people in the area at the time hanging out on the bench which is what they often do at that time of day and later in the evening. We would be very grateful if parents could explain the risks of any sort of match or lighter at the moment when the grass is so dry. Anywhere in Leap Valley or any of the other parks are a fire risk at the moment. Please ask your young people to behave responsibly when they are out together in our precious open spaces.

This is the recent project carried out by BART – Bristol Avon Rivers Trust – as part of The Resilient Frome Partnership to prevent flooding.

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Woody Berms have been put in the stream South of the stone bridge using coppiced hazel. They will create variability in the flow, trapping sediment but also scouring the bed of the stream. These actions should help to increase marginal vegetation and improve the habitats and provide shelter for all sorts of animals living in the water.

The Leaky Dams are to the North of the stone bridge and are designed to slow the flow of the stream, especially after heavy rain, to allow more water to collect and seep into the wetland. This means that the wetland area will not dry out as much as it did which will help to improve that marshy habitat for plants like the marsh marigold and willowherb. Dragonflies, damselflies and moths will benefit. Some of the birds that used to feed here like the snipe and water rail may return.