Remember that opening song line ... "What a difference a day makes. 24 little hours." ?
Well today, almost spot on 24 hours later we returned to see what progress there was on the "Weir Busters." And no they are not using bouncing bombs to demolish them. In fact they are being redesigned, but before the weirs themselves can be tackled, a lot of preparation has to take place, like the removal of trees both sides of the Ebbw River.
Above was the scene yesterday ... and in the next the same as seen today. The tree surgeons, all the way from West Wales ... had been working hard felling unwanted trees.
And in between the two weirs ... on the banks even more heavy weight machinery ...
The digger on the left was creating a ditch and laying in large core pipe to cope with the diverted water once the work on the main project really begins. Meanwhile down river ... just below the lower second weir that is due to be demolished
A bright yellow "silt net" had been stretched from bank to bank. This will catch the debris created when the lower weir starts to get broken up and the silt & stones will be removed in order not to cause problems further down.
Like lemon yellow dinosaurs they were hungrily devouring the local landscape that only just recently looked so pleasant and summery. Trees disappearing, much of the foliage getting crushed under heavy track, it all seems such a noisy mess at the moment, but as one of the tree surgeons said, the recovery time will be quick and the banks better off for a good thinning out. But ... on the other side of the river to us was an invasive, non native weed, that we really don't need ...
Himalayan Balsam! Such an attractive flower and much loved by bees, but takes over wherever it grows, which can be to an alarming 3 metres high. A giant annual weed.
It also has very explosive seed heads which project seed several feet around the parent plant. The tree surgeon I spoke to told us that just the vibration of trains and passing cars can set off this explosive response and the seeds will then travel in the air flow created by vehicles, thus spreading it even faster. This also of course means that close to a river, the flowing water carries these seeds at speed, further spreading it's progeny. I will refer to this pretty pest again but if you check out the website "Himalayan Balsam Wales" it will give you lots of information as well as demonstrating through their updated blog, difficulty of trying to eradicate the damn stuff! Though ... there is hope being sourced from the Himalayas, it's native home where they have found something that attacks the plant and will not effect other species ... we shall wait and see. Meanwhile we've a river project to observe over the next few months. Makes a change from hay making and sheep!
The upper weir as seen here, will go through a modification of of its currently smooth surfaces. A more natural "rockscaping" will ensure small pools and leaps for salmon and eels to navigate as they head up the Ebbw. They then have a choice of Fach or Waur at the confluence where the river splits. (Translated that means Little or Large!)
(For more information about this, check out www.environment-agency.gov.uk and read their entry for 23rd Sept 2011.) It mentions that the Afon Ebbw "is recovering from it's industrial past." Local folk tell me that years ago, one could almost tell what was happening further up the valley by the colour of the water, as it changed at different times from yellow to red to brown to black. Scarily they tell me that as kids they often played in the water, in their innocence not realising the dangers that such dead & deathly water could mean to their future health. For those still alive, they are enjoying seeing this influential South Wales Valley coming back to life. Someone I meet regularly along this Ebbw Fach Trail, has been so grateful for the new tarmac path. He had a stroke a few years ago but one handedly manages a motorised scooter. For him and others in a similar state of limited mobility, this smooth track has opened up a whole new, safe way of getting out and about when the sun shines. He also now, has like me, a new interest ...
(For more information about this, check out www.environment-agency.gov.uk and read their entry for 23rd Sept 2011.) It mentions that the Afon Ebbw "is recovering from it's industrial past." Local folk tell me that years ago, one could almost tell what was happening further up the valley by the colour of the water, as it changed at different times from yellow to red to brown to black. Scarily they tell me that as kids they often played in the water, in their innocence not realising the dangers that such dead & deathly water could mean to their future health. For those still alive, they are enjoying seeing this influential South Wales Valley coming back to life. Someone I meet regularly along this Ebbw Fach Trail, has been so grateful for the new tarmac path. He had a stroke a few years ago but one handedly manages a motorised scooter. For him and others in a similar state of limited mobility, this smooth track has opened up a whole new, safe way of getting out and about when the sun shines. He also now, has like me, a new interest ...
How will this latest regeneration project turn out?
We shall see ... "As time goes by."
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