are water levels unusually low?

[smollett]

Thinking of heading to the dales this weekend if water levels are especially low. Have seen the cdg visbot and it looks like there was very little rain last week. Got a pumping project which is best done in low water conditions. Can anyone confirm or deny if it is unusually dry. Thanks

 

[langcliffe]

Lancaster Master Cave wasn't particularly low on Wednesday, and there was quite a lot of water coming down Waterfall Passage.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

We look at Cheddar risings every week. Both are still running well but were dry for a lot of the summer last year.

 

[Pitlamp]

Water levels are low for the time of year but they do get lower.

If you're pumping something supplied by percolation it might not be quite as low as you think. But yes, generally the water levels are currently low.

 

[smollett]

Thanks for the info. Think I'll give it a shot. It is definitely drier than when I had my last attempt so I may be lucky.

 

[Pitlamp]

I was up Chapel-le-Dale today and took a look at the water level at Joint Hole. It's 200 mm below the line belay. Real drought is 4 metres below the line belay. Looking at rivers though, there's not a lot flowing. When you approach Skirwith Cave beck en route from Ingleton, there's a good view of the stream to the LEFT (north west) of the road. There's a tiny waterfall there - you can only just see moving water if you look hard from a moving car. That's actually a pretty good indicator that things are really quite dry.

 

[mikem]

If you click on rainfall you'll see that only Scotland has had above average rainfall during Jan/Feb (& that's not by much), England and Wales have only had about 50% in Feb:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/anomalygraphs/

Mike

 

[ckrow]

Groundwater levels peak around March April time under normal conditions. If you are interested in something that is dependant on the water table (as opposed to streamflow or more rapid recharge) you are better off waiting for the summer.

 

[Pitlamp]

Did you manage to get your water hoovered out Smollet?

Since your query it's been very dry and now water levels (in rivers at least) are exceptionally low.

A search on "Settle Hydro" which will lead you to the webcam on the wier at Settle (in daylight hours). You'll see that there's virtually nothing going over it.

 

[langcliffe]

Water levels have dropped considerably in the caves in the last 10 days.

 

[SamT]

Shaping up to be very very dry this year,  there will of course, probably be some record breaking severe flash flooding in places, but the type that comes and goes over a couple of days.  Any percolation fed stuff will be drying up fast.

Guess we should start panic buying water!!

 

[Pitlamp]

Aye - then we can flog it to the rich thirsty southerners for huge sums! 

 

[owd git]

I've already got a stock of de-hydrated water (saves space and weight, )
to use simply add water, :chair:
O. G.

 

[Maj]

Not sure why the picture doesn't appear until I clic on it and select show picture.
But in case you can't see it, try this one.

Maj.

 

[Fulk]

Just got back from Meregill, where the Mere was as low as I've ever seen it; in fact there was no pool at the bottom of the slope, just a silt/mud/gravel bank. So that would be about 25?30 m below the 'normal' level (if you define normal as the top of the entrance passage).

 

[Fulk]

It might be worth checking out the sumps separating upstream and downstream Bull Pot of the Witches to see if they're passable for non-divers.

 

[langcliffe]

We were down Easegill today, and despite the weather yesterday the water levels are STILL very low, although that side of the Dales did receive a lot less precipitation than the centre and the east.