Carlswark resurgence

[nigel n]

Anyone had a look at the water level here recently?

 

[pwhole]

I hear it's pretty low, but haven't seen it myself. Was in Layby Pot a week ago and that was pretty much dry apart from a few puddles. Recent Streaks trips have also been very dry. A few of us passed the resurgence in similar conditions a few years ago, and whilst a bit claustrophobic in places, it was doable. Of interest is the middle 'sough' section which seems to have been cut by miners.

 

[Alex]

Doubt it will be low now. Chucked it down overnight.

 

[Simon Beck]

Well Nigel I think somebody deserves a round of applause for their incredible piece of insight...

 

[richardg]

it might appear to be an odd thing but quite often when a caving region is experiencing low water level over an extended period ..... a downpour of rain would seem to have little or no effect.

A heavy downpour may run off dry ground and raise levels only temporally as it passes over ground and through the caves.

It would seem that the ground that constitutes the catchment areas of such caves acts as the reservoir that feeds the cave and this can only be replenished over time...

and it is often observable .....that low water levels often remain the same both before, and not long after an isolated downpour......

 

[braveduck]

Despite the forecast, we had very little rain  last night .
Just over the hill in Holmfirth .

 

[bograt]

Not going to add anything to Richards  statement - far too profound for me-
All I can add is that the main streamway  in Middleton Dale has not been found yet--

 

[mrodoc]

it might appear to be an odd thing but quite often when a caving region is experiencing low water level over an extended period ..... a downpour of rain would seem to have little or no effect.

A heavy downpour may run off dry ground and raise levels only temporally as it passes over ground and through the caves.

It would seem that the ground that constitutes the catchment areas of such caves acts as the reservoir that feeds the cave and this can only be replenished over time...

and it is often observable .....that low water levels often remain the same both before, and not long after an isolated downpour......

I would agree from regular observations of the Cheddar Resurgence.

 

[nigel n]

I agree that isolated downpours during a dry spell don't seem to affect water levels underground (in fact only 11mm fell even in Buxton yesterday).  Certainly there has been no change in surface river levels and the ground is as dry as before.  I would suspect also that the first few sumps in Merlins (I have been as far as sump 8 in an average October a few years ago) and Redhurst swallet are dry.

 

[2xw]

Not going to add anything to Richards  statement - far too profound for me-
All I can add is that the main streamway  in Middleton Dale has not been found yet--

It's at the end of layby shelter.

 

[bograt]

Not going to add anything to Richards  statement - far too profound for me-
All I can add is that the main streamway  in Middleton Dale has not been found yet--

It's at the end of layby shelter.

Ok,get in there!-- with reference to rain and rapid run off, Waterfall Hole tried to kill me once--

 

[richardg]

Is the Big Dig- Merlin's -Nicker Grove stream ways the downstream end of the Stoney Middleton Stream way? or are they just a feeder to a more major stream way?

 

[bograt]

Is the Big Dig- Merlin's -Nicker Grove stream ways the downstream end of the Stoney Middleton Stream way? or are they just a feeder to a more major stream way?

I think they are mere tributaries --

 

[alastairgott]

...

 

[danthecavingman]

The Carlswark Resurgence would have flowed year round in the past, prior to Glebe Mine intersecting the Boil-Up and diverting the water from the swallets out through Moorwood Sough. So there would have been two streams flowing in Carlswark, one coming from Streaks - Nickergrove - Merlin and one from Waterfall, Hungerhill etc. they would have joined up in John Smith's Passage and flowed through Carlswark before emerging at the resurgence. That's my understanding of it anyway. So that would be the main streamway in Stoney Middleton Dale surely?

 

[DrBart]

looking at resurgence entrance/trip today. anyone interested meet at layby in stoney middleton 10am.

 

[nigel n]

Let us know how you got on please.

 

[DrBart]

Full trip done. Very little water, obviously very muddy. advise abseil down rift as it is very slippy.
A long over due trip now done.

 

[richardg]

Am I right in thinking you went from the far end of Stalactite passage through the dried up sump to emerge at the resurgence entrance? or did you abseil down into the floor of the chamber in Cockle Passage and emerge from the resurgence entrance?

 

[pwhole]

When we did it a few years ago we went in and out of the Resurgence, but even in very dry weather, it wasn't dry inside. I remember about 10cm airspace maximum in the low phreatic section, and then the middle 'sough' section was about 50cm deep, with liquid mud beneath, but as the passage is so narrow, the water instantly rises when you get in it, so it gets quite clarty quite quickly. Once through that section it was problem-free, but it was still pretty stressful for a wide-shouldered person overall. Interested in further info.