Water in Stoney
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jasonbirder
Member
Thinking of a trip into Watergrove Sough tonight...what have the water levels been doing recently?
John B
New member
I think drought conditions are well and truly over, but it is interesting that we have only had 71mm at Eyam in the last 4 weeks, while Rob's figure of 122mm in the last month (at Tideswell?) is a lot higher. Buxton is probably a lot higher still. Does anyone know if the Lathkill is flowing? I may go and look.
With respect - the water situation in Lathkill Dale is nowhere near as simple as the feature on Countryfile made out. The river bed is man made, there is photographic evidence of the river being used for fishing after Magpie Sough was driven. Since the mid-1970's (when Magpie Sough was re-opened, though it had reopened itself via the sough tail shaft and the very significant drought of 1976) reasons for the lack of water in the Lathkill have be sought. The reasons will lie in natural cycles (known before and after the driving of Magpie Sough and the canalising of the river bed for fishing purposes), failure to maintain the artificial river bed, climate change (maybe) and possibly other changes in drainage in the area (how is it that Critchlow Cave, never known to flood fifty years ago has flooded dramatically since?).
Peter Burgess
New member
At risk of being shot down for going off topic again, there is a very interesting debate going on in the AditNow forum about this. It seems the Haddon Estate Fishery (unclej) are suggesting possible access to sites and documents if the flow from Magpie is stopped.Tripod said:
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/community/viewtopic.aspx?t=6220&pid=1
danthecavingman
Member
Hello,
Again, off topic, but I'm sure I read somewhere (and it would seem feasible) that the driving of the Hillcarr Sough to unwater the mines around Youlgreave and Alport causing the Lathkill to dry up more frequently....
Dan.
Again, off topic, but I'm sure I read somewhere (and it would seem feasible) that the driving of the Hillcarr Sough to unwater the mines around Youlgreave and Alport causing the Lathkill to dry up more frequently....
Dan.
martinb
Member
Thought I'd resurect this topic as we've seen very little rain recently.
Watergrove Sough Tail was flowing strongly, but a dig that we've been at since early January has a sump.
Now we're unsure if its a static sump or connected in some way to the Nickergrove streamway, but the water level in the sump have dropped by over 1 metre since we got into the cave on 10th Jan.
On Thursday night we did a little bailing with a bucket, but I wasn't sure if the sump dropped. We know it goes down a way as some weeks ago we prodded it with a metal pole which my partner in crime promptly dropped into the sump. (I made him retreive it the following week - he got wet!
)
Watergrove Sough Tail was flowing strongly, but a dig that we've been at since early January has a sump.
Now we're unsure if its a static sump or connected in some way to the Nickergrove streamway, but the water level in the sump have dropped by over 1 metre since we got into the cave on 10th Jan.
On Thursday night we did a little bailing with a bucket, but I wasn't sure if the sump dropped. We know it goes down a way as some weeks ago we prodded it with a metal pole which my partner in crime promptly dropped into the sump. (I made him retreive it the following week - he got wet!
)
unclej
New member
danthecavingman said:
Hi Dan
HCS blocked up in Oct 2000. Water backed up along the sough and out into Thornhill Sough and Wheels Rake. When you drive up the B5056 from Pickoring Corner (A6) to Pommy (Youlgrave), look left and see the standing water next to the river. These lakes are upwelling ponds, recharging the Lower Lathkill, from HCS, with much needed water. The river used to dry up regularly, but hasn't been short of water since. The river in this part has the highest health status in the Midlands. The blockage provides an example of how rivers can be safely and successfully recharged after hundreds of years of drainage via the soughs.
martinm
New member
unclej said:
I saw Critchlow Cave issuing a massive amount of water in the early 90's, the same time as there was water flowing through Ricklow Cave and the 2nd pitch of Hillocks was flooded half way down it! That is probably the reason the flowstone and stals are being undermined, but it must have been going on for a good while I'd have thought.
Oh, and 50 years is nothing in a caves life, they have been forming for thousands of years and variations in weather, etc.. could easily explain such changes in flooding...
unclej
New member
That makes sense and lines up with other eye witness reports. I've seen it myself since then, but only once and it didn't run in 2012 despite 1200mm locally. Here is a photo of it running.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=181919812000997&set=gm.312360745570078&type=1&theater
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=181919812000997&set=gm.312360745570078&type=1&theater
