Is there no end to this unrelenting wet weather?  Yesterday, I thought things might be on the way up. It was warm sunny and very pleasant and I spent quite a time down at New Inn bridge doing the monthly invertebrate check in conditions that were nothing short of uplifting.  The river was still high, mind you and the results reflect the high water conditions with fewer free swimming creatures and more stone clingers.  Wading in the strong flow was quite a challenge and it's surprising just how strong a current sweeps under the west arch in high water.  We had a phenomenal amount of rain on Friday.  I was in Halifax for much of the day and coming back up the B6479 from Settle at about 7pm I was staggered by the amount of flood water in the pastures and meadows between Studfold and the river.

Apparently at one stage during the afternoon the river was 2ft deep across the bottom of Newhouses lane and when we drove up later we could see the gravel banks left by the receding water up near Harber farm.  A new weir has appeared just above New Inn bridge where the flood has scoured out the gravel bed.  All this material is now deposited in a high gravel bank just downstream of the bridge where the flood coming down Brants Gill has pushed the flow to the west bank.  I fear for the trout and salmon redds and only time will tell what damage has been caused by this severe spate.

It's back to foul weather again this morning.  I had planned to walk the river to see what damage has been done, but the combination of strong westerly wind and driving rain makes this a less than attractive idea.

The invertebrate check did go well though,  with every sign that the river continues to be healthy.  I am getting increasing numbers of Turkey Brown in the samples which suggests that the water is about as clean as it can be.  I have published the results on the spreadsheet and will upload those for Turn Dub when the weather improves enough for me to do the check safely.

I had an email last week which pointed me towards a new Blog.  This is the daily diary of Warren Slaney who many members of the MAA will recall is the Head River Keeper on the Haddon Hall estate in Derbyshire.  This blog is compulsive reading and I would recommend that you all take a look and bookmark it.  Find it at: