Wednesday, May 12, 2010

SANDS OF TIME

British resorts which keep their golden sands clean and tidy are awarded Blue Flags.
Brigg Town Council's continuing efforts to get the banks of the River Ancholme tidied and free of litter have promoted Coun Michael Galvin to suggest Brigg might be in the running for a Blue Flag for its efforts many miles inland.
Keep Brigg Tidy volunteers will be out tomorrow night, near the towpath, with further sessions to follow in the coming weeks.
Negotiations continue with the Environment Agency about cutting back the mass of weed in the river, which always proves a problem during the summer.
The Town Council has set aside funds to pay for an extra cut, if that proves necessary, following the Agency's initial one - probably in July. However, a close eye will be kept on the growth of weed, which is closely allied to weather conditions.
As councillors discussed the riverside at tonight's meeting, Coun Ann Eardley highlighted what she considered to be the dangerous state of an old wooden jetty near the White Hart pub, while Deputy Town Mayor Coun Ben Nobbs seemed hopeful some improvements could be made to crumbling brickwork a little further along the river.
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2 comments:

Ken Harrison said...

One's quoting the obvious re river weed growth related to the seasonal weather....but one must also relate to its rapid, or exacerbated growth to pollutant phosphates which enter the the river - often via run-off from fewrtilized fields. (farmers have a duty to restrict excessive amounts)
Apart from simulating growth of natural river-side plants, the phosphates also influence the rapid multiplication of fresh-water plankton, such as the green agal-bloom (billions of algea) which often covers the Ancholme in the summert months.
Individual algea is short-lived and in decaying will use oxygen from the the water, which in turn deprives other organic life, such as fish and reptiles.
Mass decay processes, can under certain conditions, kill off fish stock and such like.
The still Ancholme is especially prone to Agal-bloom. moving water would to some extent break up and disappate the bloom.
Another consideration, which may be regarded as unimportantly silly by some is that the feeding the local ducks bread is actually putting extra and excessive protein into the river..especially concentrating around the favourite duck-feeding areas near the bridge.
At some stage, it might be necessary to consider restricting ducks to 'designed' duck feed - a practice that is already common at lakes and other enclosed water sites about the UK.
Overall, it's no good trying to control weed, while feeding its rate of growth the weed at the same time.

14 May 2010 at 12:10
Jeanette Woollard said...

A fantastic turnout and evidence of partnership working at its best.

Over 70 young people from the
Town Council 3B's Street Project / Brigg A.T.C. / Scunthorpe Sea Cadets,and others who just turned up, joined forces with Brigg Town Council, North Lincolnshire Council and other publicly minded citizens and gathered 100+ bags of rubbish in just over one hour from the copse alongside the River Ancholme which leds to the picnic area.

Who says young people don't care ? So come on all you adults who have plenty to say about the young people of today - match their efforts at the Brigg Big Spring Clean next week-end !

14 May 2010 at 14:35

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