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Desperate eastern river levels

C

Chris Guy

Senior Member
I was out for a walk today, with my usual cohorts, around Wheathampstead. The river Lea runs through the town there and you can walk downstream of The Bull, along it's bank for a small distance and then. The bridge pool has been a popular spot for a 'free lunch' in the past but, I kid you not, I doubt if you can find more than 18 inches of depth here, possibly even less down stream of it. Much of the river down from the pool can be only 5 or 6 inches now and you can clearly see at what level the river used/normally runs. Water iris are growing at least 6 inches above the water level now.
In the east we had rain for a day and part of a night, just over a month ago. One month previous to that we had another drenching for a day and a half, and prior to that, hardly a drop all winter.
I'm getting pretty depressed about this problem, as even local lake levels are dropping fast. Three weeks ago I fished a pit at Sharnbrook, which I hadn't visited for probably 20 years or more. I dropped into a swim that used to produce big bream, where the water used to be in the region of 5 feet. I probably had 18 inches. The Ouse and Ivel are what would be described as being at very low summer levels. It's early April ffs!
Now it's spring now and if we don't have a real wet one, I can foresee some desperate times ahead for us anglers in the east of the country.
I'm sure many out there must also have deep concerns.
 
I fish the upper lea & the last couple off seasons the water levels have been awful I think a combination of dry winters, summers & abstraction is really taking it's toll.
We have spoken to the EA about it & they joked that the lea is almost tidal on there river level gauge with the compensation water going in from Luton sewage works!
So basically the lea is relying on treated sewage water going in? a very sad state of affairs.....
 
Out walking with my group (meetup), abd followed much of the Ivel from Henlow down to Broom. Depressing is all I can say. One lady in our group commented about the 'man made canal', as it was hardly flowing.
Now watching Country File and the weather girl beamingly broadcasting how wonderful, warm and dry the next week will be. If only she was better informed.
10 miles we walked today and the ground was like set concrete.
 
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