Positive news for River Misbourne
The Environment Agency have agreed to reconsider a rescue package for the River Misbourne put forward by the Chiltern Society.
In December, the Chiltern Society submitted an action plan calling for two particularly leaky stretches of the Misbourne to be lined with sheet material, similar to that used to protect the bed in the Wendover arm of the Grand Union Canal.
The proposals were initially rejected by the Environmental Agency (EA) as being environmentally unsustainable in the long-term.
However, on January 19, representatives from the EA responded to an appeal by the Chiltern Society by agreeing to visit the affected sites of the river.
John Norris of the Chiltern Society said that he is encouraged by the EA's latest decision and explained that ALF, a programme designed to alleviate low flows in the Misbourne by reducing water abstractions (extractions), has been successful upstream of Amersham.
However, two spots, one by the recycling centre on London Road East (A413) and the other just upstream of Chalfont St Giles Mill, continue to dry up regularly.
"We think that a special case can be made for the Misbourne in attending to these two particularly leaky areas," said Mr Norris.
"The leaks are due to man's actions in the past and we think it reasonable that man's actions should repair it."
Miles Morgan, senior environmental planner for restoring sustainable abstraction at the EA said: "We appreciate the work and effort the Chiltern Society put in on the Misbsourne and hope to reach a satisfactory conclusion."
Mr Morgan added that his report will look at various options and their possible outcomes and that bed lining of the river is "an option of last resort."
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