News Archive

In the first two weeks of October Imperial College scientists, EA Fisheries officers and volunteers from ARK have been taking part in electrofishing to find out more about the impact of the Chlorpyrifos pollution on the fish populations. Electrofishing stuns fish for just long enough to weigh and measure them. The scientists also washed out the stomach contents of some of the fish to see what they have been eating in place of their usual diet of shrimps and riverfly.

Report sightings of tankers discharging.
There appears to be a rogue tanker operator discharging to the Upper Kennet.  If you see suspicious tanker activity please:
1.  Call 0800 807060 as soon as possible with as much detail as possible
2.  Take a photo if you are not putting yourself at risk by so doing
3.  Call/email ARK: 01672 513672 or info@riverkennet.org and we will follow it up with the EA

New moths identified at Stonebridge.  Our 2013 moth trapping nights have found new species of moths at Stonebridge.

Members of the public attending our latest Batty Bat Night had the opportunity to see bats and hear them on bat detectors which picked up three different species - Daubenton's, Soprano Pipistrelle and Noctule, as well as see close up a young Pipistrelle bat.

A team from ARK and Savernake Flyfishers will be working alongside scientists from UCL to move mayfly, caddisfly and freshwater shrimps from healthy stretches of river to those where riverfly have been killed.

So far we have given away nearly 400 hose attachments - which according to OFWAT data equates to a 2 litre per day saving for each household.  That's just under 30 THOUSAND litres of water saved a year.

The Chalkstream Charter will be heavily featured in a R4 Face the Facts programme that goes out on July 29 at 12.25pm.  

Don’t forget to tune in!

For more info on The Chalkstream Charter:

http://www.chilternsaonb.org/uploads/files/CCSP/Chalkstream_Charter_web.pdf

On Monday 1st July 2013 ARK's riverfly monitoring team identified a devastating pollution incident on the River Kennet. All the invertebrates for around 15km of river had been killed by the pesticide 'chlorpyrifos' which entered the river at the Sewage Treatment Works at Marlborough.

During the summer, invertebrates like the famous mayfly are abundant, and they are the key food source for fish and birds living along chalkstreams. 

The Environment Agency and Thames Water are working to identify how the pesticide got into the sewer network. ARK's volunteer riverfly monitors are monitoring ecological impacts of the pollution.

Current observations include dead crayfish and devastated and declining invertebrate populations, and large increases in algal growth on the river bed.

On Tuesday 9 July the Environment Agency and Public Health UK lifted their advice to avoid swimming, fishing and other recreational activities and confirmed that pesticide levels in the water have reduced. The Food Standards Agency advised that it is safe to eat fish from the River Kennet.

ARK's volunteer riverfly monitors carry out 'health checks' on over 40 sites on the Kennet each month. Their efficiency and swift action alerted river keepers and The Environment Agency to the problem.

The River Kennet is a Site of Scientific Interest and one of England's finest chalkstreams. This incident is one of the largest ever and has wiped out around a third of the river. 

View ARK press release 4 July 2013

View EA statement 5 July 2013

View EA statement 9 July 2013

View ARK press release 10 July 2013

The first Mayfly in the Classroom projects began in June.  Over the summer ARK will be visiting primary schools explaining how wonderful chalkstreams are and encouraging students and their families to save water.