angelaq
regular
Reged: 04/07/2007
Posts: 102
|
|
Recent news release on dredging.
A £500,000 floating ‘vacuum cleaner’ will soon be on the River Thames, removing the sediment from the river bed to make life easier for boaters this summer.
The Versi Dredge, from contractors Land and Water, re-profiles the river by sucking up the soil from shoals formed on the river bed and pumping it up to 1km away to a different location.
Unlike traditional dredging there is no waste product from this operation and therefore more environment friendly. However, this operation will be carefully managed to ensure fish spawning grounds are not disrupted.
Ben Price in Operations Delivery for the Environment Agency said: “The Versi Dredge can do the work of 10 pieces of current equipment.
“It is the only one of its kind in the UK and we are really excited to be able to use it on the River Thames. It is a much quicker method of re-profiling the river bed and with no waste to dispose of it is far more environmentally friendly than traditional methods.
“River bed re-profiling is part of our ongoing maintenance work on the Thames’s navigation channel. Of course the work will be carried out in a way that minimises the impact on fish spawning areas.
“We had planned to carry out this work earlier this year but have been delayed because of the high flows in the river. However, we are hoping this work will only take about two weeks to complete.”
The Versi Dredge will be used at Benson Lock, Osney in Oxford, and in the reach between Pinkhill and Eynsham.
Mark Rowe, Operations Manager for the Upper Thames said: “We have a duty to maintain the river to a certain depth so boaters can safely navigate. Flooding and strong flows make this work challenging so I’m very pleased we are able to deal with shoals that have been a problem for boaters recently.”
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
Quote:
pumping it up to 1km away
and Quote:
no waste to dispose
= back into the river? 
Can you explain more or perhaps point us at a Web Page that explains this new equipment?
|
Cuchilo
regular
Reged: 19/04/2003
Posts: 4797
Loc: London
|
|
HERE Maybe ?
--------------------
Dont come running to me if you fall over and break your leg .
|
TrueBlue
regular
Reged: 30/04/2004
Posts: 1209
Loc: Sussex
|
|
I saw the strange machine with thrashing paddle wheels late last week in the lock cut below Osney. Forward cabin with a ginormous power plant.
No tail pipe so must have been scraping the bottom.
Minutes later I came across another weird box being pushed by one of those "airborne war surplus tugs"no visible attachments but a long pipe - 100m or so 600mm in diameter trailing along behind.
So something's happening.
Nice to see EA admitting that they have some duty......
|
sarabande
regular
Reged: 06/05/2005
Posts: 5668
Loc: up on the moors.
|
|
mmm, two weeks to dredge the Thames. That's going to make a big difference to a a lot of reaches. 
--------------------
Enlightenment is motor-sailing
|
Cuchilo
regular
Reged: 19/04/2003
Posts: 4797
Loc: London
|
|
I think its all a big bluff and they are looking for sunken treasure Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrr 
I wonder what will happen when they hit a shopping trolley 
--------------------
Dont come running to me if you fall over and break your leg .
|
rr_123
regular
Reged: 22/08/2007
Posts: 583
Loc: Surrey
|
|
Quote:
“We had planned to carry out this work earlier this year but have been delayed because of the high flows in the river.”
Chicken and egg??
Seriously, very good news, thanks Angela
--------------------
"I ask myself who is the rich man; you with your wealth, your big house and your beautiful wife, or me, with... what I've got...
It's you, isn't it. should have thought about that a bit more."
Rimmer
|
ARCMarineEveryman
regular
Reged: 06/12/2005
Posts: 448
|
|
In a word doesn't this show why we have have a problem with the EA? Congratulations for at long last doing some dredging, but "far more environmentally friendly than traditional methods.". The problem with the EA is they have lots of responsibilities, and navigation is a pretty minor part, the envirinmental concerns far outweighing navigation. BW only have navigation to concern themselves with.
Still can't understand "and with no waste to dispose of", surely that's the whole point!
IanC
|
No_Regrets
regular
Reged: 09/07/2007
Posts: 1392
Loc: Welwyn Garden City, Herts UK.
|
|
So we're now congratulating the EA on fulfilling their responsibilities eh?
--------------------
The scourge of Windsor, and notorious founder member of the 'Upper Thames Birchwood Massive' now outlawed by the EA and River pressure groups, currently planning a nice comfy retirement in the aft cabin of a Broom.
Now can anybody recommend any non-marking slippers?
|
Andrew_Fanner
regular
Reged: 13/03/2002
Posts: 5558
Loc: ked into poverty by children
|
|
Historically the Nile flooded regularly and this additional fertile soil allowed a food surplus and the growth of one of the early civilisations, some of whose acheivements are with us today.
What's so environmentally unsound about Thames silt that means it can't be put on the bank?
Angelaq, I'd be interested, as would my son who has environment stuff in a Geography project ongoing and it might be useful to him as well.
--------------------
Two beers please, my friend is paying.
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
Quote:
Still can't understand "and with no waste to dispose of", surely that's the whole point!
I think thats whats called in the trade - SPIN.
Keep the masses in the dark, but tell them a few buzzwords they want to hear like "Dredging" and "Benson" but dont go into any detail in case they realise they've been had again. Its almost like budget day innit? 
|
boatone
regular
Reged: 29/07/2001
Posts: 6846
Loc: Surrey uk
|
|
Quote:
What's so environmentally unsound about Thames silt that means it can't be put on the bank?
Could it be something to do with who owns the bank and whether or not they want, or will consent to dredgings being deposited there? They might even require a payment - back to financial constraints again.
--------------------
"Don't tell me why not, tell me how..."
ThamesBlog
|
boatone
regular
Reged: 29/07/2001
Posts: 6846
Loc: Surrey uk
|
|
Quote:
In a word doesn't this show why we have have a problem with the EA? Congratulations for at long last doing some dredging, but "far more environmentally friendly than traditional methods.". The problem with the EA is they have lots of responsibilities, and navigation is a pretty minor part, the envirinmental concerns far outweighing navigation. BW only have navigation to concern themselves with.
Still can't understand "and with no waste to dispose of", surely that's the whole point!
IanC
And there's the rub. Lots of conflicting responsibilities and not enough cash in the coffers, not to mention cooperation issues with those that actually own parts of the river.
As for the waste disposal, much easier to suck away the material from shallow areas and distribute it widely over deeper areas. Sure , it will come back again eventually, but a fairly cheap way of solving short term problems.
--------------------
"Don't tell me why not, tell me how..."
ThamesBlog
|
boatone
regular
Reged: 29/07/2001
Posts: 6846
Loc: Surrey uk
|
|
...and Clifton Hampden?
--------------------
"Don't tell me why not, tell me how..."
ThamesBlog
|
rr_123
regular
Reged: 22/08/2007
Posts: 583
Loc: Surrey
|
|
Quote:
I think thats whats called in the trade - SPIN.
Perhaps a little harsh? The key words in Andrea's post are surely re-profiles the river
Maybe they can dump it down the 5m holes described in another thread? Personally I would be happy with this, as one of the places they can dump is in the beautiful Penton Lake behind my house, and however fertile the Nile valley may have been, river dredgings stink and are a lot less beatiful than a lake!
--------------------
"I ask myself who is the rich man; you with your wealth, your big house and your beautiful wife, or me, with... what I've got...
It's you, isn't it. should have thought about that a bit more."
Rimmer
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
And still the river will less capacity (as nothing will actually be taken out!) so we will get red boards much more often as we have already seen.
Short term thinking again by amateurs same as the Lockies houses.
|
boatone
regular
Reged: 29/07/2001
Posts: 6846
Loc: Surrey uk
|
|
Quote:
And still the river will less capacity (as nothing will actually be taken out!) so we will get red boards much more often as we have already seen.
Short term thinking again by amateurs same as the Lockies houses.
Oh do get real, Mike.
All the things that really need doing need MONEY and the EA Thames Division has to make do with what it gets. For heavens sake when is everyone going to wake up to the fact that nothing on the Thames will really start to change until the whole issue of funding is resolved?
It doesnt matter who is calling the shots at Reading, and they could be the most competent managers in the world, without MONEY they can do little other than short term cosmetic changes.
Dredging isnt just about scraping bits up, its also about transporting the dredged material to a deposit site and depositing it as well.....MONEY !!!! Not to mention finding such sites in the first place, and as the EA doesnt actually own much land it probably means paying someone else to deposit on their land - more MONEY.
Ive pointed out before that the EA overall gets around £1 billion a year from central government. IMHO the Thames Region aint getting a necessary share of the pot !!!
--------------------
"Don't tell me why not, tell me how..."
ThamesBlog
|
rr_123
regular
Reged: 22/08/2007
Posts: 583
Loc: Surrey
|
|
Also the ability of the river to dissipate the rainfall is proportional to the profile and interface materials as well as its absolute volume, so a reprofiling excercise may well be a valid way of increasing capacity.
The excess volume during the winter months needs to be stored in Flood plains, and not concentrated into drains and culverts that weren't designed to carry it, and the river itself needs to be able to direct the flow to the sea quickly and efficiently.
--------------------
"I ask myself who is the rich man; you with your wealth, your big house and your beautiful wife, or me, with... what I've got...
It's you, isn't it. should have thought about that a bit more."
Rimmer
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
Precisely, totally agree!
So patting them on the back when the problem has not been solved isnt going to help either?
I think the lockie campaign has shown that shouting from every orifice and making people aware does seem to bear fruit. I also think that while we have the MPs attention as to how lousy things are.....
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
Quote:
concentrated into drains and culverts
Thats canals mate.
|
JECuk
regular
Reged: 22/01/2008
Posts: 254
Loc: Mid-Thames
|
|
While we all may prefer this to be done differently - surely this is a positive development? One has to think that they have considered some of the issues raised in this thread before deciding to use this dredging method.
--------------------
Lady Gay
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
....In as much as I applaud the council for coming along and stamping some tarmac into the potholes in my street rather than fixing it properly.
Problem is the next time it rains, it all washes out again!
|
boatone
regular
Reged: 29/07/2001
Posts: 6846
Loc: Surrey uk
|
|
Quote:
....In as much as I applaud the council for coming along and stamping some tarmac into the potholes in my street rather than fixing it properly.
Problem is the next time it rains, it all washes out again!
Sorry Mr whoever you are, need to raise your council taxes again cos need more money to fix the pothole outside your mansion
--------------------
"Don't tell me why not, tell me how..."
ThamesBlog
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
No what they need to do is prioritise the spending based on what the poor suckers that actually use the river want rather than the pen pushing tossers in Reading.
Broken Record Time....
Why rebuild the moorings at Bray Lock to EXACLTY the same length and same height (ie prone to flood) as before, costing millions of pounds. What possible benefit is there to me the boater?
Same at Cookham, all the moorings widened to 1M so that I can get a wheelchair down there.
This money was WASTED when it could have been spent on the old chestnut .....Dredging.
And that my friend IS DOWN TO THE EA, not their small budget.
|
boatone
regular
Reged: 29/07/2001
Posts: 6846
Loc: Surrey uk
|
|
Any of THESE appeal?
--------------------
"Don't tell me why not, tell me how..."
ThamesBlog
|
apollo
regular
Reged: 12/09/2003
Posts: 1185
Loc: Thames
|
|
My point exactly, more money WASTED on unecessaries...
Add all those salaries up!
How about they advertise for someone to operate a DREDGER!
|
ARCMarineEveryman
regular
Reged: 06/12/2005
Posts: 448
|
|
If you've ever tried getting EA at Frimley to get their finger out and do their bit of consultation on a Planning Application you'll understand those adverts. (grrr!!!)
But again it shows they spend a lot of money on things nothing to do with navigation.
I sat for several years on the River User Group when the ramblers etc got on to the EA to build toilets at Hambleden Lock. I couldn't believe the EA took this seriously but they did.
Eilleen McKever came along a couple of times and promised to create more temporary moorings, the barge site below the Basildon railway bridge was mentioned several times, but again (as far as I'm aware) nothing happened on that front.
regards
IanC
|
boatone
regular
Reged: 29/07/2001
Posts: 6846
Loc: Surrey uk
|
|
Given that much of the shallow moorings problem is the responsibility of others - local authorities, private owners etc - is there any possibility that the suckybklowythingy approach could be made available to them at the same time as the EA have it on the river?
Would be one way of helping them with a more economical route to a bit of timely moorings maintenance?
--------------------
"Don't tell me why not, tell me how..."
ThamesBlog
|
No_Regrets
regular
Reged: 09/07/2007
Posts: 1392
Loc: Welwyn Garden City, Herts UK.
|
|
Quote:
suckybklowythingy
Whenever I read that, I thnk of Suzyrosyworzy for some reason....
Is it just me?
--------------------
The scourge of Windsor, and notorious founder member of the 'Upper Thames Birchwood Massive' now outlawed by the EA and River pressure groups, currently planning a nice comfy retirement in the aft cabin of a Broom.
Now can anybody recommend any non-marking slippers?
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
