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21
Sept 2024
River Nidd pollution fears after dam wall collapses
The Environment Agency and anglers are visiting the River Nidd this morning to assess the damage after a dam wall near Pateley Bridge collapsed yesterday.
The breach of the wall between Glasshouses Dam and the river is believed to have led to about one metre of water containing brown sediment and rubble flowing into the water.
The impact of this on fish and the wider recover ecology is not yet known.
Chris Hawkesworth, of Nidd Catchment Angling Group, which represents fishing clubs along the Nidd, alerted angler and ecologist John Shillcock at 4.37pm yesterday.
Mr Hawkesworth said he thought it was dangerous to go near the breach as it was getting worse and the sound of rubble movement could be heard.
He and a colleague arranged to shut off the flow of the river into a nearby trout farm to protect the fish and informed the Environment Agency of the situation.
A spokesperson for the agency, which is the government agency responsible for tackling pollution, said last night:
This evening, we received a report of a breach in the wall of Glasshouses Mill Dam and of silt/sediment pollution in the River Nidd.
Environment officers are visiting the site tomorrow morning when there is daylight to assess the site and situation further. We will be able to update you further tomorrow once this visit is complete.
Mr Shillcock said:
It is clear from Chris Hawkesworth’s account that a considerable amount of sediment has entered the river and downstream of Glasshouses the river will be coloured and there is likely to be sediment on the river bed. It remains to be seen how many coarse fish entered the river.
The five-acre mill pond was built in 1850 to ensure there was adequate water pressure for the mill.
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