Yorkshire Water has released a mock up of what Fewston Reservoir could look like in 50 years after the effects of climate change.
Rather than a reservoir filled to the brim with water popular with walkers, the image shows how the Washburn Valley could dry up and resemble a desert.
It comes as Yorkshire Water predicts that it will have 100 million fewer litres in its daily supply by 2045.
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To try and tackle the issue, the water company is currently trialling new technology to find leaks more quickly and reduce the water lost by 50% by 2050.
Yorkshire Water continues to ask customers to do their bit by turning off the tap when brushing teeth, opting for a shower instead of a bath and using a watering can instead of a hose.
Fewston Reservoir pictured from the same place in May 2020.
Martin Christmas, yorkshire environment manager for the Environment Agency, said:
“What we do with water and how much we use directly impacts people and the environment, including many of the places we care most about – our rivers, lakes and coastal waters.
“We need to be careful with our water supply. With the weather we experience in the UK it’s easy to think there’s enough to go round.
“But when you factor in the effects of climate change and population growth, there is a very real risk of water shortages by 2050.
“Every individual can make a difference; changing some of our daily habits can play a critical role in protecting our water resources.”
Suzanne Dunn, water resources strategy manager at Yorkshire Water, said:
New bee-friendly habitats for Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross reservoirs“We can already see and feel the impacts of climate change all around us.
“Seeing what our reservoirs and environment could look like in 50 years’ time might be surprising and scary to some people, but the important thing to note is that it’s not too late for us to change that future.
“We’re making headway on our leakage reduction plans, and together with our water-savvy customers, it could really make a difference to the future of water resources.”
New habitats friendly to bees and other pollinators will be created at Fewston, Swinsty, and Thruscross reservoirs.
The initiative is part of a Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and Yorkshire Water project called Bee Together which aims to help pollinators thrive.
The idea is to create ‘pollinator superhighways’ that weave through the country and link existing wildlife areas together by creating and restoring wildlife patches rich in wildflowers.
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Six Yorkshire Water reservoirs — Fewston, Swinsty, Thruscross, Embsay, Grimwith, and Barden — have been identified as pollinator sites.
Yorkshire Water has provided £30,000 for the project.
Yasmina Gallagher, from Yorkshire Water, said:
Treat burst water mains as emergencies says local expert“Conservation efforts and improving biodiversity are key parts of our work and often go hand-in-hand with our role managing water catchments.
“We’re pleased to be involved in the Bee Together project and have already identified six of our sites that will provide perfect habitats for pollinators.
“Our colleagues will be volunteering their time to carry out pollinator surveys, create action plans and deliver the habitat the bees require to thrive in our area.”
A Sharow resident has called for mains water leaks to be treated as an emergency.
James Thornborough, who is an international expert on oil spills on land and at sea, has turned his attention to water and raised concerns with Ripon MP Julian Smith. The issue has now been escalated to the Cabinet Office at Westminster.
In the wake of a burst main in Sharow Lane, which was first reported to Yorkshire Water on the morning of Friday, July 30, and finally fixed on Wednesday afternoon (August 4) he told the Stray Ferret:
“When dealing with burst mains, I strongly believe that there is a need for water companies to act with urgency like the blue light services.”
Sharow Lane – a patchwork of repairs
Based on the number of homes in Sharow, Mr Thornborough estimates that 2,160,000 litres of water was lost over the five days before the main was repaired.
That’s almost the same volume needed to fill the Olympic swimming pool in Tokyo.
Mr Thornborough pointed out:
“Sharow has suffered significant mains water leaks over the last year. No sooner is one fixed when another manifests itself.
Flooded by water from a burst main. Picture: James Thornborough
“In view of the large amount of a precious resource that goes down the drains before problems are fixed, there is a need to have a robust emergency contingency and action plan in place, rather than treating the repair of mains as a project to be fixed as part of a day-time work schedule.”
In response to Mr Thornborough’s calls, Mr Smith, said:
“I note the concerns you have raised in this respect, and have sent a copy of your email together with an email of my own, to the Cabinet Office, to pass your points on to the minister concerned about your request, that they conduct a process review of the utility services to establish if they operate distinct emergency services as compared with project-based work hours repairs.”
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Mr Smith, added:
“As you will no doubt appreciate, the minister will not be able to reply about individual cases such as that in Sharow, but about the general point you make.
” I will write to you again as soon as a reply is received.”
Harrogate’s Otley Road set for yet more roadworks
Five weeks of travel disruption on Otley Road in Harrogate will begin on Monday due to work by Northern Gas Networks .
Work will take place around the Otley Road/Harlow Moor Road junction and is scheduled to finish on Friday September 3.
The news is unlikely to be welcomed by commuters or businesses that have had to contend with an almost continuous set of roadworks on the road since January.
Yorkshire Water dug up the surface to re-lay water pipes and Northern Powergrid did the same to relocate electricity infrastructure.
Next week’s works are to prepare for the delayed Otley Road cycle route.
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North Yorkshire County Council told the Stray Ferret that work on the cycle route will begin on September 6.
Nigel Smith, head of highway operations at the council, said:
Wetherby Road reopens after weekend closure“Utility works by Northern Gas Networks and Northern Powergrid remain to be completed before work can begin on phase 1 of the Otley Road cycle scheme.
“Northern Gas Networks is scheduled to be on site between August 2 and September 3, and Northern Powergrid between August 16 and 27. BT has confirmed its works can be carried out during the Harlow Moor Road junction improvement.
“The anticipated start date for phase 1 of the Otley Road cycle scheme, which includes the Harlow Moor Road junction improvement, is September 6 this year, subject to the above utilities completing their work.”
A section of Wetherby Road in Harrogate reopened this morning after a burst pipe forced it to close for three days.
The busy section between Masham Close and Hookstone Road is now open. The road has also been resurfaced.
Its closure on Friday just before rush hour caused misery for motorists. North Yorkshire County Council, the highways authority, said it hoped it would reopen over the weekend.
But Yorkshire Water said the burst pipe caused “significant damage” and engineers needed more time to complete repairs.
It was thought the road could be closed until tomorrow.
This was the road on Saturday while repairs were ongoing.
Long delays were reported across the weekend with commuters having to find alternative routes.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said:
“Our teams have worked hard throughout the weekend to ensure disruption caused by the burst pipe on Wetherby Road were kept to a minimum. Our work has been completed ahead of schedule and the road has now been reopened.”
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Wetherby Road expected to reopen on Tuesday
Wetherby Road in Harrogate is expected to reopen on Tuesday after a water pipe burst yesterday.
The part closure of such a busy road caused long delays yesterday as drivers sought alternative routes. This looks set to continue all weekend and Monday.
Wetherby Road remains closed from Masham Close to the junction with Hookstone Road.
Yorkshire Water has confirmed that its engineers have now fixed the broken pipe.
North Yorkshire County Council previously said the aim was to reopen the road this weekend.
However, that has been pushed back. The road has suffered “significant damage” so workers need more time to fix it.
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It’s unclear at this time whether Wetherby Road will be open for the morning commute on Tuesday at this time.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said:
“The burst pipe on Wetherby Road has now been repaired. It caused significant damage to the road surface in the area and our teams will be working throughout the weekend to reinstate the road and reduce disruption to a minimum.”
An eyewitness told the Stray Ferret:
Wetherby Road in Harrogate closed in both directions“They were working on it on Friday morning and they said they might have to close the road, I think they left it as late as they could.
“But it was the worst timing really, on a Friday afternoon.”
Wetherby Road in Harrogate has been closed in both directions just as the evening rush hour begins, due to a broken water pipe.
Heavy traffic is already starting to build up around the area.
The busy commuter route could be closed for more than a day between Masham Close and the junction with Hookstone Road, according to North Yorkshire County Council.
The council said on Yorkshire Water‘s engineers “were on scene and aim to reinstate the road over the weekend”. It apologised for any inconvenience.
Wetherby Road in #Harrogate is closed in both directions from Masham Close to the junction with Hookstone Road.
This is due to a collapsed @YorkshireWater pipe.
Their engineers are on scene & aim to reinstate the road over the weekend.
Apologies for any inconvenience. pic.twitter.com/3LzLPmoFeI
— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) June 25, 2021
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said:
“Due to a burst water pipe, we’ve had to close Wetherby Road from Masham Close to the junction with Hookstone Road.
“Our contractors are on with fixing the pipe and assessing the work that needs to be done to get the road open safely again. We’re sorry about any disruption this causes.”
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River Nidd pollution: hopeful signs for fish and wildlife
Clean water is being pumped into the River Nidd amid hopeful signs that most fish survived last weekend’s category one major pollution incident.
A 12-mile stretch between Gouthwaite reservoir and Hampsthwaite turned chocolate brown on Saturday, prompting fears for the predominantly trout and grayling that inhabit the water and other forms of river life.
Yorkshire Water issued a statement on Sunday saying it had suspended safety work at Gouthwaite by its contractor Mott MacDonald Bentley, which it is thought may have stirred up huge quantities of silt.
The River Nidd turned chocolate brown.
The company is excavating a trench as part of a long-term project to install a siphon at Gouthwaite dam to enable it to rapidly reduce water levels in an emergency.
Yorkshire Water has declined to comment since the weekend when asked by the Stray Ferret what action it has taken this week and whether it had conducted an environmental impact assessment before the project began.
John Shillcock, president of Nidderdale Angling Club, last night told the Stray Ferret he had heard from multiple sources Yorkshire Water has installed a pipe and was pumping in clean water from further up the reservoir and over the dam. He added:
“The river is much clearer and the cloudiness has passed on downstream.
“The Nidderdale AC secretary and I visited the river today and were much relieved to see that fish were rising and there was evidence of aquatic insect life.
“So this is good news for now, but Yorkshire Water have not made any attempt to let us or other interested parties know what measures they are intending to take to enable them to continue with the siphon installation without the same thing happening again.”
No fish deaths reported
The Stray Ferret asked the Environment Agency, which declared a category one major pollution incident, if it could clarify what action had been taken this week.
A spokesman said it was an ongoing investigation that would take a while to conclude and no further details were available. He added there were no reports of any fish deaths so far.
The River Nidd last weekend.
Gouthwaite, which is three miles north of Pateley Bridge, is one of three reservoirs in upper Nidderdale, along with Scar House and Angram, which are further upstream.
The other two supply water but Gouthwaite was built to regulate the flow of the upper Nidd.
Gouthwaite is also a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest in Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
100 water voles released in Washburn Valley this week
Yorkshire Water is to release a further 100 water voles at Timble Ings woods in the Washburn Valley this week.
Water voles are one of the fastest declining mammals in Britain, losing 97% of their former geographical range, and have been identified as a key species for conservation in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Surveys of the area suggest the 100 water voles released in September 2020 have become established in the woodland, with feeding signs, faeces and burrows all present.
These have been spotted up to 500m from the original release site, indicating the water voles are settling into their new habitat.
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The project forms part of Yorkshire Water’s Water Works for Wildlife initiative, which will see £1.6m invested in 15 sites across Yorkshire in a bid to boost biodiversity, enhance habitats, benefit wildlife and engage local communities.
Lee Pitcher, head of partnerships at Yorkshire Water, said:
Major incident opened into River Nidd ‘disaster’“We’re pleased to see evidence the water voles we released in September have settled into their habitat, with piles of nibbled grass and stems, as well as droppings spotted recently. Now they are established, we’re now moving onto the next stage – a second release in the area to further boost the population.
“We also have plans in place to extend the habitat available for the water voles later this year, with new ponds set to be created, which will allow the population to continue to expand and take advantage of the perfect habitat Timble Ings Woods provides these creatures.”
The Environment Agency has opened a category 1 major pollution incident after a 12-mile stretch of the River Nidd turned chocolate brown.
Experts are still trying to assess the extent of the damage to fish and other river life between Gouthwaite reservoir and Hampsthwaite after huge quantities of silt flowed downstream on Saturday.
Anglers and ecologists are calling for action against whoever is responsible and urging the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water, which was carrying out safety work at Gouthwaite, to come up with a recovery plan.
An Environment Agency spokesman said today it “continued to investigate” the Yorkshire Water works, which is is thought may have stirred up the silt that flowed downstream on Saturday.
The spokesman added:
“Large quantities of silt in a river can harm fish and smother aquatic plants and invertebrates, starving them of light and oxygen.
“Whilst there is no longer any silt entering the river system, it may still be visible as it moves downstream. The Environment Agency continue to monitor the situation and assess the impacts to determine what further action may be necessary.”
With the water still discoloured, it remains difficult to assess the impact on river life.
The work at Gouthwaite dam
Dr. John Shillcock, president of Nidderdale Angling Club and a former ecology officer in the area, said:
“In my past experiences, quantities of sediment of this type block out light and can reduce oxygen levels in the river, harming or even killing river life including invertebrates and other organisms on which fish and other river life depend.
“We are awaiting reliable data on the level of sedimentation before we can assess what damage has been done to an extremely precious river system.
“We would like Yorkshire Water to work closely with the Environment Agency to collect as much data and samples as to work out the best course of action to minimise the immediate danger to river life, and to build a deliverable long-term strategy to enable the river to recover from this avoidable incident as quickly as possible.”
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The affected stretch of the Nidd is known for grayling and trout.
One angler, who asked not to be named, said the amount of silt would harm oxygen levels on which fish depend. He added:
“There should be some sort of action against whoever is responsible for this. It is an environmental disaster.”
‘Heartbreaking to see’
Alastair Ferneley, vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Dacre Banks, said:
“It’s just heartbreaking to see at the moment — it makes me feel sick in the pit of the stomach.
“As I understand it the slit could choke all the bottom dwelling invertebrates and take out the entire food chain — all the things I watch for: dippers, kingfishers, otters, most of the flying insects that spawn in the rivers, the birds and bats that feed on them.
“I’m hoping it won’t be as bad as a I fear it could be. What we need is a good flood to two to clear the silt out and quickly, but not sure that’s very likely.
“It’s a taste of how fragile the environment and everything that depends on it is.”
A Yorkshire Water spokeswoman said it had nothing to add to its statement yesterday, which said it was working with the Environment Agency to investigate what had caused the sediment in the River Nidd to be disturbed. The statement added:
“We’ve temporarily suspended some work our capital partners Mott MacDonald Bentley were doing upstream at Gouthwaite reservoir while we investigate.”