The river water at Aysgarth Falls did not meet the minimum standard for safe bathing on August 21st when it was tested by Stop Ure Pollution (SUP) citizen science volunteers.
At a public meeting organised by SUP at Leyburn Methodist Church Hall on October 1st Charlotte Simons of the Yorkshire Dales River Trust (YDRT) reported that 20 out of the 45 sites tested along the river and on some tributaries on August 21st had E-coli concentrations above the levels deemed sufficient (minimum standard for safe bathing).
She said that the E-coli levels that day had risen above that level from Bainbridge until past Spennithorne, with increased levels also at Masham Bridge and Ripon North, with the peak being at Lord’s Bridge near Wensley.
‘None of the results are incredibly high compared to findings on the Wharfe and the Nidd under similar conditions though probably a bit surprising for low flow conditions. The days preceding the sampling had been mostly dry with only light rain in places so the levels of E-coli were not influenced by agricultural runoff or Combined Sewer Overflows due to wet weather.’
She was particularly concerned about the situation at Aysgarth Falls because, due to it being so popular, it could be considered for designated bathing status.
She praised all the volunteers, many of whom were at the meeting, for their efforts. ‘It was a brilliant turnout.’
The chairman of SUP, Prof Richard Loukota, pointed out that the group had only been formed in July and yet 41 of its volunteers had taken part in the testing of the river water on August 21st from Lunds to where the Ure joins the Ouse near Boroughbridge.
Mrs Simons said that the testing had taken place that morning with all the samples from the SUP teams delivered to her at Masham by 2.30pm. The tests also included those for phosphates, ammonia, nitrites, temperature and conductivity and Mrs Simons told the meeting that overall the results reflected a good quality river although further testing was required on the Skell and Tutt tributaries. All these results were on show at exhibitions at the Quaker Meeting Houses in Leyburn October 3rd to 5th.
Due to the E-coli results Mrs Simons stated that there would need to be another testing when the river water was low due to the high levels of E.coli between Bainbridge and Spennithorne. Checks would also have to be made below the water treatment plant at Redmire.