Above: Looking upstream from Kilgram Bridge, with Penhill in the distance. In the nearer view, on the right hand bank, is visible the pumping station for Thornton Steward Reservoir. This supplies drinking water to Swaledale, Wensleydale, Northallerton, and Thirsk. Surprising, for such a small reservoir! Photo and caption by Pamela Knights

Jervaulx Fly Fishers asked Stop Ure Pollution's chairman, Prof Richard Loukota, to present the results of the testing at the recent AGM, where it was stated that the number of wild trout, grayling and salmon caught by members has reduced significantly, especially over recent years. Above: River Ure near Jervaulx

A spokesman for the fishing group said: "The members of Jervaulx Fly Fishers enjoy the peace and beauty of Lower Wensleydale. We are happy to be able to support the efforts of Stop Ure Pollution in maintaining the quality of the river for all who appreciate the dale."

Stop Ure Pollution has now started to raise funds to continue testing, to buy testing equipment, to lobby individual stakeholders and to raise awareness of the condition of the river.

Prof Loukota thanked Jervaulx Fly Fishers and said the donation will go towards the cost of buying Fluidion equipment which will be used to test for E.coli.

If you or your business are interested in sponsoring Stop Ure Pollution in future, please contact Toby Milbank via the contact form.

Above: The Surfers Against Sewage Battlebus at Aysgarth in June 2024. 

During 2024 Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) allocated a grant of £2,000 to Stop Ure Pollution. Besides helping towards the cost of hiring halls and rooms for meetings, printing flyers this was used to obtain several monitors/colorimeters. 

Colorimetry is the use of coloured compounds to determine the concentration of a target chemical-compound such as phosphates. SUP now has colorimeters for phosphate, nitrate, ammonia and nitrate, as well as monitors for pH, temperature and suspended solids. 

Thanks to the SAS grant SUP was also able to obtain a sampling cup and rods, sample bottles, cool bag and cooling packs (for samples), cleaning wipes, transport bags, standardising solutions, and sanitiser.