Left to right: Charlotte Simons, Richard Loukota, Mark Thompson and Mary Boyd.
On July 14 Charlotte Simons and Mary Boyd of the Yorkshire Dales River Trust met with Richard Loukota and Mark Thompson of Stop Ure Pollution (SUP) at Leyburn Quaker Meeting House to plan the river-length testing of the Ure beginning of August 21st. The SUP committee is very grateful to Leyburn Quaker Meeting House for allowing it to meet there even when there was no cash in the kitty!
Yorkshire Dales River Trust report:
When ten teams of citizen scientists (mainly SUP voluntees) took water samples from 45 sites along the full length of the River Ure and some of its major tributaries at approximately the same time on the same day on August 21st 2024 it was found that at almost half of the sites the E.coli concentrations were above the levels deemed sufficient (safe) for inland bathing water. . The samples were analysed by ALS Ltd for the faecal bacteria E. coli as well as nutrient and chemical analysis. The activity was organised by Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust with support from Stop Ure Pollution. [Yorkshire Water paid for the analysis of the samples.]
- Almost half (20 out of 45) of the sites had E.coli concentrations above the levels deemed sufficient for inland bathing water.
- coli concentrations rose at Bainbridge, Worton and between Aysgarth Falls and Lords Bridge; remaining high (over 2000 cfu/100ml) until past Spennithorne.
- Increased E.coli concentrations were also noted at Masham Bridge and Ripon North in the lower catchment.
- Potential designated bathing sites at Aysgarth Falls had E.coli concentrations above the levels deemed sufficient for inland bathing water.
- coli concentrations in the tributaries were much lower than in the main river. Three of the tributaries (Cover, Skell and Tutt) would not meet the sufficient level for inland bathing water.
The full results can be obtained from Stop Ure Pollution. For the graphs illustrating these click here.
Testing from Lunds to Boroughbridge on August 21st 2024 - with thanks to the team members who took photos.
Lunds/Appersett team: left to right Nick Copeland, Geoff Phillips and John Bridgeman.
Photos taken by the other team member, Kay Bridgeman.
Hawes team: left to right Suzanne Wright, Neil Stanton, Gwen Clark and Tony Harrison
Bainbride/Worton: team: Margaret Lowndes, Malcolm Corps, Amanda Corps and Paula Hague
Aysgarth: Paul Markie and Nick Gaskell at the Middle Falls, photo taken by the other team member, Gaynor James.
West Burton and Eshington Bridge: left to right, Neil Smeeton, Richard Spurrier, Julie Harris and Jules Higham.
Below: testing the water of Bishopdale Beck at Eshington Bridge
Middleham team: left to right, Richard Wells, Julia and Chris Metcalfe. and Joe Forrest
East Witton/Jervaulx team: Gaby Bird, Andy Baxter, Pamela Knights, and Catherine Mason.
Below: Looking upstream from the sampling area near Jervaulx
Masham team: Fergus Henderson, Roy Sallabank, Luke Pearce and Charlotte Simons
Below: Fergus Henderson (left) and Luke Pearce
Aldborough team: Thomas Bishop, Stephen Kilding, Mark Thompson, Ron Weeks and Pandora Thoresby
The Boroughbridge team: Mary Bond, Mary Boyd and Mike Grace
Below: Mary Bond and Mike Grace collecting a sample
