This week’s water testing has shown that ammonia levels are continuing to increase (0.35 mg/L at pH 7.8). Oxygen levels are similar to last week (6.5 mg/L, 60.4 % sat. at 12.5 °C). Water clarity is appearing to improve as the suspended material falls to the lake bed. Increasing level of ammonia is likely to be a result of the continued breakdown of plant material (including algae).
******* Update – Please note new date ******* For the ongoing improvement of the environment and water quality at Darlow, chalking will take place during the week beginning 06-Dec-2021. Please be aware that the lake will be closed to fishing from 6-10th December. Refer to your FFFC email for further details.
The latest water testing results show that oxygen levels are improving slightly (6.5 mg/L, and 59.3 % at 10.4 °C); this is likely to be due to the lower temperatures and bad weather that we have had recently. We have, unfortunately, seen a small up-tick in ammonia levels (now at 0.3 mg/L, pH 7.8). All test result charts can be found here, if you’re logged in as a member of the club. Jim’s invertebrate monitoring Read more…
The latest water testing has shown that water conditions have not improved, but have stopped deteriorating as sharply as at the start of October. Ammonia level has risen to 0.25 mg/L, but appears to have stabilised over the last two weeks. Oxygen levels also appear to have stopped declining in the last week (5.8 mg/L and 55 % sat. at 12.8 °C). For the latest water chemistry testing data and trends since February, please go Read more…
A special thanks to Jim Thomas (and assembly team) for designing and building the prototype reed raft. The new raft looks fantastic, and will hopefully contribute to removing nutrients from the water and provide fish with additional cover in the coming seasons as it becomes established. Several willows have now also been pollarded to improve access to some of the tighter swims and keep the lake looking good.
October 2021 – Stocking of trout has been postponed due to the ongoing problems related to the harmful algal bloom in early 2021. Visiting the lake and fly fishing for coarse fish is still permitted.
We have lost one of the fir trees on the edge of Darlow on the Windrush bank. You may be able to spot Roger in there somewhere.
One of our members has recently contacted Robert Courts MP, Member of Parliament for Witney and West Oxfordshire, about pollution in the Windrush. Here is his response; “Robert wholeheartedly shares your concern about sewage overflows and has been working closely with local campaign groups, such as WASP, to address this issue. Robert is a passionate conservationist and take a deep interest in this issue, fully recognising the importance of ensuring clean and healthy rivers. It Read more…
As a club, we are developing several strategies to help deal with problems relating to fish stress, warm weather and the accumulation of excess nutrients that can eventually lead to harmful algal blooms, especially during warmer periods. Our aim is provide a successful and attractive place to fish and a good environment in which the fish can thrive. Most members will have noticed the aerators and many will be aware of the chalking that is Read more…
A petition has been started on the Parliament Petitions Committee website to highlight the problem of sewage pollution in rivers and other water courses. The aim is to encourage the Government to take action on water pollution by water companies and prevent the decline of our rivers. Find out more and see the Government’s initial response by following this link; https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/582336?reveal_response=yes The Petitions Committee will look at this petition and the Government’s recent response. They Read more…