Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
The River Dour Partnership have waded through the massive wadge of bureaucracy that is necessary when doing any work on a river and have finally started to do some practical work to improve the river environment.
We started last October with improving water flow and fish passage on the side channel in 'the ruins' below Kearsney Park, a couple of pictures of this with experts from the South East Rivers Trust helped by local volunteers are posted below.
The next steps will be to improve the fish passage at the Morrisons weir, and further environmental improvements downstream from the police station will hopefully include some flood prevention work. All this has been funded by an approx. £39,000 grant from DEFRA with top-ups from Up on the Downs, DTC and hopefully other local funds that have been applied for.
The regular river clean-ups will start again in a couple of months, anyone interested can get involved in these or in any other activities by contacting via
White Cliffs Countryside Partnership.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,795
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
How will the work along Barton Path affect the river, if at all?
Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
Hopefully not at all - I'm just making sure the right people know about it as we haven't had anything come down from the Environment Agency yet.
TheThinWhiteDuke- Registered: 7 Jul 2016
- Posts: 343
There's a really nasty looking oily film on the river today.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,795
I did not notice anything wrong up by Morrisons only the usual bits of rubbish.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,795
Yesterday while looking into the water which was unusually very clear I noticed lots of large fish that I assume to be trout.
My question is have they been put there as I have never seen more than a couple before or have they swum up from the sea?
I hope Ray sees this and rejoins the forum.
howard mcsweeney1 likes this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,795
Ray has replied which is great but a shame he will not join us again.....
"Hi Jan, seen your post on DF. The fish population has improved greatly in recent years due to water quality improvements, better water levels, and environmental improvements giving them better feeding grounds and breeding ares. We're about to put some fish passes in the larger weirs by Halfords and Lorne Road to improve fish movement upstream, and have already put eel passes in (they are now an endangered and protected species). Sorry but I won't be rejoining the forum, for the sake of my blood pressure! Hope you are keeping well, Ray"
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The river always looks very clear nowadays unless there has been heavy rain and the brown trout population seems to be growing in numbers and size of fish it seems to me. Just a pity that some still think it acceptable to throw fast food containers and drinks cans in.
Guest 1862- Registered: 23 Sep 2016
- Posts: 163
Not just cans and fast food wrappers. What about a white leather settee along Barton Path, a double mattress by Morrisons and bikes, chairs, whole plastic bags full of rubbish etc. It's a crying shame how little respect there is for this chalk bed river by some people. Thank goodness for the volunteers like Cllr Georgette Ripley, Ben Glayzer and the other regulars who fill tens of bags with rubbish every time. I saw a very old video of 2 boys paddling a small craft along the Dour in '70's. There were statues of crocodiles along the river bank in Pencester Gardens. Absolutely amazing footage. How heartwarming it was to see it so litter free.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,225
Is Georgette Ripley a double identity? A cross between Peter & Georgette?
Jan Higgins and howard mcsweeney1 like this
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
no paul,she is a lovely lady.
Guest 1862 likes this
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Brian Dixon wrote:no paul,she is a lovely lady.
Surely you don't mean that Brian, Peter is a respectable married man.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
not him howard, unless he is a cross dreaser.
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 7,919
Here's a 'clean up' from 2005.
"Shall we go, you and I, while we can? Through the transitive nightfall of diamonds"
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,473
There's a council notice up along Barton Path. Anyone confirm what it involves?
Paul M- Registered: 1 Feb 2016
- Posts: 393
I've just walked past the green area next to Morrisons and workmen are currently installing some benches close to the table 'work of art'. I wouldn't say they have been designed for comfort but they look quite nice.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,302
Jan Higgins and howard mcsweeney1 like this
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
In fairness it all looks in keeping with the er erm art work, pity about the clumps of grass and weeds.
Jan Higgins likes this
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Been told that it was the "Silverback Project" responsible, new one on me.
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