Bury Ground down to Close Park 5 Feb 14 More Pollution Hunting

Been out taking more photos of effluent outflows on the Irwell, and Kirklees Brook, which joins the Irwell just above Bury Bridge.

Starting on Kirklees, United Utilities list two Storm Sewer Overflows(SSOs).  Unless the first one is under the building or is the small pipe I could find no trace.

The second one is another matter.

This one is most definitely in need of some TLC.

Back down on the Irwell just above and below Bury Bridge we have two listed SSOs.

This one above the bridge is really nasty and should have a screen across it.

This one below is no better, both seem to run all the time.

 

 These small pipes  are all just above the bridge,  not listed, could be anything.

The other problem that is everywhere, is fly tipping. Just a few examples in plain view below Bury Bridge.

If I can see it surely the council can too.

 The only access to the far bank is through businesses and gardens.

There is no access to most of the river below Bury Bridge until the end of Wellington St where I cross the river on a footbridge and walk down to a weir where I find my next problem.

Not listed, the Bury canal used to be up the bank from here now there are some factories

This one is listed,.if there was any doubt about how often it flows, it has worn its own pool in the river side.

You can hear the sewage flowing when you stand near this pipe.

Farther down we have this listed one SSO at least it has a screen fitted.

Nothing much until we get to Warth Bridge.

 This above the bridge.

This below.

Neither are listed.

I moved well down river onto Dumers Lane where a path used to let you walk down the river, across from  the Bury Waste Water Treatment Works(Sewage Farm) to Close Park.

Don't know from where or what this is.

But it has a ladder to get down to it.

The Path I mentioned has been blocked off with a fence and gate when this was constructed. If it's meant to replace the drain above it ain't doing so. 

Managed to bypass the gate and walk down the path, which is now getting overgrown, until I got to the WWTW outflow.

That's clean treated effluent.

This is where it comes out  when there is an storm that causes an over flow. Even at the WWTW there is no screening to catch you know what.

Still lots to photograph, missed a few on this trip, will get them some other time.  

Nuttall Park Ramsbottom Pollution Hunting 30 Jan 2014

I should have mentioned before now that Mike Duddy obtained from United Utilities list of authorised sewage, effluent and industrial outflows into the Irwell and some of its tributaries.

  I should have found a listed Storm Sewer Overflow just up river of the top rail bridge at Nuttall Park, but from this bank I could not see any sign of it. I will have a closer look when the trout season starts and the river is low enough for me to wade across and have a closer look.

Just below the rail bridge I found several outlets that are not listed some old some quite new

This old one looks like something still comes from it, but what?

 Nothing showing from these, at the moment that is.

 Could be a culvert ed stream, runs clear. The bridge is by Cormar Carpets  factory.

 This one comes from the hard standing at Cormar Carpets

 These are just below Cormar Bridge
The running one is possible the over flow from the reservoir up the hill on that bank The two dry pipes, I have no idea what they are.
A Paul Hamer, no Relation as far as I know, as asked that I point out that Cormar Land includes all the land on their side of the river between the two rail bridges at Nuttall Park and that fishing will be treated as trespassing by Cormar. Of course they only own half way across the river, the other bank and half the river belongs to whom ever owns that land.

From the first rail Bridge to here is all private land. This is under the bottom rail bridge were the river comes back to the park.

This pipe, which is constructed totally from house bricks and comes out from Cormar land.                    Don't know what it was originally for but I have seen some of it quite a long way farther down river.

What comes out of Cormar land into the river  I do not know.

Nothing more until the footbridge at the bottom of the park.

Who knows what comes out of here.

Farther down river.

This doesn't seem to be any problem though it is draining from a brown field site.

But not much farther down river By the second foot bridge we do have a big problem.

The support at the end of this pipe is leaking raw sewage from both sides, it has been reported but as yet nothing has been done to stop the leaks.

Doesn't look very nice, but that's nothing compared to the smell.


On the other bank we have one of the largest Storm Sewer Overflows on the river.
The smaller pipe is always running stinking water when I am in the area, which in the summer is quite often. On the bank above these pipes there are several sewer man holes covers.

Not far down river from here are two more large sewer pipes that cross the river but no overflows.

The next area down river is Summerseat report to come soon.

Irwell Vale More Pollution Hunting 30 Jan 2014

Just below Ewood Bridge is Irwell Vale Sewage Works which has 3 outlets from which treated effluent is put into the river. The top one is by the rail bridge.

 The other 2 are at the bottom end of the works and are close together.

 You can see the effluent but not the pipe I couldn't get closer as it is private land.

Down river at the Irwell Vale Bridge where the River Ogden joins the Irwell.

That's the Ogden on the left the very fancy outlet which comes from land which is part of the sewage works, don't think it is used any more, for effluent anyway.

Went up the Ogden and found 2 large pipes, not sure who's or what they are. There is an outlet up the Ogden don't think theses are it.

  No sign of sewage, need further investigation.

Back down at the bridge, what looks like a very old disused outlet.

Further down these two, must find out what the blue ones are for, saw others later in the day. If it comes to that what the black ones are for as well.

Looks clean, could be that it is a culverted stream that come under the East Lancs railway line.
A little down from this one there are pipes crossing the river with outlets by them.

In the background is the rail line so again I think the water is a culvert under the line.

These two must have to do with the sewage pipes. Well I think they are sewage.

Still got some more photos that I took at Nuttall Park Ramsbottom maybe tomorrow I will blog them.

Kick Sampling and Pollution Hunting 30 January 14

Went to my usual spot at Ewood Bridge on the Irwell and did a kick sample. 12 Cased Caddis and 12 Olives(Baetidae) Nymphs. Up on Caddis but as expected for this time of year, down on nymphs.
Didn't do a sample at beginning of January as the river was to high.

I have been finding and photographing, along with Mike Duddy at Salford Friendly Anglers and others, sewage and industrial outflows into the Irwell.
Also Eagley and Bradshaw Brooks, the rivers Croal, Tonge, Ogden and Roch  which all end up in the Irwell, as do quite a few others.
Mike is going to set up a group in SFA, to chart  the pollution problems in the Irwell catchment and with the help of United Utilities and the Environment Agency, hopefully reduce, if not stop it.

It is not always certain what it is that is coming out of pipes and culverts. By the spot that I kick sample is this.

It runs almost all the time, could be a stream that comes off he golf course, a spring, or it could be road run off mixed with the other two. Looks clean but who knows.
A few yards down stream is this dribbling pipe.

Just above the bridge is a different type of outlet.

 Never seen much coming out of it, most likely was connected to the old mill that used to be above it.
As were possibly, these smaller ones a few yards up stream.

Is it road run off or something from the new units where the old mill used to be. Mind you road run off is bad enough.
A little further up stream.

Could be a stream, it runs all the time, but  again could be from the new units where the old mill used to be.
Up thirty forty yards on this bank we have.

I have always thought it was a stream or a spring but who knows what's in there.


Hard to tell what is going into the river without taking samples , all these are in a 150 yard stretch of the river.
It's not uncommon to find places that have as many and at times many more than this short stretch.