Drought in South Gloucestershire

[TringSaint]

Might be too late. Maize around me on some stoney ground might fail. Speaking to an agricultural contractor who had been putting in new water supply ground was bone dry at 750 mm.
Ist cut silage came off a couple of weeks ago has done nothing the dry winds we had is the killer.
Talk of making hay end of this week!
D

Local farmer to me achieved just under 1.50 tons of dry matter / acre from his silage cut last week, which is good, but it’s the second cut that will prove trickier without some decent rain.

 

[User00056]

AccuWeather is suggesting we will get 15-20mm between the 24th and 27th, but that is a long way off and a lot can change before then.

I hope so. We're having haar morning and evening just now, which is helping a wee bit. A good night's rain would make the world of difference

 

[Klenchblaize]

Watching level closely:

K

 

[Bo Diddley]

We should all be getting grants to have extra waterbutts, I've rigged up another two this weekend, fingers crossed we get some rain to fill them all up before the veg needs it.
I'm not very hopeful about any cover crops that might get put in, the blokes that work on the farm are still getting beet & bio maize drilled... the covers are always the last job done

 

[Freeforester]

We’ve got 150 head of cattle on a 500gallon storage ring, burns at the bottom of the field but the seasonal grazing farmer is unwilling to even make a ram pump, they’d rather empty our system before moving their cattle or acting to alleviate the problem: 9 other users affected!

 

[Ruby Tuesday 2]

On a more selfish note, we’ve had the pleasure of a 30% increase in our water bills and are now told to expect a hose pipe ban……..

 

[Bo Diddley]

On a more selfish note, we’ve had the pleasure of a 30% increase in our water bills and are now told to expect a hose pipe ban……..

Gotta pay those bonus payments... by hook or by crook...

 

[Ruby Tuesday 2]

I think we have to pay for the compensation to the people that drank the dirty water in Bridgman, I think most that got the money must of had a day trip there just to drink the water as they hadn’t been there before, or they may have been telling fibs just to get the money.

 

[BenBhoy]

Exceptionally low river levels forecast in parts of the UK

The warning comes after some parts of the UK had the driest Spring in nearly a century.

www.bbc.com

 

[Flash G 74]

Hello, Considering all that rain and floods last winter more should be done to top up reservoirs , That is what propose for the new one TWA have started building in the Vale to take from the Thames in winter

 

[trickie]

As always, too little to late.No one wants to put up the cash nd reduce their immediate profits for long term gain

 

[Ratel]

I took a video of a young badgers snuffling around some leaves on the side of the road at 4 pm today- guessing they be hungry now with the limited slugs and bugs about due to it being dry. These leave would be a bit damp from recent showers.

Forgive me for laughing,there's plenty of grub for badgers. Groudnesters eggs, chick's, etc, etc.

 

[Jon P]

Forgive me for laughing,there's plenty of grub for badgers. Groudnesters eggs, chick's, etc, etc.

We have got a very limited number of ground nesting birds . Poss due to the amount of badgers- most of fields around us are horses paddocks and chain harrowed regular or being cut for silage early. Not a good area for ground nesters to want to attempt breeding. We have no game birds to speak off either.
No rabbits to speak of either they got wiped out a few years ago with VHD.

 

[Ratel]

We have got a very limited number of ground nesting birds . Poss due to the amount of badgers- most of fields around us are horses paddocks and chain harrowed regular or being cut for silage early. Not a good area for ground nesters to want to attempt breeding. We have no game birds to speak off either.
No rabbits to speak of either they got wiped out a few years ago with VHD.

Well perhaps something might happen, and the badger population will decrease if you're lucky. Oops I may get lifted for a "Badger hate crime" for saying that.

 

[Puds]

I was canoeing on the middle Wye last weekend and had to get out & pull the canoe multiple times due to there not being enough water to float it (no comments about ballast on board please…). It’s all dry as a bone here in Herefordshire.

 

[Flash G 74]

I was canoeing on the middle Wye last weekend and had to get out & pull the canoe multiple times due to there not being enough water to float it (no comments about ballast on board please…). It’s all dry as a bone here in Herefordshire.

Hello, Yes it is getting a bit desperate now in most of UK , I watched a news report where they stopped topping up the local canal due to the river being so low, The Thames here still look pretty good but when you consider what is told of the original source of the river to what it is today will indicate the state of future water use

 

[Cyres]

Making hay on one of my perms. The farmer who was 70 last week told me that he had never made hay in May. Good crop and drying very nicely. I didn't see a fox on the field the evening he mowed it. In fact devoid of all life.
D

 

[JTO]

In dry summers, we always see pictures of resevoirs with acres of silt all over the bottom. I always wonder why this silt is never removed at these times to provide more storage capacity.

 

[Flash G 74]

In dry summers, we always see pictures of resevoirs with acres of silt all over the bottom. I always wonder why this silt is never removed at these times to provide more storage capacity.

Hello, That is a good idea but when i involved the local MP at the time to clean out the Abingdon Stream that goes from the Weir Bridge to the road Bridge the EA said they have no money, Forget the Floods caused by the Stream full of Silt

 

[Ratcatcher]

I wish you lot would stop moaning, my suntan is coming on a treat, the local is packed every night, and we all know that once it's starts raining it won't stop till bloody October!