What is to become of our stream?
Our little intermittent stream, originating high above the village, which has been running predictably for countless years, was found to be in full flow one day in October 2001, not from its usual source but from under the main road near the George & Dragon. Over the next three or four months we repeatedly alerted Thames Water to the probability that this was a massive water leak, but nothing was done. The stream continued in full flow without interruption over three and a half years. During this time tiny fishes appeared in the water, the number of frogs increased — perhaps many other water creatures benefited. But by July 2005 water was breaking ghrough the tarmac at the end of Prospect Road, and at last Thames Water turned up to repair the leak. The flow in the stream immediately stopped.
So what of the future? At the moment we are simply not getting enough rain in the autumn and winter to get the springs running again. The stream bed is blocked with vegetation and debris in many places and parts of it look rather neglected. It would be lovely to restore this small waterway some time, in the hope that wetter winters we have been promised will materialise to fill it.