More news...

Oct 5, 2022
Category: Pollution
Posted by: Kathryn
On 3rd October, we received a call from Thames Water telling us they had detected a spike in ammonia levels in the effluent from the Chesham Sewage Treatment Works.
Jun 24, 2021
Category: HS2
Posted by: Kathryn

New information from HS2/Align indicates a much greater risk of aquifer contamination than previously admitted. 

Mar 21, 2021
Category: Pollution
Posted by: Kathryn

Daily sewage releases into the river could continue into May, but work is underway to tackle groundwater infiltration into Chesham's sewers which is big contributor to this problem.

Feb 26, 2021
Category: Pollution
Posted by: Kathryn

In March, Thames Water is beginning work to fix groundwater infiltration hotspots in Chesham's sewers. 

Latest News

River Restoration at Pednormead End

Dec 31, 2017

Category: Conservation
Posted by: Kathryn

The stream at Pednormead End

Bucks County Council are planning restoration works to the Missenden Stream, a tributary of the River Chess. The stretch to be restored is a 200m section of the stream that flows through part of the Great Hundridge Manor Estate, bordering the Chesham 1879 Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, and the grounds of the tennis club itself.

Historically, the river channel in this location has been extensively modified, having been widened, deepened and impounded by concrete weirs. As a result, when flow is present, it is sluggish and the reach acts as a sink for sediment, which overlies much of the gravel bed, especially on the upstream side of the weirs and adjacent to the tennis courts, where the channel is at its widest.

The restoration work will restore this stretch of the Missenden Stream to a more natural state and allow the natural chalk stream processes to recreate habitat. Once the habitat is created, the flora and fauna will come back to this reach of the stream. The restoration will include narrowing the channel, regrading the banks, removing a weir, tree work, and creating a backwater feature.

The work is being carried out in partnership with the Environment Agency, Chiltern District Council, Chesham Town Council and the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project. The plan is to carry out the work whilst the channel is dry, but if water levels rise before the necessary permissions have been obtained from the Environment Agency, the work may be delayed until later in the year.

Extra: