Great Ouse Branch Ouse News - Spring 2023 Newsletter covering the Great Ouse and tributaries Welcome to the 3rd unique newsletter !! I am very pleased and very happy to say that Carole has made an excellent recovery from her unfortunate mishap. So our esteemed editor will be back at the helm for our summer Ouse News. From my two page versions it will be back to its glorious multiple page edition. We would love to have copy for future editions – please send us reports of anything you think will be of interest such as your journeys, wildlife or even your thoughts on the waterway authorities. Send to keithalderton@sky.com or peter.webb@waterways.org.uk
Branch Programme Winter Meetings are a t 8.00 pm at th e Nor th Lodg e Pav ilion, North Lodg e Park, Milton, CB24 6UD. THURSDAY 23 r d March 2023 Our Annual General Meeting, together with an update from the Environment Agency. Due to health issues and lack of numbers we have had to cancel our IWA stall at Reach in May (first time ever) and at Ely in July. Hopefully our winter meetings will start again in October 2023. Please check the Summer edition of Ouse News for details. New Members
We are pleased to welcome the following new members to the Great Ouse Branch. We hope you will introduce yourselves to us when coming to an event or meeting Asa & Amy Briggs. Cambridge
Chairman’s Corner As I write this article, the snowdrops are out in full force and it looks as though we are finally emerging from a long cold spell. Time to think about boating once again! Last year, the only boating we managed to do was to have a much delayed cruise from one boatyard to another in order to have some hull repairs partially carried out. Our first trip this year will be to dry dock the boat once again in order to finish the remaining work. We have owned Watermist for 23 out of its 40 years life and hope that the refurbishment work will ensure that it is fit to cruise for many more years to come. Hopefully, the same will apply to us! Concern has been expressed locally regarding over-zealous enforcement of the rules regarding the permitted length of stay on Ely Waterfront. It has been reported that a boater has been fined for overstaying when adverse weather conditions prevented him from safely moving on. We, along with GOBA and other interested parties, supported East Cambs. District Council when they initially introduced rules to restrict the length of time boats could stay in the City. By all reports, the scheme has successfully achieved the original objective, which was to free up space to allow visiting boaters to stop, shop for provisions and enjoy the City’s facilities. It has now been suggested that these rules be relaxed over the winter months. I, for one, would oppose such a move, as we know from bitter experience elsewhere that once residential boats become established in an area it is very difficult to move them on. I am sure that sensible dialogue with ECDC will establish a practical solution to short term problems that will avoid the need to rewrite the rule book. After six years hard work, the EA has finally completed the ‘Ouse Washes Middle Level Barrier Bank raising works’. The works were required to comply with recommendations made by the Reservoir Inspecting Engineer. The crest level has been raised between Welmore Lake Sluice and Earith and a demountable flood barrier installed on the Welney Wash Road (A1101). A low-level section of the South Level Barrier Bank has also been raised between Sutton Gault and Chain Corner. On completion in October 2022, a training day was held to familiarise EA staff and contractors with the procedure to erect the barrier across the road in times of flooding. The demountable barrier now forms part of the 30km Ouse Washes Reservoir flood protection scheme. I look forward to seeing you at the branch AGM on the 23rd March. Keith Alderton
(keithalderton@sky.com)