Hickling Weed

[BrundallNavy]

Had a nice sail up to  Hickling yesterday but I was disappointed to see so much weed. You cannot even go up to the posts as the weed extends about 2 ft in to the channel. Even Heigham sound is suffering with the weed starting about 3 ft from the bank. Going to be very interesting for the 3RR   

[Bernard]

Just been across Hickling, worst I have seen it this early in the year, the weed cutter was moored up near the old Eel set, may need to be in constant use, very narrow channel through it to catfield dyke.

[marshman]

Not sure that that weed cutter is going to be the type to cut that weed. In the 60's they had to clear the weed from the channels on an almost constant basis, then as if by magic, the weed suddenly disappeared. It was almost like a blanket type weed but the existing weed cutter is designed to cut that strand like stuff you see on the way to Coltishall and West Somerton - not sure if it will cope well with that "banket " type weed. Don't aske me to name either sort please!!

Worryingly weed is becoming more of a problem in different areas too - and it seems to be different weed that, which just clogs up your prop and builds up in a mat in front of your keel. Wroxham used to be relatively clear but this stuff, or similar, now seems to be established in certain areas around the fringes. Horning had to stop using Black Horse for sailing at the back end of last year because of the situation and also Barton was seeing issues in certain areas.

I think its a real concern if it continues to spread. Causes - nutrient rich run off from farm land certainly doesn't help and "grey" water from people showering will also be a contributory factor. Unless it suddenly dies back, it is going to be a problem but I wonder why some Broads are affected and others are not?

Any answers on a postcard to Yare House please!!

[BrundallNavy]

8 minutes ago, marshman said:

Not sure that that weed cutter is going to be the type to cut that weed. In the 60's they had to clear the weed from the channels on an almost constant basis, then as if by magic, the weed suddenly disappeared. It was almost like a blanket type weed but the existing weed cutter is designed to cut that strand like stuff you see on the way to Coltishall and West Somerton - not sure if it will cope well with that "banket " type weed. Don't aske me to name either sort please!!

Worryingly weed is becoming more of a problem in different areas too - and it seems to be different weed that, which just clogs up your prop and builds up in a mat in front of your keel. Wroxham used to be relatively clear but this stuff, or similar, now seems to be established in certain areas around the fringes. Horning had to stop using Black Horse for sailing at the back end of last year because of the situation and also Barton was seeing issues in certain areas.

I think its a real concern if it continues to spread. Causes - nutrient rich run off from farm land certainly doesn't help and "grey" water from people showering will also be a contributory factor. Unless it suddenly dies back, it is going to be a problem but I wonder why some Broads are affected and others are not?

Any answers on a postcard to Yare House please!!

Is that why Blackhorse Broad is still shut. 

[LizG]

4 minutes ago, BrundallNavy said:

Is that why Blackhorse Broad is still shut. 

It doesn't open again to the Bank holiday at the end of May after opening briefly for Easter 

[MauriceMynah]

Blanket weed tends to grow where the water is clear. More boat traffic will cloud the water stopping the weed getting the sunlight it needs.

It used to be a big problem on the river Stort where I kept a boat years ago. 

Strangely enough, grey water helps stop the stuff but more boats is the solution. 

Perhaps if THAT bridge had the clearance it used to have ( and the BAs own tide table says it still has ) then the problem would likely go away. 

[ChrisB]

Higher Winter Temperatures, no long periods of frozen water increase the growing season. 

[marshman]

And I suspect higher water temperatures too on average - and I am convinced the phosphates in shower gel etc make it worse, not better. Well thats my view at least and perhaps others too given that many of the new boats now have built in grey water tanks.

[TheQ]

I noticed today on the river that Lillies and weed is growing all along the river from Black Horse broad to the Swan .

The broad itself is open from at least 28th May which is the first Sunday the sailing club will use the broad.

[Vaughan]

We all complained in the 70s that polluted water was killing all the plant life in the rivers.

So now, we have much cleaner and healthier water, after much campaigning and much expense.  So sure enough, the weeds are growing in the clear water.  Don't forget the reed fringe has also returned, to protect the banks from wash erosion.

Perhaps it's the law of inertia : To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

 

[Vaughan]

11 hours ago, TheQ said:

I noticed today on the river that Lillies and weed is growing all along the river from Black Horse broad to the Swan .

Exactly as it did when I used to sail at Horning Regatta as a boy, back in the early 60s.  It is certain that lilies will only grow in healthy water.

It was also Jimmy Clabburn who taught me that lilies only grow in 3ft of water.  So you can safely tack a White Boat right up to the bank through the lilies, without going aground!

[MauriceMynah]

2 hours ago, Vaughan said:

It was also Jimmy Clabburn who taught me that lilies only grow in 3ft of water.  So you can safely tack a White Boat right up to the bank through the lilies, without going aground!

Vaughan, is that "3ft or less" or "3ft or more" or is it just at 3ft ?

Also, would I be correct in saying that this rule of thumb only applies to the small yellow sub species with the oval leaves?

Useful information to know.

[floydraser]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

Vaughan, is that "3ft or less" or "3ft or more" or is it just at 3ft ?

Also, would I be correct in saying that this rule of thumb only applies to the small yellow sub species with the oval leaves?

Useful information to know.

Careful: Vaughan's talking about the 1960's. These days a Waitrose trolley on it's side will take up about 2' 6"..

[MauriceMynah]

On 21/05/2023 at 08:52, marshman said:

And I suspect higher water temperatures too on average - and I am convinced the phosphates in shower gel etc make it worse, not better. Well thats my view at least and perhaps others too given that many of the new boats now have built in grey water tanks.

Sorry MarshMan, I'm not sure I follow your logic.  If more and more new boats have grey water tanks, and the problem with blanket weed is worsening does that not indicate that the grey water tanks are part of the cause, not part of the problem? 

Some years ago I used to skipper a tripper boat on the river Stort. It was a damned great big thing of over 30 tons fully loaded. The water was always muddy after she passed by and in the season she was out at least twice a day. After some years, she was moved to the river Lea. Almost immediately, that area of the Stort  had the same problem with blanket weed as the rest of the navigation had had for years. It was not a much used river.

My second observation is that I used to keep fish, both indoor tropical and an outdoor pond.

Blanket weed was always a problem in both. It's clear water that encourages the stuff. 

[Vaughan]

3 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Vaughan, is that "3ft or less" or "3ft or more" or is it just at 3ft ?

On the north rivers with little or no tidal range, it is 3ft.

[TheQ]

Problem now is the Lillies and weed have clear water but their feet are in 100years plus of farming run off and sewage overflow.. basically they are in perfect growing medium..

[TheQ]

6 hours ago, Vaughan said:

Exactly as it did when I used to sail at Horning Regatta as a boy, back in the early 60s.  It is certain that lilies will only grow in healthy water.

It was also Jimmy Clabburn who taught me that lilies only grow in 3ft of water.  So you can safely tack a White Boat right up to the bank through the lilies, without going aground!

The white boats of course have a spoon rudder designed to drop off weed. Modern high aspect ratio rudders just collect it...

[MauriceMynah]

Well, that's progress for you Mr Q sir. :-)

[rightsaidfred]

There is no one answer to this, water weeds like everything come in all shapes and sizes, broad leaf weeds including streamer weed prosper in clear water and sunlight with the increase seen now, Algies including blanket weed prosper in nutrient rich water, conversly because it clouds the water algie restricts the growth of broad leaf plants, as an angler I am aware of various weed beds throughout the system including the deep water stretches in the lower reaches.

Fred

[LizG]

I see the BA have posted on FB to say the weed cutter is now up there clearing the channel

[grendel]

Still, with under 6' at the bridge, not a lot is getting there. 

[TheQ]

We've had a week of northerlies / north easterlies, that's raising the level of the southern north sea. More for another week.

Broads water levels will be high