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Dredging Above Potter Heigham Bridge


Hylander

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If they're dredging Heigham Sound and putting the spoil in Duck Broad, it is an action that was very acrimoniously discussed on the NBF last year, blaming it for an outbreak of something rather nasty. I can't remember what! 

 

With the current outage of the NBF I hope and trust that should it be discussed here, it will be so with better control of tempers.

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I'm fairly certain that the BA did the dredging work with their own equipment last year. Can't see them using Goodchild to restart the dredging on Heigham Sound. Imagine the outcry over buying May Gurney and moving the dredging in house, only to sub contract some of it again. I could be wrong, but I would more suspect one of the bungalows is using Goodchild to dredge their basin / mooring.

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well in the spirit of true boating togetherness in the all boaters together vein, I can't see why they would dredge above Potter Bridge unless they are going to knock it down.

 

Virtually everything up there should require no more than 6" of water and it is a complete waste of resources to spend that much on dredging a section that only 10 people in anything bigger than a canoe can access a year.

 

Right I am off to NBF to gather support for my views. :naughty:  

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If they're dredging Heigham Sound and putting the spoil in Duck Broad, it is an action that was very acrimoniously discussed on the NBF last year, blaming it for an outbreak of something rather nasty. I can't remember what! .......

 

 

"Prymnesium"  and yes, it was very acrimoniously discussed, and as usual, so few people trying to take an overall view, and all fighting just their own corner.

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We went out for a drive this morning to Martham to look at a holiday cottage but unfortunately couldnt get to look because of the chaos at Martham Boat Yard and when we looked at their dyke - yep the dredging machine was there.   Now may be this for use at the Boat Yard and nothing to do with Heigham Sound before we all get out of prams.    

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Perhaps they can dredge the river under Potter Bridge......that way it will improve the clearance???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:mouse:  xmas3

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Yep - Goodchild won the contract to dredge the southern bit of Heigham Sound.

 

The bit done last year was from Deep Go Dyke down to Duck Broad and that was done by a contractor from Burton on Trent but this year Goodchild  are doing the bit from there southwards - some of the spoil will go to recreate the island between Duck Broad and the channel and the rest will be pumped down into the soak dykes surrounding the marsh behind the Eel Set which the NWT are working on and raising the water level.

 

It really is questionable whether the outbreak had anything to do with earlier dredging - certainly there was no sign of one this year after the dredging overwinter but I do know that the water in the area is being monitored on a regular basis to see if there are any changes which have occurred in the water quality.

 

Usual question - dredge and contribute to the navigation remaining open or give in to the fishermen and close it to boats!! I know what I would prefer!!!!! 

 

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No no no Marshman, This isn't a fisherman v boater situation.

If dredging the area at this time of the year causes problems within the biostructure of the water, then it has to be monitored, and monitored carefully and by proper qualified experts. (of which I am not one).

This isn't because of the angling fraternity, it's because one thing leads to another. 

The basic food chain must be protected AT ANY COST.

It gives THAT area the reasons we visit THAT area.

Discard that basic principal and we might as well be cruising open sewers. We came close to that in the late 60s. look how the water has improved since then.

Navigation needs to be protected, but balances still need to be maintained. Both can (and should) be achieved. Both should be the targets of those involved.

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I am sure that if you ask the BA they will tell you exactly the type of tests that are being carried out to ensure any change in the quality of the water is picked up at an early stage.

I suspect however that no one really knows what actually causes these outbreaks - in the past there has always been a lot of supposition but the very least you can do is to carry out checks to ensure the dredging does not cause a significant change in the water quality. If it does at least it will be picked up and should be acted on accordingly - not sure what else you can do though except don't dredge and that in reality is not an option

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If they're dredging Heigham Sound and putting the spoil in Duck Broad, it is an action that was very acrimoniously discussed on the NBF last year, blaming it for an outbreak of something rather nasty. I can't remember what!.......

 

 

It's still a very divisive subject then....

Last year the anti-dredging proponents were so insistent that it would inevitably lead to a disastrous algae bloom and kill all the fish there for years to come.

Yet as I understand, the dredging was carried out, with all of the practical precautions taken, and the result was, silence... no outbreak, no disaster.

Although I'm no match angler or specimen hunter, I very much enjoy fishing with my boating, so I heartily agree that wildlife conservation must always be a strong consideration.

If the anti-dredging campaign had succeeded at Heigham Sound though, fewer and fewer boats would be able to get to Hickling and Horsey, until only small open boats could navigate the ever shallower water there.

Would that genuinely be in the interests of the majority of Broads users ?

 

One can't help thinking that vested interests were fueling much of the arguments.

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