It seems as if we’ve been plugging gaps all winter and I’d like to think we’re almost done.
The big dam, Otterdam, has been inaccessible for the whole winter.
We knew it wouldn’t hold back water for long. The idea behind the dam is that it holds back water after the winter floods.
During the floods it’s all underwater so water just flows over the top and away into the river.
So when the levels dropped a couple of weeks ago we were able to get to the dam and have a look.
Amazingly it had held up very well and was already holding back some water. But it could do with a bit more work.
So we filled some more sacks with clay. 50 of them. We then loaded them into a van.
And drove to the nearest place we could unload.
And that was us, worn out for another day.
We couldn’t resist a peek at the old dam. And as we watched the water flowing over it we had to dash back and grab a couple of sandbags to slow the flow.
It wasn’t much but it was a start.
We planned to go back the following week, but for one reason or another none of us turned up. Which was a bit weird. I’m not even sure how we know that none of us didn’t.
Anyway the next day we were out clearing our other footpath and decided to go home via Via Marshian. As we paddled through the marsh I thought it was a bit wetter than I expected.
Somehow the dam had built itself.
I honestly have no idea how that pile of sandbags by the road became a dam across the marsh.
Once we’d got over our shock we decided to go and get some more sandbags (whoever it was had left a few)
And add to the dam, so we could maybe befuddle the other dam builders, whoever they are.
And as you can see this dam is already holding back a lot of water.
Now, a couple of things. This is such a laugh. It takes me back to being a kid. Damming streams.
But at the other end of the scale this is the biggest bang for your eco pound you will ever get.
Plant a tree recycle your t bags ride your bicycle or wear cotton undies you will not help save humanity in a more effective way than blocking these ditches does.
Yeah, ok, we’re helping some frogs.
But we’re also stopping the marsh drying out. If the marsh dries out the vegetation that died back over the winter decomposes and releases carbon dioxide if it doesn’t, it…. doesn’t.
Keeping it wet means that all that vegetation becomes peat eventually. A huge store of carbon. Maybe the biggest we could make in Reading.
And it adds enormously to the biodiversity. I mean enormously. The difference between a meadow that’s always wet and one that dries out is like the difference between chalk and lemons. And if you’re reading this propaganda blog you have already been indoctrinated that wildlife matters. The one thing that separates us from the rest of the universe is the things that live here.
So we’re really quite keen on these dams.
Imagine our disappointment that Hamsterdam has dried up! I’m not entirely sure what has happened here. I’ve watched the water flowing out of the meadows for years. Two weeks ago this channel was draining the marsh. The dam stopped it and the water above it was beginning to build up. Now it’s all gone. We’ll have to go back and figure it out.
But that’s ok. We’re keen to learn and although I like to think I know how the drainage in the meadows functions it’s grounding to discover it’s more complex than I thought. It also means we get the chance to play with the movement of water some more.
I’m not yet ready to sit back and watch. I still look forward to sloshing around with a bunch of Marshians building more dams.
Rural Reading 