15 VOLUNTEERS from Friends of the River Frome tackled six projects along the river as part of their summer River Action Day, on Saturday 13 August, the third this year.
“We’re always astonished what ends up in the river,” said Simon Keyes, a member of the group. “This time we found a motorbike down by Feltham Bridge, a rotary mower near Weylands and a TV near Wallbridge, along with the usual shopping trolleys, traffic cones and bikes.
Metals, especially those in electrical goods, can poison the water. We leave wood where it is since this can create microhabitats for invertebrates and fish.
“Unsurprisingly the river level was low as a result of the drought and this meant that the water quality was particularly poor. Down at Adderwell there was an outbreak of dangerous blue-green algae, reflecting high levels of phosphate in the water, probably related to the polluted water that comes down the Dippy.
“If this continues, we may see fish deaths since the algae take the oxygen out of the water. The recent rain helps increase the flow but also means more sewage and agricultural chemicals are likely to wash into the river. It is definitely not advisable to bathe in the river at the moment.”
