The beleagured York Stream is flowing well thanks to dredging work.
The work has been carried out further upstream from Maidenhead every
year since 2003 by the Environment Agency (EA).
Maidenhead Civic Society projects manager Ann Darracott said: "Thanks to
the improved water supply, the stream now has emergent and aquatic
flora.
"There will probably be a visible change to the water in the Maidenhead
town centre section from mid-May onwards, when work is set to begin.
There will be a lot of silt, so it's likely to look murky for a while,
but we hope the wildlife will benefit in the longterm."
She added that a recent survey has shown the presence of aquatic
wildlife, such as mayflies, damselfly nymphs and freshwater shrimp,
proves a return to life for the waterway.
Further improvements are to be carried out in the area around the Hines
Meadow car park, using developer's contribution money from the
Sainsbury's development.
The stream bed next to the car park will be dug out and a meandering
stream created. Temporary dams will be put up at both ends of the
existing stretch to allow the section to be drained with pumps.
During this process the contractors will also repair the barrier on the
A4 under-path which is supposed to keep the Green Way from flooding, but
has been submerged since last November.
Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group vice-chairman Richard Davenport
said: "It's small beer in the scheme of things, but we welcome anything
that helps prettify the area."
Don't miss Thursday's Maidenhead Advertiser for ALL the news that
matters to you.
