Volunteers at Bois Mill

Volunteers from the Chiltern Rangers and Latimer Park Fly Fishers have worked to repair several large breaches in the bank of the River Chess at Bois Mill. The high-water levels were creating a major contamination issue in the little Chess where it flows close to the main river (sometimes there is only a metre between the two channels), and this was impacting the ecosystem in what is usually a clean river as well as causing problems for the fishing club operating downstream.

Figure 1 – Below, bank repair at Bois Mill. The main R.Chess is on the right of the images, with the little Chess on the left.

The plan for the emergency bank repair was devised in consultation with the Environment Agency and neighbouring landowners, and the work was carried out over a period of three weeks using all natural materials. We hope to return in the near future to undertake some additional improvement works to improve flows, enhance habitat and reduce erosion. But in the meantime, the water quality in the little Chess has been restored allowing both the river and the fishery to return to normal.