We constructed three leaky dams a couple of years ago to help reduce the problem of flooding downstream in the valley path. The idea of a leaky dam is to slow down the water flow not to stop it completely and as you can see in the following photo the dams we built were doing a good job.
After a couple of winters though, they began to show signs of age and needed some refurbishment.
You can see here a build-up of small pieces of wood, branches and some silt.
We had taken a lot of wood up to the dam area at the last work party and intended to use it to rebuild the dams, but a closer inspection showed that the build-up was mostly the result of the small pieces floating down the stream, and that the majority of the structural pieces were still in good condition.
We cleared away most of the debris from the upstream side of the middle dam and found we still had a viable structure.
The dam furthest upstream wasn't quite so easy to clear ...
... but Luke and I kept at it and soon uncovered the main structure.
It didn't take that long to clear and tidy up the dams so we had a lot of poles left over and time to use them. The path edges up above the stream needed some repair and replacement and that occupied us for the rest of the work party.
Peter and Cathy are installing some new poles and pegging them in place ...
... Eric and Luke are dealing with a tricky repair to a curved section.
More help arrived and the job was soon complete ...
... and we have a nice new edge to the path.
Further down the valley path we have a lovely patch of primroses and bluebells. A welcome sight as we move into spring.
A different day to the one we were expecting but a successful morning's work.
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