Thanks to RevIvel for an informative tour of the Ivel Springs this week. One key takeaway: It's vital that excessive water abstraction from chalk stream source aquifers is reduced, to restore natural waterflow. Healthy, flowing watercourses are critical for our wildlife, and indeed for ourselves.

Did you know the study of environmental DNA (eDNA) of microbes could transform how we understand and protect freshwater ecosystems? Dr Amy Thorpe, a molecular ecologist at UKCEH, shares insights from the first national survey of microbial eDNA in English rivers 🦠🔬

Beautiful light this morning. Frost squeezing the water out of exposed chalk lumps and causing them to crumble. #northherts

Seen my first trout in the River Oughton. Bet it's warmer in the water than it is out here...

A lovely early winter dog walk in North Herts this morning. @northessexnotes.bsky.social @bbcweather.bsky.social

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CHRISTMAS QUIZ GIVEAWAY Today's Question: Complete the name of this species of stonefly, found only in Britain, named after the month in which they usually emerge: ‘Northern ……………. Red’.

Hi #freshwater folks 👋 The Freshwater Biological Association have announced a new initiative to assess one of our rarest fish, the Arctic charr, in Windermere. There is a crowd funder, too, to support the work ☺️ (And here's a bit of #SciArt from me!) 🧪💦 www.fba.org.uk/lake-distric...

A month ago, we had the immense privilege of not only taking over the Patagonia shop window (which is still there!) but also hosting a fantastic evening to talk about our campaign. Once again, we had the honour of sharing the stage with the formidable @jamie-woodward.bsky.social

Did you know... 1️⃣Stoneflies belong to the order Plecoptera, which means ‘braided wings’ 2️⃣Over 3,500 species belong to this family worldwide. 3️⃣The endemic species 'Northern February Red' is named so as they begin to emerge in February

Pretty new on here and wanted to share some film of the Sea Trout building Redds & spawning in Norfolk’s rare Chalk streams. Sadly I can only show 60 seconds of film so you’ll have to watch on Twitter

This plan is so ridiculous I can't believe I'm about to write these words - water companies want to build pipelines to divert sewage away from protected rivers to... other rivers & lakes with fewer legal protections...& they want to raise our bills to pay for it... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This juvenile Calanoida copepod sashayed with style across my slide. 🦑

So sad to see the water run off from roads and fields polluting the Vale Brook which flows into the River Chess in Chesham. Yes, that clear water above is what a chalk stream looks like, the rest is pollution. #riverpollution #chalkstreams #riverchess

Thameswater has been dumping sewage, no stop, into the River Ver , a chalk stream, for 2,146 hours. 89 and a half days. The Ver is 1 of only 225 on the entire planet. (Picture from The Ver Valley Society)

🌊 NEW 🌊 Now the Supreme Court has removed barriers that stopped people taking on polluting water companies, Jo Bateman is expanding her case. https://buff.ly/49aMrGf

My most memorable Orca encounter ever was this sighting of the West Coast community Orcas John Coe and Aquarius from the Ullapool to Stornoway Ferry. Sadly these 2 males are the only members of the pod left and given their age (60 years +) will not be with us too much longer #Orca #MarineLife!🦑

I had a chat with NHBS about Marsh Tits, Willow Tits, woodlands, a bit of #rewilding and my new #book in the Poyser series, coming out in 2 weeks: Author interview with Richard Broughton: The Marsh Tit and the Willow Tit www.nhbs.com/blog/author-... #ornithology #ukbirding #forestecology #nature

Here is a mid-week Mayfly to remind us of warmer months...🥶

One of the inspirations behind the Save Windermere campaign. This is just one of the iconic animals we’re striving to protect by demanding an end to sewage pollution in Windermere. Sign up to help ⬇️ www.savewindermere.com One of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken. Copyright: Save Windermere

A few pictures from latest trip on the CalMac Ferries Ullapool - Stornoway crossing. In total we had 13 separate sightings of cetaceans & saw 4 different species, Common dolphins, porpoise, Minke and Fin whale. Also a distant sighting of a White Tailed Sea Eagle sitting on Priest Island #cetaceans

A lump of chalk on a frosty morning demonstrating its ability to store water. Unfortunately Affinity Water currently take 53% of all available water from the upper Ivel catchment, up to 14 million litres per day! @beneath-b-waters.bsky.social @stormwater-jo.bsky.social @welshriversunion.bsky.social

Highway runoff causes horrific pollution of rivers every time it rains. This outfall in Lancashire discharges toxic, hazardous substances into the River Lostock, causing it to fail to meet env. standards. These substances are toxic to the invertebrates living in the river. #StormwaterPollution

A great starter pack full of freshwater scientists.

What an inspiring rewilding success story. It took only two months for salmon to reach ancestral spawning grounds that had been cut off for more than a century! www.latimes.com/environment/...

UK imports of US fracked gas will soar if Labour’s #CCS plans go ahead—which are mostly about new gas power stations and blue hydrogen plants. The Gov must listen to the scientists and go all out for renewables instead.

So if your interested in our work check our website, sign up to our mailing list and if local come volunteer and support us in our work. www.welshdeetrust.com

We also have two policy based programmes. Environmental flows which is aiming to reduce the damage caused by dams to the river And Catchment based approach which aims to improve planning and actions. Currently awful but so important.

The river Dee is a very special river and has the highest level of environmental protection: a special area of conservation. In part because of the rare and endangered species living within the river, but particularly the Atlantic Salmon. Sadly things are not well and the river is declining.

Blue sky. Let me introduce you to Welsh Dee Trust. It's the environmental organisation I am very lucky to manage. The overall objective of the charity is: A river Dee free of pollution and Full of Wildlife. The river Dee is the longest river in North Wales, which flows into Cheshire.

UK cheeses miss out on international prize after getting stuck in customs “Before Brexit, this wouldn’t have been a thing. That’s a fact” Heaven help us www.theguardian.com/food/2024/no...

Faux regulation by the Environment Agency - just enough to make people think the job was being done, has been the safety net for illegally operating water companies for many years. The full extent of that scandal is still covered up. Keep watching, there is much more to come.

It just keeps coming… more amazing work uncovering the truth by @savewindermere.bsky.social and @windrushwasp.bsky.social 💪🏼 Why does it take unpaid members of the community to do this though? #endsewagepollution #savewimdermere

Hi everyone. New on Blue Sky. We are a passionate group fighting to get flow back in the upper Ivel (chalk stream). Keen to link up with other like minded people to keep the pressure up on Steve Reed / Labour to deliver on pre election promises. Start by overturning awful CS recovery plan decision.

I’d warmly welcome Starter Pack recommendations for me & others here: rivers, environmental histories/futures, land access, mountaineering, more-than-humanism, Rights of Nature, climate, Neolithic->Roman archaeology, (Quaternary) Earth science, literatures of the Anthropocene, any points beyond…🙏

Ofwat's CEO David Black on United Utilities hiding information from @savewindermere.bsky.social “Customers have paid companies to install monitors and collect their data,” he said. “They have a right to see what it says.” Nailed that. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Southern Water’s debt downgraded to junk status by Moody’s www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Good morning, Loves ♥️

Ending overfishing is a top priority to protect & restore our global ocean. For too long, big industry has taken too much from our seas, at the expense of nature and coastal communities. Time to act. @oceanauk.bsky.social @oceana.bsky.social

Please do watch countryfile this Sunday, my friend and fellow Yorkshire water campaigner will be on

🚨 Breaking News 🚨 In today’s Guardian you will see more work from Save Windermere and Professor Peter Hammond from Windrush Against Sewage Pollution. Analysis from Prof. Hammond shows over 500 days with illegal spilling in and around Windermere in 6 years ⬇️ www.savewindermere.com/news/500-day...

Excellent thread on the importance of gravel to rivers.

Without gravels we have no spawning for many iconic species. Our river beds are in a dire state though, with climate-change driven rainfall patterns making things worse.

Hi everyone. New on Blue Sky. We are a passionate group fighting to get flow back in the upper Ivel (chalk stream). Keen to link up with other like minded people to keep the pressure up on Steve Reed / Labour to deliver on pre election promises. Start by overturning awful CS recovery plan decision.

Celebrating the arrival of the River Roding onto Bluesky by posting this incredible video that has proven that otters are now living on the lower Roding (in LB Redbridge), taken from a police helicopter!