A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

[Hampton]

@onthehoof
Was it always higher or has the surrounding land eroded over the years?

It was reclaimed. Before that it was tidal swamp land.

 

[onthehoof]

@onthehoof
Was it always higher or has the surrounding land eroded over the years?

The surrounding peat has shrunk because it was drained, but the two rivers that run parallel and the land (Ouse Washes) in between has remained the same height because they were not drained and the clay lining kept the water in!

 

[Courier]

The favourite saying of all wrong doing civil servants

But lessons never are "Learned".

 

[curlietailz]

As someone who has not had experience of fenland and “drains”
What will happen if the clay is not put back
I’m assuming the water will seep out into the surrounding land and a trickle will be one a flood and become a catastrophic failure

 

[Courier]

As someone who has not had experience of fenland and “drains”
What will happen if the clay is not put back
I’m assuming the water will seep out into the surrounding land and a trickle will be one a flood and become a catastrophic failure

Time to call in Hans Brinker.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

But lessons never are "Learned".

But maybe if we were more like Iceland and jailed a few more people, lessons would be!

Gordon Brown: Bankers should have been jailed for role in financial crisis

Ex-PM warns failure to take tougher stand has made it inevitable that rogue bankers will again gamble with public money

www.theguardian.com

 

[curlietailz]

Time to call in Hans Brinker.

Had to Google !
Lol

 

[Courier]

Had to Google !
Lol

Apologies for that - This could become catastrophic if nothing is done.

 

[mobileweld]

This has the potential to be very serious situation. This is my ‘home turf’ so to speak. First I have heard of it so thank you for sharing.

 

[onthehoof]

As someone who has not had experience of fenland and “drains”
What will happen if the clay is not put back
I’m assuming the water will seep out into the surrounding land and a trickle will be one a flood and become a catastrophic failure

As someone who has not had experience of fenland and “drains”
What will happen if the clay is not put back
I’m assuming the water will seep out into the surrounding land and a trickle will be one a flood and become a catastrophic failure

It's a bit early to say but it looks from the pictures that a fair thickness of clay was taken out not just a few inches, think the chap in the video said you can see where it's gone right through to the peat underneath which could be disastrous as peat is permeable. It's a bit like digging the foundations out from under your house.

 

[mobileweld]

I’m not on Facebook so please keep this thread updated with any new posts about it

 

[Dry Rot]

If it's put on one farming publication (with enough force) there's a good chance the national press will pick it up.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

But maybe if we were more like Iceland and jailed a few more people, lessons would be!

Gordon Brown: Bankers should have been jailed for role in financial crisis

Ex-PM warns failure to take tougher stand has made it inevitable that rogue bankers will again gamble with public money

www.theguardian.com

They should. But it’s a bit rich coming from the man that sold all our gold reserves at a rock bottom price.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

As someone who has not had experience of fenland and “drains”
What will happen if the clay is not put back
I’m assuming the water will seep out into the surrounding land and a trickle will be one a flood and become a catastrophic failure

Water will probably start to create flow paths through the peat and under the embankments to appear in the adjoining fields. Over time the leakage with speed up as the flow paths erode until, eventually, the whole channel will collapse.

 

[Bongodog]

Remember these aren't farmers they are quangos:

a Beardy will come out and look contrite.
Senior "Mr Whippy-Head" will say lessons have been learnt.
Few folk will go on long term sick due to stress.
Couple of others will be redeployed, or expensively retrained.

It will need to be fixed. I'd be surprised if there weren't harsh provisions in various byelaws for its misrepair, and think of the claims from those who rely on it to remain above water.

Beardy, whippy-head etc at the EA will now be spending hours getting their story straight to heap the entire ship load of excrement onto the excavator driver and his employer. They will pobably get an cash bonus for their efforts and Whippy head will get an OBE. We have an retired EA bod in the village complete with OBE, never knew him in his work days, but since retirement he has won the village toss pot award in perpetuity

 

[Exfarmer]

Beardy, whippy-head etc at the EA will now be spending hours getting their story straight to heap the entire ship load of excrement onto the excavator driver and his employer. They will pobably get an cash bonus for their efforts and Whippy head will get an OBE. We have an retired EA bod in the village complete with OBE, never knew him in his work days, but since retirement he has won the village toss pot award in perpetuity

dont worry , they will blame the lot on climate change causing the issue.

 

[curlietailz]

Unless it was a ruse to re-wet the fen land as salt marsh !!!

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Unless it was a ruse to re-wet the fen land as salt marsh !!!

If that were true (and I am almost certain it wasn't) then it would have single-handedly destroyed every last chance of farmers ever co-operating with the EA, NE, DEFRA, The RPA and the Forestry Commission for decades to come.

 

[Exfarmer]

I think it would be well worth anyone on here who is both local and loquacious to make contact with people like BBC Look East
at [email protected] or phone them
0345 7 630 630

 

[onthehoof]

I’m not on Facebook so please keep this thread updated with any new posts about it

- This wasn't written by me