Updated 30 Jun 2009

The Eye Mead Project

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The Eye Mead Project
to restore a 2-mile disused arm of the River Stour in Dorset
Author:

    The PROJECT
  • Restore an arm of the River Stour in Dorset, England (artificially blocked about 1965).
  • Fit a pipe with valve over a distance of 40 yards in land owned by the author.
  • Refresh with flowing water 1.75 miles of stagnant meander across the river floodplain.
  • Benefit wildlife, tourism, farm animals and reduce flooding downstream.

1. Project
The Place, The Plan, The Problems, The Pay-off.
Aerial photos, old maps and references.

An old arm of the river was artificially blocked and became silted up. Can it be restored?

2. Tidying
Tidying the Old Mill Stream, Oct 2007.
Pictures and text.

First remove rubbish from the ditch and undergrowth from the blocked section.

3. Unblocking
Unblocking the Old Mill Stream, Nov 2007.
Pictures and text.

A digger was hired to dig out the blocked section and reconnect it to the river.

4. The trench
The Tidal trench on the Mill Stream,
how it works, with pictures.

The new trench has a hump which controls water flow in both directions.

5. Results
The New Mill Stream Nov 2007,
Theory and early results, with pictures.

Water is stored in the old arm when the river is high, and released when the river drops. The spoil heap quickly becomes green again.

6. History
When was the Mill Stream ditch filled in?

Old maps narrow the date to about 1870

Compiled, formatted, hyperlinked, encoded, and copyright © 2008, All Rights Reserved.