The Old Bedford / Counterwash Drain

Introduction. The Ouse Washes has 3 main water courses, the Hundred Foot River, the River Delph and the Old Bedford / Counter Drain.

This paper is based on material complied from the fishing clubs that have the rights along the Old Bedford and Counter Drain, whilst leading Pike fisherman Denis Moules has lead the need to resolve many of the issues impacting on these venues.

Denis states, I love my sport and have now captured more than 100 pike over 20 lbs, from Fenland. I have written two books, “The Fenland Thirties a History of Fenland Pike” and “Fenland Pike”. Both have been extremely successful. I am a retired detective having served 30 years in Cambridgeshire Constabulary. I am the liaison officer for the Pike Angler’s Club of Great Britain who I represent on the Lower Great Ouse and Fenland Fisheries Consultative. I am a member of several Fenland angling clubs giving active assistance to Kings Lynn and Welney. Both of these lease stretches of The Old Bedford – a drain with many underlying problems.

Colin Dodd from Histon & District Angling Society has also been concerned for some time about the diminishing quality of the Fisheries at Southern end of the Ouse Washes. They have had fishing rights on the Old Bedford from Earith to Sutton Gault and from Earith to Mepal on the Counter Drain.

Ouse Washes WMP 2002 Figure 6

Following major fish losses between 2001 and 2002, much effort was put into the creation of a consolidated Ouse Washes management Plan. Whilst the major issues in dealing with excess water removal have been resolved, under low conditions. Water management still remains a major issue. Description. The Counter Drain/ Old Bedford commences as the Cranbrook Drain near the fenland town of Somersham. At Earith it changes direction and runs North East, parallel with the Old Bedford/Delph for some 20 miles. (The name of these water courses change further down the washes). The drain terminates at Salters Lode Sluice where it joins the tidal Great Ouse. At this point there is also a gated inlet/outlet to the Well Creek where fresh water can be exchanged. It differs from most other Fenland drains in that it is not used directly for flood relief. In winter it receives water from a series of low lying land drains which is then pumped via Welches Dam into the Delph. In summer water is removed from the Old Bedford to replenish the land drains from where water is drawn to irrigate crops such as carrot and potatoes that are grown to the west of the drain. A number of irrigation reservoirs have been constructed in the catchment. These should be filled in the winter months by licence holders for water use during summer. During the summer, levels in the Old Bedford reduce to danger levels during times of heavy irrigation. We suggest that much of this abstraction is indiscriminate and unsupervised and water stored in the reservoirs is not being used by farmers. The situation is made worse in that low water levels are replenished by ‘dirty water’ from the tidal Great Ouse via Salters Lode sluice. This silt ridden water has once again reduced the depth in the lower reaches and the drain is now shallow and half its normal width. Added to this, Mitten Crabs have now entered the drain with the tidal water and are present in large numbers. The drain is described as navigable, but there is no chance of this. On one occasion this August, a northerly wind blew masses of weed into the drain whilst the Salters Lode sluice was open. This weed will eventually rot – an accident waiting to happen. Just south of Welches dam the drain is linked to the Forty Foot drain by an old set of lock gates. These are silted up and in dis-repair.

History. Denis has fished the Old Bedford since a boy. It always contained fish of most species many reaching specimen size. It was generally weed free except for large pads of water lilies. Over the years it gradually silted up and became infested with blanket weed. In early spring of 2002 there was a severe fish kill at Welney Bridge, a place where many silver fish over winter. This incident is well documented and as a result the drain has been progressively dredged in sections. This started at Salters Lode and has now reached Mepal. Re stocking also took place in the polluted section.

At the Southern end of the washes the Old Bedford is the flood Relief River on the Western side of the washes. The Counter drain which runs parallel to the Old Bedford outside the Middle Level Barrier Bank provides drainage for the land immediately west of the Ouse Washes. The name of these water courses change further down the washes and does cause confusion.

When Histon & D.A.S first had the sporting rights to these waters in the early eighties they produced good weights for both match and pleasure anglers. The drop in fish being caught in the Counter Drain coincided with the change of weed management. The change was understood to be to protect the Spined Loach and a number of rare plant species.

The Old Bedford’s decline again coincided with a change in management. This time the introduction of a blocked end ditch system. At present the Old Bedford has stretches that appear to be completely devoid of any fish and the Counter Drain is unfishable during the Summer due to weed growth. The Histon Society have just ( February 2012) been offered a reduction in rent because some of the stretches are unfishable.

Recent EA surveys also suggest that fish stocks have dropped alarmingly. (92% since 2008) perch are now the predominant species and tench second. Few roach and bream show so something is badly wrong. It contains just a few big fish close to the end of their life span. This does not equate to WLMP item 6.3.5

Objectives for Fisheries  To maintain a Class A/B fishery, which is a good quality diverse fishery with a biomass of around 20g/m2.  To maintain a balance between a diverse and productive aquatic flora whilst maintaining enough clear water to allow angling.  To maintain stable water levels during mid to late spring, to provide optimum conditions for fish spawning.

Added to this, the Agency was called out to investigate poor Oxygen levels at Salters Lode w/c 3rd Oct 2011, which was caused by the rotten weed.

In the summer of 2011 an impromptu meeting took place between Histon & D. A.S. and the RSPB. The RSPB referred them to the 2002 Water Level Management Plan (WLMP) for the Ouse Washes. It is not clear at this time, whether the recommendations from this plan were fully acted upon. The results have fallen well short of the objectives.

Quite clearly this is not only an Angling set of issues here, but the much wider Ouse Washes management plan. Having initially made some enquires with the RSPB, the WFD stakeholder group should have a wider input to include RSPB and English Nature covering the wider Ouse Washes.

Suggested way forward Short Term

Remove the blanket weed in infested areas. (Completed by 24th Oct)

Re dredge the drain at Salters Lode to 2 metres depth until the machine reaches water that is that depth further upstream.

Nominate the Drain to be included as a target catchment under WFD improvements for 2012. (Completed 24th Sept)

Long Term

Confirm a management regime exists to manage water resources, particularly under drought conditions.

Investigate and define the change in weed cutting regimes in the Counter Drain. WLMP item 8.2.3 Review the current agreement between the Agency and English Nature regarding weed cutting and maintenance following results from the Spined Loach study. WLMP item 9.2.3

Investigate and define the effect of changes to the internal drainage ditches that discharge in to the Old Bedford WLMP items 8.1.5: 8.1.7 and 8.5.1

Monitor all water abstraction in a more positive and efficient manner.

Research other ways of replenishing water used for irrigation eg repair or replace pump at the Forty Foot gates or transfer water from the Delph at Welches Dam

Keep the summer level as high as it is in winter at all times.

Re stock at strategic points.

Picture 1 shows water transfer from the tidal Ouse. (Note the colour of the water)

Summer 2011 and the resultant siltation at Salter Lode following replenishment from the tidal Ouse.

This was dredged in 2003 to a depth of 2m.

Picture 2