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JUNE 12 2023 – On the day when a very recent press release stated "drilling" would commence on the dams to check their make-up, an unannounced water pumping plant was set up by the spillway on the upper pond. This has been drawing water intermittently through two large bore pipes into two heavy duty pumping units located on the edge of the spillway wall beside the Lower pond. This is then piped across the spillway and into the brook lower down through three pipes.

A large CCTV unit was installed alongside with what appeared to be three cameras in place but no signage stating CCTV was in operation which may contravene  GDPR regulations as a result 

JUNE 13 2023 - SCPT visited the site with members of the Angling Club and took photos. They also checked the pipes for a suitable filter that would stop it sucking up fish and other live creatures as well as silt and weed. NO FILTER could be found on either pipe (below).

Considerable oily residue was noticed on the water surface around the pipes and more residue was found lower down the brook where they discharged. Water samples were taken for analysis.

As soon as the first of SCPT arrived, the pumps were turned off and soon after the engineers operating them left the site.

The FORESTLY ENGLAND project manager arrived,with a body cam running, but no signage or verbal warning, (possible a GDPR breach?) and in conversation with SCPT's Katherine and Simon , confirmed the pumping was to allow the spillway to be exposed for inspection and 'repointing'/repair.  

YORKLEY ANGLING CLUB wrote to FORESTY ENGLAND complaining at this practice which they say is breaching the conditions of their newly-signed lease in moving fish from the top pond without prior agreement or correct health protocols.

SCPT complained to ENVIRONMENT AGENCY about the unfiltered pumping, danger it poses to wildlife and distribution of silt and weed from one body of water into another, and to the HEALTH & SAFETY EXEC. about the lack of signage, fencing and general lack of security at the site which posed a danger to the public

JUNE 15 2023  SCPT members inspected the site and found filters (below ) were now added to the pipes, but they were still resting on the silt rather than of the floating type that would allow pumping of clear water, free from silt and weed.

JUNE 16 2023  Yorkley Angling Club received a reply from FORESTRY ENGLAND denying any wrong-doing on their part.

JUNE 24 2023  The 'security Installation' (below) with CCTV cameras and a loud speaker now ocasionaly broadcasts a message that the water IS 'contaminated' and that people and dogs should not go in the water. No signage backs this up and the broadcast is so sporadic most people would never hear it. This message seems to have been in response to SCPT reporting the fact to THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY and HEALTH & SAFETY EXEC.  It seems FORESTRY ENGKLAND is being reactive rather than proactive with such issues and only act when caught out.

The Security post, with it's 3 CCTV cameras, overlooking the pumping operation, now bears  'public information' signs courtesy of the SAVE CANNOP PONDS TEAM

JUNE 27 2023  Pumping equipment is being removed from the site. What has been achieved?  Nothing very obvious, there may have been some long-overdue repair work to the spillway,  but in the meantime a lot of silt was stirred up, contaminated water was pumped from one pond into the other and an unknown quantity of fish and other wildlife were too before the correct filter was fitted following SCPT's intervention...

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.updated  27-06-23

The pump units in place alongside the drained spillway, itself littered with weed and mud

Pipes sucking water out of the upper pond in order to expose the bed of the spillway (or so the story goes) 

Scummy residue surrounds the inlet pipes for the pumps

The water now has an oily residue. From the pipes? Or from where the sediment/silt has been disturbed during pumping?

Oily sludge at the foot of the spillway where it's been pumped by the red pipe visible here

The pumps gaining some 'public information' signs...

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