Frequently Asked Questions
A tree has fallen into or across the river. Is this a problem and who do I tell?
It might seem odd, but very often trees falling into rivers is actually a good thing.
A tree rarely blocks the river completely, but the flow is altered, creating ideal habitats for fish spawning or invertebrate larvae – such as Mayflies – to develop.
To be sure, it’s worth reporting fallen trees to the Environment Agency (EA) on 0800 80 70 60.
Have the location details to hand (such as a What3Words address or a map grid reference) as you’ll be asked for this during the call.
The EA will come out and assess the situation (note that during stormy weather they may have a backlog of cases to assess so this can take a couple of working days).
Often the EA team will arrange to have part of the fallen tree removed, but leave the rest as a natural flow deflector.
This helps add variety to the river flow which is vital for a healthy river ecosystem.
There are pretty pink flowers all along the riverbanks every summer. What are they please? Should I encourage them to grow?
The invasive non-native species Himalayan Balsam grows prolifically along most of the local water courses.
Although pretty, and loved by the bees, this plant is something of a riverside pest and we run regular volunteer sessions to try and reduce its spread. These invasive plants are one reason why rivers are scored as ‘poor’.
You can read more about Himalayan Balsam (and see what it looks like) from this ID leaflet.
It’s also helpful if you can report sightings using the INNSmapper app.
In the spring and summer, our volunteers take part in ‘Balsam Bashes’ — a day of pulling the plants up by the root before they go to seed. Fancy trying this? See our events page for details.
The River Beane runs across the end of my garden. What should I do to help look after it?
If you are fortunate to have the river close by, one of the best things you can do is – perhaps oddly – nothing!
Although we love to tidy up fallen leaves and have mown grass to the water’s edge, nature prefers messy.
The best things you can do are to leave at least a metre from the edge as long vegetation (this is great for water voles), not try to shore up the banks with wooden or concrete edging (this is very bad for water voles), and not remove any plants or branches from the water. Instead, try to enjoy the river from a little further back.
If you have a dog, trying to keep him out of the river will be a great help too.
We are putting together a leaflet to offer advice about gardening near the river. In the meantime, there’s a good source of information at the Wessex Rivers Trusts website.
The river is running brown after heavy rain – why?
The upper reaches of the River Beane flow through a fairly rural and agricultural area.
After heavy rains, mud from fields runs off into the river, more especially in winter after fields have been ploughed but before the crop roots have formed to stabilise the soil.
Although not ideal, the effect is usually temporary and you don’t need to report this. We are working with local farmers through groups like FWAG to help them reduce the effect of soil run-off.
Our team of trained ‘Mudspotter’ volunteers are helping with this work. You’re very welcome to sign up to help us with this.
The river is running black after heavy rains. Why?
Nearly every road drain (across Britain, not just by the Beane) flows direct into the nearest river without being treated.
The first heavy rains after a dry spell can wash away brake and tyre dust, oil residues and other road dirt and this runs into the river, usually very soon after the rain starts.
You do not need to report this to anyone, but it is a big issue and one which groups like the RBRA are seeking ways to address. Our Mudspotter volunteers are on the look out for this and collect data after many rainfall events.
The manhole covers by the river are very smelly. Is there a sewage leak?
Generally, no.
The manhole covers on the main trunk sewer that follows the Beane all the way from Stevenage to Hertford (and a few side branches that join in too) have ventilation slots in them to prevent the build-up of harmful gas in the sewer pipe.
But these also tend to let smells escape from the sewer.
Although this can be locally unpleasant, it’s not harmful. We are hoping to have some of the covers replaced with the non-vented type where this is a real issue, such as along the footpath across Waterford Marsh.
There is a manhole/inspection chamber leaking sewage and it’s running into a drain or the river. What should I do?
This is something you do need to report. All the main underground drains along the Beane Valley (both foul and surface water sewers) are the responsibility of Thames Water.
If you can, its best to report this through Thames Water’s website as you can pinpoint the location on a map. But you can also phone them on 0800 316 9800.
Before calling, it helps to have the name of a nearby road, and if you can a What3Words location to hand to help pinpoint the issue.
For serious sewer flooding direct into the river, also contact the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.
I’ve spotted a mains water leak – who should I contact?
Mains water pipes in the Beane valley are the responsibility of Affinity Water. You can report a leak using the Affinity Water website.
This works really well if you open the website on your mobile while standing near the leak as this pinpoints it on a map.
If the leak very serious and causing significant flooding, report that via the emergency contact phone line 0345 357 2407
I’d like to help out with making the river better. How can I do that?
We have various opportunities for volunteers to help us.
We also work closely with larger organisations such as the local Wildlife Trust and the Countryside and Rights of Way Service volunteers to deliver bigger scale activities.
See our Volunteering page for more info about this.
The River Beane is called a chalk river. So, why can’t I see chalk in it?
In spite of their name, chalk rivers don’t, generally, have chalky bottoms.
They are called chalk streams because they start life at a spring where water finds its way out of the ground at the bottom of chalk-rock hills – such as the Chiltern Hills.
Ideally, chalk rivers have a gravel bed, with gravels of varying size, along with some silty areas, some fast-flowing ‘riffles’ and other slow moving sections, with plenty of pants in the water and on the banks.