Aquifer
Three Valleys Water is licensed by the Environment Agency to abstract over 30 million litres of water per day from the Ver aquifer by pumping from deep underground using several, pumping stations the length of the Valley. Following the Buncefield Oil Depot disaster some pollution of the water table has meant the Bow Bridge Pumping Station cannot be used at present, so Friars Wash which has been on stand-by status since 1992 (as a result of pressure by VVS) but was used in the summer of 2006 in the drought.
Bow Bridge is now likely to remain out of use throughout 2007 and 2008 due to fears of contamination from the Buncefield fire fighting chemicals. This certainly helped maintain the flow in the Ver in summer of 2006.
As a general measure of the aquifer situation VVS uses groundwater figures measured by Environment Agency at Ballingdon Farm in the upper part of the valley. Recent figures in meters are given below.
After several months of above average rainfall the aquifer in March 2007 was above the average for the first time in over 3 years and has remained so right through to the summer of 2008. Hence the really good flow in the Ver..
Aquifer Levels 2008
| Month 2008 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
|
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| January |
131.26 |
131.36 |
-0.10 |
| February |
134.22 |
132.38 |
1.84 |
| March |
134.90 |
132.79 |
2.11 |
| April |
135.53 |
133.60 |
1.93 |
| May |
134.84 |
134.10 |
0.74 |
| June |
134.52 |
133.32 |
1.20 |
| July |
|
133.23 |
-133.23 |
| August |
|
132.56 |
-132.56 |
| September |
|
130.83 |
-130.83 |
| October |
|
130.87 |
-130.87 |
| November |
|
130.91 |
-130.91 |
| December |
|
130.56 |
-130.56 |
|
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2007
| Month 2007 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
| |
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| January |
128.94 |
131.36 |
-2.42 |
| February |
132.60 |
132.38 |
0.22 |
| March |
135.67 |
132.79 |
2.88 |
| April |
136.26 |
133.60 |
2.66 |
| May |
135.60 |
134.10 |
1.50 |
| June |
134.79 |
133.32 |
1.47 |
| July |
133.78 |
133.23 |
0.55 |
| August |
132.83 |
132.56 |
0.27 |
| September |
131.82 |
130.83 |
0.99 |
| October |
|
|
0.00 |
| November |
|
|
0.00 |
| December |
|
|
0.00 |
| |
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2006
| Month 2006 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
| |
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| |
|
|
|
| January |
126.09 |
131.36 |
-5.27 |
| February |
126.03 |
132.38 |
-6.35 |
| March |
126.63 |
132.79 |
-6.16 |
| April |
126.63 |
133.60 |
-6.97 |
| May |
126.70 |
134.10 |
-7.40 |
| June |
126.71 |
133.32 |
-6.61 |
| July |
126.77 |
133.23 |
-6.46 |
| August |
126.45 |
132.56 |
-6.11 |
| September |
125.81 |
130.87 |
-5.06 |
| October |
125.49 |
130.93 |
-5.44 |
| November |
125.34 |
130.91 |
-5.57 |
| December |
126.47 |
130.56 |
-4.09 |
| |
|
|
|
Aquifer Levels 2005
| Month 2005 |
Actual |
Average |
Difference |
| |
Aquifer (metres) |
Aquifer (metres) |
(metres) |
| |
|
|
|
| December |
126.15 |
130.56 |
-4.41 |
| November |
126.15 |
130.91 |
-4.76 |
| October |
126.17 |
130.93 |
-4.76 |
| September |
126.17 |
130.87 |
-4.70 |
| August |
126.68 |
132.56 |
-5.88 |
| July |
127.24 |
133.23 |
-5.99 |
| June |
127.93 |
133.32 |
-5.39 |
| May |
127.76 |
134.10 |
-6.34 |
| April |
127.27 |
133.60 |
-6.33 |
| March |
127.77 |
132.79 |
-5.02 |
| February |
127.25 |
132.38 |
-5.13 |
| January |
128.15 |
131.36 |
-3.21 |
| |
|
|
|
