The news this morning reports that
North West water companies are to instigate a hosepipe ban from this coming Friday. Staying in Manchester at the moment, it is not surprising that they have had to resort to this measure for the first time in fourteen years. Coming across on the M62, more concrete than water is visible along the giant Scammonden Dam that runs parallel to the motorway. And, yesterday, we walked up from
Dovestone reservoir to Chew reservoir higher up the valley.
Normally, this high up on an open moor, the reservoir should be full, sending a torrent of water down the great glacial grind of a valley to the larger Dovestone below. As it is, one could easily step across what is now little more than a stream. The sides of the reservoir reveal black slime and plastic bottles; plastic bags, now dried out, flutter in the breeze. This is the region's driest start to the year since 1929. Later on the walk, we have to cut across open moorland to reach another path. The peat - a great carbon sink - has the texture of dry sand, and is unbound by the sparse patches of dry grass; we send up whorls and miniature storms as we step across in our anxious walking boots.
Labels: Environment, water shortage
|
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home