At the EGM on 26th October 2023, a name change from the Aune Conservation Association to the AVON RIVER CHAMPIONS (ARC) was officially approved by the membership, in line with a recommendation from the committee. The funds in both ACA accounts will now be used to...
The ACA Forum
Conserving the Devonshire Avon from source to sea
Stuart Watts
THE END OF AN ERA?
After a great deal of thought, I have decided to resign as Chairman of the ACA by the end of 2023 and I want to organise an orderly transition. If nobody either from the existing committee or from the wider membership steps forward to guide the organisation through...
Water firm investigates surge in sewage spills in Devon
See link for details of this story:- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-65764230
POLLUTION OF THE AVON BY SEWAGE WORSENS IN 2022
The discharge of sewage from 6 main treatment works into the Avon during 2021 and 2022 is listed below. The situation is getting worse overall although South Brent WTW showed marked improvement in both a reduced frequency and shorter duration of discharges, whilst...
Could the upper Avon Estuary ever be a Designated Bathing Water? A belated update.
In recent years, particularly during COVID Lockdowns, the estuary has been used increasingly for swimming and other recreational uses such as by SUPers, kayakers, etc. For example, there has been a Bantham ‘Swoosh’ involving over 1000 swimmers from the Outdoor...
A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE ACA?
Dear ACA member I write to introduce you to an experiment! On Saturday 18th March, The Sustainable South Hams Rivers Assembly was held (the first of its kind in the UK) and saw around 150 project, group and community leaders gather to share knowledge, discuss projects...
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS versus BIODIVERSITY
The practice of allowing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into our rivers - including the Devon Avon or Aune - has been going on, relatively unchallenged, for centuries. Originally, CSOs were allowed to prevent flooding of property under extreme weather conditions...
SouthWestWater’s Drainage and Waste Water Management Plan (DWMP)- a consultation
The ACA has only just been alerted to this consultation by SWW about their management plans up to 2050 via our attendance at the Avon Estuary Forum on 27th September. Fortunately, the Environment Agency's Catchment Coordinator for the South West region was able to...
PLEASE SUPPORT THE AVON PATROL
A message from the Aune Conservation Association (ACA):- I hope you are enjoying the recent sunshine and, perhaps, are managing to get out on the water or walk around the Avon Estuary to benefit from its peaceful serenity. It is worth pointing out that next week...
AVON WATER AT A CRITICAL LEVEL
As a ‘spate’ river, the levels of water in the Avon can rise and fall dramatically in response to rainfall; an effect made even more acute by the construction of the Avon Dam in the early 1950s, which effectively shut off much of the water and gravel flow arising from...
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