Hydrological impact on Kingskerswell.

Kingskerswell Alliance

Hydrological impact on Kingskerswell

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Kerswell brook will disappear.

Pictured left is the stream that runs down through the fields from Kerswell Down.

This photograph was shot a few weeks ago on a crisp winters day. As you can see, it looks delightful and provides a wonderful environment for diverse local wildlife.

If the bypass gets the go ahead, then this brook will disappear. Water will be directed under the bypass through large concrete pipes and then into a concrete culvert.

This is one of the main sources of water that feeds into the leat running past the church. This water feature contributes to the picture post card setting enjoyed by all. So what are the likely impacts of such a major civil engineering project?

Well the answer is that no one really knows. The workings of the water table are complex. Water that disappears underground up near Bickleigh Mill, filters down through the limestone and surfaces as springs that feed into the Kingskerswell leat. This has been proved by tests carried out by the Devon Karst Research Society; a group of acknowledged experts who have conducted research by adding harmless dyes to the water where it goes underground. Then by observing where it surfaces, a better understanding of the underground hydrology system can be built up.

Pictured on the left is Vicar Rev. John Leonard accompanied by Alliance Chairman Richard Hamlyn.

The stream starts it's decent
into Kingskerswell village

When contacted, the Devon Karst Research Society issued the following statement:

"In connection with the Devon County Council's Preferred Route Option for the proposed Kingskerswell By-pass, which would cut through the edge of Kerswell Down, the Society would like to re-iterate that it cannot support this route-option, which would have an unacceptable level of impact on the local shallow karst hydrology and an unknown effect on the deeper hydrology.

The shallow karst hydrology is already suffering as a consequence of the effects of Stoneycombe Quarry. There is little point in having prevented Stoneycombe Quarry from extending its boundries into Kerswell Down (on environmental grounds) if the Down is now threatened by a proposed major civil engineering project!"

They continued by adding "The Society would also like to make it clearly understood that it has no interest whatsoever in whether there should or should not be a Bypass to Kingskerswell. The Society's only concern is for the preservation of the karst environment at Kingskerswell and its karst hydrology in particular, which is already being adversely affected by mineral extraction.

The presence of the natural water environment in and around the karst at Kingskerswell, which feeds springs, wells, streams and karst ponors, is an increasssingly precious resource to keep and surely should not be continually threatened by yet another plan of human interference."

Consultants examine the stream at Kerswell Downs

Consultants examining the stream at
Kerswell Down on a dull & rainy day (taken 3/3/03).

So what does all this mean? Well it's difficult to predict the hydrological impact that building a bypass would have. We do know that the amount of limestone excavated from Kerswell Down would be huge.

One line of thought is that the springs and streams could dry up. That would mean the leat that runs past the church would cease to exist.

On the other hand, it has been suggested that the removal of large amounts of limestone, combined with the water running off from four lanes of dual carriageway, could cause flash flooding during spells of heavy or prolonged rain.

Lets hope the bypass proposals never get approval, because we might not find out the true consequences untill its too late!

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