Author Topic: Dartmoor stream and river levels?  (Read 1325 times)

Dan1902

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Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« on: 10:05:10, 17/07/18 »
Due to the prolonged dry weather, I was just wondering in general how much this has affected the river/stream levels. Enough water held in the moors to keep the streams flowing?
Hope to get down there shortly and like to plan for water sources for camping.
Been a year since I last hiked/camped due to a back injury. Am itching to get back out there!

Cheers

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #1 on: 11:45:24, 17/07/18 »
The river Conwy flowing through Dolwydellan is the lowest ive ever seen it, there are certain parts where you can cross from bank to bank without touching any water.
Its just been announced that many parts of England will be facing a hosepipe ban, the first in many years.
Why has it taken them so long to come to this decision, as the Met Office had forecast the real possibility that certain parts of the SE and NW of England will not see any rain throughout July.

It rained quite hard for an hour or two yesterday in Dyffryn, but with the ground being so hard and dry, a lot of the moisture has drained away.

Still its nowhere near as severe as the drought of 1976.

I can remember both the Pontticill and Talybont reservoirs above Merthyr Tydfil, being bone dry, with not a drop of water in them.

The reservoirs in the Beacons are very low, but not bone dry.

ninthace

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #2 on: 11:46:31, 17/07/18 »
The larger streams and rivers are still running, albeit a bit low, but the boggy bits are a lot less squelchy than normal.  Now's the time.
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sussamb

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #3 on: 11:47:14, 17/07/18 »
@DA off topic again  ;D
Where there's a will ...

ninthace

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #4 on: 11:48:15, 17/07/18 »
The river Conwy flowing through Dolwydellan is the lowest ive ever seen it, there are certain parts where you can cross from bank to bank without touching any water.
Its just been announced that many parts of England will be facing a hosepipe ban, the first in many years.
Why has it taken them so long to come to this decision, as the Met Office had forecast the real possibility that certain parts of the SE and NW of England will not see any rain throughout July.

It rained quite hard for an hour or two yesterday in Dyffryn, but with the ground being so hard and dry, a lot of the moisture has drained away.

Still its nowhere near as severe as the drought of 1976.

I can remember both the Pontticill and Talybont reservoirs above Merthyr Tydfil, being bone dry, with not a drop of water in them.

The reservoirs in the Beacons are very low, but not bone dry.


Does the Conwy flow into the Dart or the Tamar?  ;)
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Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #5 on: 11:50:21, 17/07/18 »
I certainly discovered this whilst walking above Harlech last week.
Ground that is usually saturated and full of water, was still very moist, but you could tell a significant amount of that moisture had evaporated in the heat.
I was walking over the surface, hearing the squelshing noise, but thankfully my feet remained dry.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #6 on: 11:52:05, 17/07/18 »
You know it doesnt, but the discussion is about the current water levels in rivers,

ninthace

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #7 on: 11:55:20, 17/07/18 »
You know it doesnt, but the discussion is about the current water levels in rivers,


No its about the water levels on Dartmoor DA.  There is a clue in the title.
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Dan1902

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #8 on: 18:52:24, 17/07/18 »
Less squelchy ground.....that'd please the Mrs.
She hates it, she has a little phobia, something to do with getting feet stuck in thick mud/sand on a beach when she was a kid! Bless!

Last time we walked through it near the bottom of High Willhays we had to keep walking quick or else you'd sink (only up to the ankle though) and she started crying and hated me!
Will carry an extra 1L bottle just in case.
Dartmoor without rain doesn't seem right; getting sunburnt one day then totally peed on for hours the next!

Thanks all.

BuzyG

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #9 on: 23:00:44, 17/07/18 »
Yes indeed all of the rivers on Dartmoor are very low at present.  The good news is you can simply hop across many, where you could not even ford them in winter.  The down side is, even the most fast flowing water sources on the high moor, are looking very peaty.  You can also simply march straight across most of the bogs,,which has made for easy route planning the past few weeks. Though there are still places that could see you waist deep, so still need to keep an eye on the ground.
« Last Edit: 23:04:55, 17/07/18 by BuzyG »

PeterDevon

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #10 on: 08:32:33, 18/07/18 »
I was up there last week, alot of the small streams had dried up, the higher reaches of the Avon were brown and frothy looking very undrinkable. I ended up filling up at Red Lake and that was full of bugs!Today I going to take plenty with me.

ninthace

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #11 on: 14:55:13, 18/07/18 »
Met a group of wild campers today taking a break near Little Hound Tor.  They had overnighted by the North Teign at Gidleigh Common and reported water was not an issue.  On the way off the moor today I found the Blackaton Brook on the way to Shillstone Tor was still big enough to present an obstacle but made it dry shod.  Never even saw a boggy bit on today's trip (Shillstone Tor, Hound Tor, Cosdon Hill).
Last Saturday the West Dart was low but flowing well as was the Devonport Leat. My advice stands - bogs fairly dry - plan to stop by a major stream. 
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Jac

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #12 on: 08:09:39, 19/07/18 »


Very dry walking from Cadover Bridge up and around Hen Tor yesterday, enjoying the smattering of gentle rain, happily crunching across dried mossy areas in trainers, wandering through the dry tussock grass and stepping easily over trickling streams - til I found the only boggy bit left so squelched back to the very welcome ice cream van in the car park.


Off topic but ticks are rife on the moor. One of our group has recently been on antibiotics for Lymes disease after the classic bulls eye rash developed.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

PeterDevon

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #13 on: 08:50:01, 19/07/18 »
Still very dry yesterday, walked to Cranmere pool without getting my boots wet!

Dan1902

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Re: Dartmoor stream and river levels?
« Reply #14 on: 21:01:46, 27/07/18 »
Well, got to hike and camp for one night.
After a 4 mile walk we went up Longaford Tor then camped by Higher White Tor. Was overcast but hot and still got a burnt neck and arms!
Strangely misty and damp over night and in the morning, tent flysheet was soaked but all dried up within an hour or two of the sun coming up.
The ground was pretty much bone dry apart from the main river Cherry Brook.
Carried up 5L of water between us which  was just about right for the day's hike and camp.
Great little trip! Wish I was closer to go more often.


 

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