River Beane
Encyclopedia
The River Beane is a tributary of the River Lea. It rises to the south-west of Sandon
, Hertfordshire
in the hills northeast of Stevenage
in Hertfordshire
.
The population of Hertfordshire increased substantially in the second half of the twentieth century, and a licence was given to abstract water near Aston
for Stevenage's water supply. The river has been adversely affected by over-exploitation of the chalk aquifer
in its upper reaches. The photo shows a section south of Walkern
where since the 1990s there has been only seasonal flow. The river was once big enough to power a watermill at Walkern and support watercress
beds.
The lower Beane is more robust and there is regular flow through Watton-at-Stone
, Stapleford
and Waterford
until the confluence with the River Lea at Hartham Common
in Hertford
.
Consideration has been given to find a way of replacing the water currently abstracted near Aston with water from a less environmentally damaging source. However, the River Lea's catchment area as a whole is under pressure, and it is difficult to find another source of fresh water. One possible approach to the restoration of the upper Beane is to use recycled water from sewage treatment works. Currently sewage from the Stevenage area is pumped down the Beane valley to Rye Meads near Hertford for treatment.
Sandon, Hertfordshire
Sandon is a village and civil parish in the North Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Sandon is located near the towns of Baldock and Buntingford. Sandon has a church called All Saints Church.- External links :*...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
in the hills northeast of Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
The population of Hertfordshire increased substantially in the second half of the twentieth century, and a licence was given to abstract water near Aston
Aston, Hertfordshire
Aston is a village and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of Hertfordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 844....
for Stevenage's water supply. The river has been adversely affected by over-exploitation of the chalk aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
in its upper reaches. The photo shows a section south of Walkern
Walkern
Walkern is a village and civil parish in East Hertfordshire. It is located on the River Beane about two miles from Stevenage, and is noted as the home of Jane Wenham, who was in 1712 the last woman in England to be convicted of witchcraft...
where since the 1990s there has been only seasonal flow. The river was once big enough to power a watermill at Walkern and support watercress
Watercress
Watercresses are fast-growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plants native from Europe to central Asia, and one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by human beings...
beds.
The lower Beane is more robust and there is regular flow through Watton-at-Stone
Watton-at-Stone
Watton-at-Stone is a village in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated midway between the towns of Stevenage and Hertford in the valley of the River Beane. The 2001 census showed a population of 2,272, living in 921 households...
, Stapleford
Stapleford, Hertfordshire
Stapleford is a village and civil parish on the A119 road, in the East Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Stapleford is located between Waterford and Watton at Stone in the Beane valley. Stapleford has a church called St Mary's Church, Stapleford.- StapleFest...
and Waterford
Waterford, Hertfordshire
Waterford is situated on the River Beane, just 2 km north of the county town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England, on the A119 road. It is most notable for the church of St Michael and All Angels, which has Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass windows from the Morris & Co. factory...
until the confluence with the River Lea at Hartham Common
Hartham Common
Hartham Common is a park in the county of Hertfordshire in the East of England. It is located between the town centre of the county town of Hertford and the elevated suburb of Bengeo.-Location:...
in Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
.
Consideration has been given to find a way of replacing the water currently abstracted near Aston with water from a less environmentally damaging source. However, the River Lea's catchment area as a whole is under pressure, and it is difficult to find another source of fresh water. One possible approach to the restoration of the upper Beane is to use recycled water from sewage treatment works. Currently sewage from the Stevenage area is pumped down the Beane valley to Rye Meads near Hertford for treatment.
External links
- Press release for WWF report "Riverside Tales", 2010-04-28, WWF-UK
- Launch of the WWF report on the Rivers Beane and Mimram, Oliver HealdOliver HealdOliver Heald is a British barrister and Conservative politician, and the Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire.-Background:...
MP comments on WWF report.