River Chess
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The River Chess is a chalk-stream which springs from Chesham, Bucks and lies in the Chess Valley in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, in south-eastern England. The River Chess is reflected in Chesham's traditional pronunciation of "Chess-um".
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[edit] River flow
The river rises from springs in the Vale of Chesham and in Pednor before flowing in a southeasterly direction past Waterside and towards Latimer. From there it flows to the north of Chenies and on towards Rickmansworth after which it becomes a tributary of the River Colne. It is only navigable at its lower reaches.
[edit] Wildlife
The Chess Valley is one of the most attractive parts of the Chilterns Area of Natural Beauty (AONB), with a rich natural and cultural history. It supports several key species listed in the Government's UK Biodiversity Action Plan, including water vole, water rail, kingfisher, stream water crowfoot and brown trout.
[edit] Human influences
The valley has a long and fascinating history of human habitation. There are a number of Roman villa sites along the valley, including Latimer Park. At Sarratt you can see strip lynchets in terraces along the hillside made by the action of ploughing along the slope and thought to have been the site of mediaeval vineyards.
Human habitation has altered the valley and the river in many ways, not all of them beneficial for wildlife. River modifications such as dredging and widening slow the current, allow silt to accumulate and smother the gravel riverbed. Changes in the land use adjacent to the river can also have impact. Water meadows have been replaced by arable fields and building developments, altering drainage patterns and causing pollution. Abstraction of water from the underlying chalk aquifer reduces river flows and lowers the river's ability to tolerate drought.
The introduction of alien species to the catchment, has had a major effect on the wildlife of the river. Water Vole populations declined catastrophically along the R. Chess between]] 2001 & 2003 with a 97% population decrease being observed. This population crash was caused mainly by the North American Mink, a species introduced to the British Isles originally for the fur trade. In 2004 a water vole recovery project was set up by the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project, BBOWT and the Environment Agency, combining mink control with habitat improvement to try to halt this decline. In 2005 a survey found that the water vole population had recovered to 18% of its 2001 levels.
A less positive story is that of the native White-clawed Crayfish, which has suffered at the hands of another American import, the Signal crayfish. Originally imported by the aquaculture industry, the signal crayfish was seen as a way for trout farms to diversify and exploit new markets. Unfortunately, due to their expert, escapologist nature, signal crayfish soon escaped into surrounding river systems. Once there, the signal crayfish quicklt spread throughout the majority of the UK's southern river system. Along with them they have taken a fungus, to which they are immune, but that the native white clawed crayfish has no defence against. The result has been the gradual eradication of native crayfish from the UK's rivers. In the case of the River Chess white clawed crayfish have been extinct since the mid 1990's.
Not all imports have quite such a catastrophic effect. Another escapee into the Chess from fish farms and trout fisheries is the Rainbow Trout. The Rainbow Trout was first thought to be introduced to the R. Chess in the early 20th century. They have since gone on establish one of a handful of self sustaining populations in the UK.
The R. Chess is also home to a number of invasive alien plant species including Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Orange Balsam.
[edit] Chess cress
Historically the fertile land around the Chess was ideal for growing watercress and this industry flourished in both Chesham and Rickmansworth in the Victorian era. There are watercress beds at Church End, Sarratt. Today the Chess is equally well known for trout fishing.
[edit] Chess Valley Walk
The Chess Valley Walk is approximately 10 miles long and links with the Metropolitan line stations of Chesham, Chorleywood & Rickmansworth giving visitors the chance to walk either part or all of the route. The route can be followed in either direction and is clearly waymarked. Most of the route is on public footpaths but there are short sections on roads. A walk leaflet can be downloaded free here [1]
[edit] External links
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