River Wandle Oil Spillage
River Wandle Oil Spillage
We talk to Jack Hogan from The South East Rivers Trust about the recent diesel spill in to the Wandle and what it might mean for this rare chalk stream…
Image credit: South East Rivers Trust
***update 19 March***
Please can you fill everyone in on what happened on Tuesday 18th February?
There was a devastating diesel spill, which hit the River Wandle, when thousands of litres of diesel were spilled at Thornton Heath bus garage. Diesel then entered the river via surface water drains, harming wildlife and flooding toxins into the water. Ultimately everything is plumbed into our rivers and whilst some things may be treated before they end up there, it is not just sewage which ends up in the rivers. Road runoff – oil, fuel, brake and exhaust dust – run into drains or straight off the road down into the river and whilst the Wandle is in a massively urban catchment and is frequently exposed to lots of pollutants, this was obviously on a much bigger scale.
So the River Wandle is being exposed to pollutants a lot of the time?
Yes; the River Wandle is a chalk stream – it rises where the underlying chalk of the North Downs meets the sand and clay of London. Chalk streams are rare – there are only some 210 worldwide, 85% of these found in England, and fewer than 10 in urban areas like the Wandle. They are known for their biodiversity, and originating from chalk bedrock means they are also known for their clear cold water. The Wandle was exposed to pollutants for hundreds of years because of its industrial history, but even today we face a constant battle to try and protect the species and wildlife living in the River.
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Credit: South East Rivers Trust
How and when did the clear up to the spill at the end of February go?
Well obviously we aren’t responsible for that and the clean-up is being handled by specialised contractors. In order to remove the diesel, booms were placed across the river to stop diesel on the surface, and then absorbents put into the river to try and extract the diesel. But it can only really be cleaned when it is on the surface, when the diesel starts to go down into the water column it is very hard to access and it can infiltrate into the river bed, and who knows what the scale of the damage to the river can be.
When you were down at the river that week what was it like?
The stench of the diesel was totally overwhelming, when the spillage first took place it was eye- burning. But even later in the week when I was at the river with a colleague she said, “Can we move away from the Wandle?” as the smell of diesel was so strong… but I couldn’t even smell it anymore as I had become so used to it.
How do we know what the damage to the river will be?
The real worry is that the oil may have bound onto and affected fish’s gills, attached itself to sediments, soaked into vegetation and banks… we just don’t know the scale of things yet.
It’s impossible to know what damage has been done right now and it may take months or years for us to be fully aware of the impact of the spillage. The river is now home to numerous fish species including the brown trout and we have a diverse mix of invertebrates, birds and mammals. We already know that one moorhen has died and because of how irritating diesel can be. I saw a mallard shredding its front and really hurting itself to try and get rid of the diesel and clean himself. It’s not just the immediacy of the spillage, but the toxicity in the water can change the behaviour of the wildlife over the longer term, affect the fertility, their eating habits and killing invertebrates can totally distort the food chain. Once the diesel infiltrates the sediment of the river which we know must have happened, it can upset and damage the whole eco-system.
What are the next steps in the investigation?
We have already launched a crowdfunding page, which people can donate to. That will then enable us to have two phases. Firstly the ‘Early warning system’, which will help introduce better monitoring to detect pollution faster, and then pinpoint the worst- hit areas and alert the community. Then the second phase will be a ‘River Recovery’, which will take the data we have and try and restore the Wandle’s natural defences, including rebuilding habitats. The Liberal Democrats have also secured a debate in Parliament on Wednesday 5th March, when questions will be asked about what exactly happened and the response time to the spillage.
What do you want to come out of this environmental disaster?
It’s our job to bring rivers and their catchments to life and I am so lucky to be able to be involved in a cause that has been so close to my heart all of my life. The Wandle is one of the most prestigious rivers in the UK, Nelson fished in the Wandle and it has the most rich and illustrious history. This incident has highlighted the urgent need for us all to look after this river and protect it from damage and devastation. It has been a huge battle to keep clean the river and make it healthy again, and now this spillage may throw all of that into jeopardy.
You can donate to the crowd-funder here
