| Report from | John Taylor (Cave Diving Group) |
| Report Date | 18/12/2007. |
| Published | 22/12/2007. |
A team of Cave Diving Group Divers comprising of Simon Brookes, John Taylor and Simon Cornhill assisted by Chris Jewell, Marcus Crabb and the Eldon Pothole Club have been pushing Sump II of Bagshawe Resurgence since February 2007. The first point of focus was a south easterly inlet around 8m into the sump which was pushed but found not to be a distinct passage or inlet, as initially hoped, but part of a low, wide bedding choked with tabular break-down.
In July the team turned to south westerly inlet and set about the boulders ahead. To the diver s surprise the boulders yielded, they gave the appearance of being sizable but were actually loosely agglomerated smaller rocks. These were soon transported backward and stacked above and below the tabs of rock to the divers left. With the removal of more rock an opening of 0.4m x 0.4m into a continuation of the passage was gained. The divers were prevented from continuing beyond this opening by a fallen block which lay directly ahead. During the removal of this two large blocks forming the roof of the passage were seen to drop 5cm. The first of these was removed relatively easily but to remove the second took months. Progress was also slowed by poor flow between September and October.
Simon Brookes, John Taylor and Simon Cornhill finally broke through the blockage on the 24th of November pushing past the dig and up a rubble slope to zero metres depth and air-bells. But progress was once again stopped by conditions, this time the flow was too high and a return was not possible until 13th Dec when Simon Cornhill reached the previous limit, attached the new line, arranged belays and progressed over the top of the rubble heap to 19m from dive base. Flow was very high with access only just possible and visibility poor. On the 15th December S Brookes and J Taylor returned, pushed the line down the rubble heap to a low arch to the left and into a wide low bedding to 30m from dive base at a depth of 3m with the passage still continuing and the main flow still coming toward the diver.
Work continues....
previous report 08/1999| Report from | Dave Webb DCA Conservation Officer |
| Report Date | 29/11/2007. |
| Published | 02/12/2007. |
A quick analysis of records for the past twelve months, recently recovered from the base of Knotlow Climbing Shaft, show that for all intents and purposes the pollution that has plagued this popular system for decades has finally disappeared! Air quality was variously reported as good , no bad smells , and no problems on all the 23 entries in the log book. The logger at the base of Fourways has been taken out by the Environment Agency and the securing chain will be removed in due course. The results during the period of the test of water quality were inconclusive.
It is not possible to say precisely what has given rise to this change in the overall quality of the water flowing into the system, but two things have happened during the recent times:
1). Increased frequency of patrols throughout the catchment area by the Environment Agency.
2). A change of use of surrounding land from dairy farming to beef farming and hence reduced amounts of localised slurry run-off.
Of course the position could easily change back without warning and for that reason the warning notices will remain and the record book will continue to be in place at the foot of the shaft; I would appreciate your help in continuing to report the situation as you find it.
I would like to thank all visiting cavers for their patience and diligent record keeping, and the Environment Agency for their valuable intervention.
Copies of the records for the period Sept 2006 October 2007 can be had from myself at conservation-off@theDCA.org.uk or viewed on the DCA web site at
http://www.thedca.org.uk
previous related report 10/2005