From the river to the railway

The river today

‘To a shady retreat in the reeds and rushes of the River Chess. The lure of Metro-land was remoteness and quiet.’

Metro-land, John Betjeman, 1973

The River Chess is still much valued by local people today, less as a source of power for local industry, more as a place to walk, relax and as a habitat for wildlife. However, it faces many threats to its health and future survival.

Human activities impact the natural fluctuation in water levels and water health. Water abstraction for domestic use is more than the river can cope with. Chesham residents use a higher-than- average amount of water. This demand is likely to increase with a growth in housing development and the impacts of warmer summers through climate change. This impacts the flow of the river, local biodiversity and results in pollutants being more concentrated.

The provision of clean water is as much an issue today as in the past. The river is threatened by pollution caused by discharge from the sewage treatment plant, petrol run-off from local roads and the drainage of farmland where fertilisers have been spread.

Native flora and fauna are being threatened by cattle grazing at the water’s edge, invasive species and domestic property owners clearing their garden by the riverbank.