Bit of a late report. Inert working on east end of banking between Manor lake and Main reed beds. 20th February 2023

I have said on many an occasion that I cannot figure out the logic of how Inert go about their restoration. I'm sure (well I hope) there is a perfectly rational explanation.

My Wednesday visit is an example of this. Inert have been filling in Manor lake west to east. As the lake is filled a large flat area is created, able to support the weight of heavy earth movers; which can drive onto this area and dump their soil reasonably close to the edge of the infill, whereupon the bulldozer has a short trip to push the stuff into Manor lake.

A game plan I can cope with.

Inert, however, in their indomitable fashion, have other ideas.

Firstly, the heavy earth movers do not venture onto the infill area. Instead spoil is dumped on its western edge. Our intrepid bulldozer driver then whizzes along the entire length of infill; backwards to get to its western edge, then forwards to push spoil along to its eastern edge, and thence into Manor lake!

Secondly, on Wednesday I spied a digger on the eastern end of the banking separating Manor lake and the Main Reed beds. Heavy earth movers would reverse along the length of this banking, from west to east, to dump their spoil!

I guess it makes sense to someone. All I can see is that this strategy uses huge amounts of excess diesel and prolongs the restoration...unless the restoration is nearing its end, and Inert are now tinkering, and Manor lake will not be filled in.

Anyway, be that as it may, water levels in Manor lake were very low indeed as our faithful pump was chugging away.

Firstly, a map of where Inert were working, before our usual slideshow