Pump station is no more? Inert shift into high gear for restoration. Part 4 23rd July 2022

Covers section leading up to former pump station mound, also the former pump station and the pump station itself.

As I surmised a week ago, Inert were working on the section of land bordering the existing wetlands and leading up to pump station mound. They appear to have dumped more spoil onto this area, pushed it into the existing wetlands, graded it flat, and built up some banking. I have a feeling the banking is in the wrong place.

They've also reduced the mighty cliff of a bank of soil, which mainly comprised pump station mound, to the point where I could easily walk up to the former pump station. Two weeks ago I took a detour.  Some of the spoil that made up pump station mound has been pushed into the channel/pond which the pump inlet used to sit.

The pump inlet has been dragged out of the channel/pond, and is now high and dry on land. This is not to say it wont put back into the water, and reconnected to its pump. Water levels have risen, despite the lack of rain and heat waves.  In fact, one small bit of their workings, a sloping track leading up to pump station mound, is partially flooded, forcing me to scramble up on to some banking to get around it.  I could have walked through the water - it was only a couple of inches deep - but I only had waterproof walking boots on (not wellies) and the first step I took indicated very soft ground.

Freshly bulldozed soil can be very, very soft - the consistency of quicksand. Step on it, and you can sink up to your knees in the stuff.