The EA report that the £50,000 project to install the gauges is a partnership between the Environment Agency and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. The new equipment will provide information on flows in the main river and its channels around Basingstoke and will link with water quality data.
The council will pay for the purchase and installation of the gauges, while the Environment Agency will pay for the maintenance of the equipment and data handling. A bid to fund the gauges is in the council’s capital budget for 2013/14.
Whilst at the site Maria Miller MP was given a demonstration by Mr Gibberd of how local anglers monitor the health of the river by taking samples of aquatic insects and John Sutton gave her an update on how the Water Framework Directive is being implemented in the Loddon catchment.
Maria Miller said:
“We know why the river is failing to meet its environmental objectives and it is important now that long-term improvements are put in place to meet these legal standards.”
