The National Trust and Slow the Flow are asking the public to get involved and help track the changing river levels at Hardcastle Crags. As part of their ongoing work to slow the flow of water in the woodlands and the wider Calder Valley, fixed point photography posts have been installed alongside many paths. The photos will help experts study how water behaves in the woodland and how streams respond during periods of heavy rainfall. The work has been ongoing following a number of large-scale flooding events, which devastated the Calder valley, including on Boxing Day in 2015.
The photography posts are also marked on a special map, which guides visitors around the woods to explore more of the natural flood management works that have been put in place. In total, more than 600 leaky dams have been installed, mostly by volunteers led by Slow The Flow and funded by the Environment Agency and Calderdale Council. These leaky dams allow water to soak more slowly into the woodland floor, helping to reduce the peak of floods further down the valley.
The fixed points can be found on the Mill Walk, Railway Walk and near Gibson Mill. All of the points are listed on the Natural Flood Management trail map which is available from Gibson Mill and at the start of the track near Midgehole Car Park. Photographs can be submitted via email to secretary@slowtheflow.co.uk or by tagging Hardcastle Crags or Slow The Flow on social media. Please make sure there are no people in your photographs and ensure they are in landscape orientation.
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