Catastrophic Water Loss
at Fordbury Water
5th July 2025
Report flooding or Drought 0800 80 70 60
Distressed Fish
points of interest Interactive Map
Incident Overview
Fordbury Water
Dead Trout
Fordbury Water
- On 5 July 2025, Fordbury Water/Mells Brook dried up for several days.
- Torr Quarry pumps failed for 4 hrs on 5 July due to suspected “computer error“.
- Whatley Quarry maintained 10 litres per second discharge to the Mells, but could not increase until the following Monday.
Discrepancy
- 4 hr gap in pumping seems insufficient to explain 20 hrs dry river at Great Elm and 5 days dry at Whatley Brook.
- Villagers noted the river was already dry from 1 July.
Issue
Ironstone Cottage
4 July 2025
Very Low River Level
Dead Fish
4 July 2025
Dead fry | Dead eel | Dead trout
Dry River
4 July 2025
River totally dried up in places
Statement from Whatley Quarry Owner
Fordbury Water
Mells Brook (also known locally as Fordbury Water) is no longer a naturally sustained river system. Due to quarrying activity that has extended below the natural water table, the brook’s flow has been fundamentally altered.
In practical terms, sections of the river now depend heavily on managed discharge from local quarries to maintain flow. This means the brook is increasingly functioning as a man-made or artificially supported watercourse, rather than a self-sustaining river. The long-term viability of the river — and the wildlife, habitats, and local land it supports — is therefore at risk.
Route Forbury Water
Aerial Photo Whatley Quarry
Route Forbury Water
Whatley Quarry Pumping points into Fordbury Water
Map of Pumping Location
Whatley Quarry Planning Permission S106
Granted 1996
Aerial Map of Pumping Location
Whatley Brook discharge is permissive only.
Obliged to discharge into Mells
Torr Pumping points into Fordbury Water
Map of Pumping Location
Whatley Quarry Planning Permission S106
Granted 2012
Aerial Map of Pumping Location
Legally obliged to maintain 5.8–463 litres per second into Whatley Brook.
Obliged to discharge into Mells
Meeting Held to discuss the Issue
28 August 2025
Those in attendance
Environment Agency – Ella Denning + Barbara Keenan hydrogeologist
Whatley Quarry – Vince Pitt Area General Manager
Torr Works Quarry -John Penny regional Estate Manger
Torr Works Quarry – Dave Roberts – Environmental Monitoring Co-ordinator
Tristan Marbid Planning and Consent Work for Major Sites
Villagers
Notes of the Meeting download below
Meeting Notes 28 Aug 2025
Environment Agency
EA acknowledged current licence thresholds may be “not fit for purpose.”
Formal review of S106 agreements not until 2029, but voluntary action and interim adjustments possible.
Position
EA licences are based on minimum flow (5.8 L/s) not river level, which villagers argued is inadequate. EA confirmed both Torr and Whatley were compliant with licence conditions during incident.
Remit
Reactive not Proactive. EA will only help once there is a disaster. A few fish dying is not classed as a disaster! Please notify EA of dramatic changes in levels
0800 80 70 60
Conditions
Drought conditions: July 2025 was second-driest since 1871. But the river was at it’s lowest on 4th July 2025.
Monitoring & Data Gaps
Coordination between the quarries was previously absent
New coordination now promised.
Quarries
Only monitor the Quarry output flow of water not the stream levels
Guages
Vallis gauge (EA station 53119) is active
But weir monitoring Fussells ironworks is redundant.
No alarms linked to river levels/weirs.
Conditions
Drought conditions: July 2025 was second-driest since 1871. EA confirmed both Torr and Whatley were compliant with licence conditions during incident. However Water level was lowest since records began.
Political & Community Concerns
Villagers raised issues of poor communication (couldn’t reach Torr during incident).
MP
MP Anna Sabine attended the meeting and questioned adequacy of current framework under climate change. She was very clear that she would write to Defra (Steve Reed OBE 020 7219 7297 Email steve.reed.mp@parliament.uk
AND/OR
Water and Flooding Emma Hardy emma.hardy.mp@parliament.uk –
Villagers
Calls for citizen science reporting via EA’s call centre 0800 80 70 60
OR Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk with Where, When, What impact to Wildlife and re-occurrence of incident.
Suggestion of click button on Torr website for notification of incidents
Cllr
Cllr. Phillip Ham pressed for Great Elm to have representation on Quarry Liaison Committees – suggestion Richard King.
Ecological & Long-Term Issues
Managed Water Course
EA acknowledged rivers are now “managed watercourses,” not natural flows.
The sink hole does allow water into it during dry periods
Geology
The Mendips are made up of sedimentary rocks ranging in age from Late Devonian (approximately 385–359 million years old) to Mid Jurassic (about 161 million years ago), dominated by the Carboniferous Limestone.
SAC
Asham Wood is an SSSI
Mells Great Elm Valley is SAC
Call for ecological impact assessments (flora/fauna) for drying events, currently not required unless numerous fish kills.
RODs
Resolutions, Obligations + Decisions
Records Of Decisions
Both to submit voluntary improvements and liaise with EA, Council + pass on best practice to Mendip Quarry Producers group
Quarries are Guardian of water environment, but licences tied to flow not river level.
Practice and S160 licence review in 2029.
Long-term question: Quarries to become reservoirs post-closure – volumes are substantial enough to provide water to south counties of Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire to Surrey
Liaison Group – Great Elm Liaison to join group
Contact details/minutes to be published on websites + parish newsletters.
Citizen Science: Residents encouraged to use EA hotline to report low flows or fish distress.
0800 80 70 60
Whatley
Torr and Whatley to coordinate pumping to avoid simultaneous gaps.
Whatley building new lagoon in 2 years; capacity 150–200 million m³.
Replacing pumps – Sept 2025
Fussells weir monitoring to be reinstated + Camera at mill pond + Dredging of the Great Elm pond + repair of Ironstone Cottage sluice gate.
Torr Works
Torr and Whatley to coordinate pumping to avoid simultaneous gaps.
Torr to put in new balancing reservoirs and advanced pumping systems in next few months
Residents
Residents want proactive rather than reactive management.
Monitoring: Fussells weir monitoring to be reinstated
Camera at mill pond
EA to consider reinstating redundant gauges.
Communication: Contact details/minutes from liaison groups to be published on websites and parish newsletters. See Below
Citizen Science: Residents encouraged to use EA hotline 0800 80 70 60 to report low flows or fish distress.
Decisions
| ACHIEVED | TO DO |
|---|---|
| Quarries to set up routine coordination of pumping schedules. | |
| EA to log incident formally, inspect licences + respond to villagers. | |
| MP Anna Sabine to escalate to Defra regarding adequacy of licensing under climate change. | |
| Formation of a Mells Catchment Stakeholder Group (villages, quarries, EA, council). | |
| YES | Parish magazine to publish EA incident hotline. 0800 80 70 60 |
Unresolved Issues
Clarification Required
- Why did a 4 hr pump failure lead to 5 days dry flow?
- Is monitoring of river level (not just flow) required? Reinstatemnt of Guages
- How much of the augmented flow reaches Great Elm after seepage?
- Role of private extractions and informal dams in compounding low flow.
- Whether licences should be reviewed before 2029 in light of climate change.
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Vallis Guage Water Levels 2013-2025
Vallis Guage Water Levels 1975-2023
