Fen Blow

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

I have seen and felt it from overworking arable fenland. Does this also happen naturally?
The problem here in The Far north is Volcanic ash again. It`s all over everything, it`s in our house, on the washing you name it. Volcanic ash is there.
There is a visible haze in the air just now. Maybe it will be good for the ground.
Dave

I would say that it is a symptom of intensive farming. No vegetation to hold the soil together.

[thunder]

I took this in 2006 - may have posted it at the time so apologies if it is a duplicate. Shows how the soil can just lift off here in the Fens.



henrya

[Flywaver]

That view is familiar. Looking across the East Coast mainline off the B1090?
I got a great Storm photo across there..

[Flywaver]

Another downside of the Fens is the severe lack of Hedgerows,good for wildlife and to act as wind breaks. Its mostly Dykes. But as its below sea level in alot of places i can see why. So much Fen was drained in the Middle Ages.
The City of Ely was an Island...

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Flywaver

That view is familiar. Looking across the East Coast mainline off the B1090?
I got a great Storm photo across there..

Spot on, Flywaver - standing on the side of the B1090 to take the picture, actually.

henrya

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by Flywaver

Another downside of the Fens is the severe lack of Hedgerows,good for wildlife and to act as wind breaks. Its mostly Dykes. But as its below sea level in alot of places i can see why. So much Fen was drained in the Middle Ages.
The City of Ely was an Island...

Dykes are stone walls up here in The North. The fens won`t be drained for that much longer. A while ago the decision was made not to prevent them from inundation as sea levels rise. It`s a shame that I won`t be around to see this as it will bring back wildlife as we have never sen in the UK.
"Blowing" topsoil has caused major disasters in the past. The now infamous "Groundnut Scheme" is a prime example and the wind blows of the wheatfields on the Canadian Prairies in the early part of the last century are both quoted to agricultural students as "How not to do it".
The Fens have very deep soil so can take a lot of "blow" but this of course lowers the ground level so that as sea levels rise, the inundation will be that much faster.
Dave