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Afon Lwyd
The Afon Lwyd or Afon Llwyd ( en, 'grey river') is a long river in south-east Wales which flows from its source northwest of Blaenavon, through Abersychan, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, Llanfrechfa and Cwmbran before flowing, at Caerleon, into the River Usk, which subsequently flows into the Bristol Channel to the south of Newport. The river was severely affected by pollution from industry and mine discharge, and fly tipping, but during the 1980s efforts were made to improve water quality and improve fish stocks. To aid this, the Environment Agency Wales built a fish ladder at Pontymoile in 2010 enabling fish to ascend past the weir there. By late 2011 it was claimed that the river was in its cleanest state since medieval times. Historically the river has also been known as the Torfaen – meaning 'breaker of stones' – which gives some indication of the force of the river during surges. Although this name is no longer in use for the river, it is still in common use as the nam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weir
A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. There are many weir designs, but commonly water flows freely over the top of the weir crest before cascading down to a lower level. Etymology There is no single definition as to what constitutes a weir and one English dictionary simply defines a weir as a small dam, likely originating from Middle English ''were'', Old English ''wer'', derivative of root of ''werian,'' meaning "to defend, dam". Function Commonly, weirs are used to prevent flooding, measure water discharge, and help render rivers more navigable by boat. In some locations, the terms dam and weir are synonymous, but normally there is a clear distinction made between the structures. Usually, a dam is designed specifically to impound water beh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fly Tipping
Illegal dumping, also called fly dumping or fly tipping ( UK), is the dumping of waste illegally instead of using an authorized method such as curbside collection or using an authorized rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no license to accept waste. The United States Environmental Protection Agency developed a “profile” of the typical illegal dumper. Characteristics of offenders include local residents, construction and landscaping contractors, waste removers, scrap yard operators, and automobile and tire repair shops. Terminology Illegal dumping is typically distinguished from littering by the type and amount of material and/or the manner in which it is discarded. An example of littering could be throwing a cigarette on the ground. However, emptying a rubbish bin with no permission in a public or private area can be classified as illegal dumping. The term ''fly tipping'' is derived from the verb ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the national cycling route network of the United Kingdom, which was established to encourage cycling and walking throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the charity Sustrans who were aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. However Sustrans themselves only own around 2% of the paths on the network, these rest being made of existing public highways and rights of way, and permissive paths negotiated by Sustrans with private landowners, which Sustrans have then labelled as part of their network. In 2017, the Network was used for over 786 million cycling and walking trips, made by 4.4 million people. In 2020, around a quarter the NCN was scrapped on safety grounds, leaving of signed routes. These are made up of of traffic-free paths with the remaining on-road. It uses shared use paths, disused railways, minor roads, canal towpaths and traffic-calmed routes in towns and cit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blaenavon Ironworks
Blaenavon Ironworks is a former industrial site which is now a museum in Blaenavon, Wales. The ironworks was of crucial importance in the development of the ability to use cheap, low quality, high sulphur iron ores worldwide. It was the site of the experiments by Sidney Gilchrist Thomas and his cousin Percy Gilchrist that led to "the basic steel process" or "Gilchrist–Thomas process". The ironworks is on the outskirts of Blaenavon, in the borough of Torfaen, within the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, a World Heritage Site. The site is under the care of Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service. History of the works Early history Evidence of ironworking in the South Wales Valleys dates from the Roman period. In the 17th century, the Hanburys of Pontypool undertook tinplate manufacture in the area around Blaenavon. The land was the property of Lord Abergavenny, known as Lord Abergavenny's Hills, and in 1788 Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny granted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White-clawed Crayfish
''Austropotamobius pallipes'' is an endangered European freshwater crayfish, and the only crayfish native to the British Isles. Its common names include white-clawed crayfish and Atlantic stream crayfish. Distribution It is found from the easterly Balkan Peninsula to Spain and reaches its northerly limit in Great Britain, as well as Ireland (where it is considered introduced), where it is limited to some regions only: its highest densities are in chalk streams. ''A. pallipes'' is the only crayfish found in Ireland, occurring over limestone areas in rivers, streams, canals, and lakes. In France, ''A. pallipes'' is found in streams such as the Mornante and Sellon, two small tributaries of the Dorlay in the Loire department. It is protected as a heritage species. It has also been introduced to Corsica, Liechtenstein, and Portugal (from where it is now extirpated). It was once found across most of Great Britain; however its distribution is rapidly shrinking, and it is recorde ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Signal Crayfish
The signal crayfish (''Pacifastacus leniusculus'') is a North American species of crayfish. It was introduced to Europe in the 1960s to supplement the North European ''Astacus astacus'' fisheries, which were being damaged by crayfish plague, but the imports turned out to be a carrier of that disease. The signal crayfish is now considered an invasive species across Europe, Japan, and California, ousting native species there. Description and ecology Members of this species are typically long, although sizes up to are possible. They are bluish-brown to reddish-brown in colour, with robust, large, smooth claws. They have a white to pale blue-green patch near the claw hinge, like the white flags that signalmen used for directing trains—hence the name. The lifecycle of the signal crayfish is typical for the family Astacidae. Around 200–400 eggs are laid after mating in the autumn, and are carried under the female's tail until they are ready to hatch the following spring. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cwmavon, Neath Port Talbot
Cwmafan ( cy, Cwmafan; ), sometimes known as Cwmavon in English, is a large village and community in the Afan valley in Wales, lying within Neath Port Talbot County Borough. It had a population of 5,603 in 2001, increasing slightly to 5,615 at the 2011 Census. Cwmafan is known for having a high percentage of Welsh speakers. In many ways it is a suburb of the nearby town of Port Talbot which is less than to the south. The literal translation of ''Cwmafan'' from Welsh to English is complex, Cwm means valley with Afan as the name of the river flowing through, hence the village residing within the Afan Valley. It could be a version of Afon which means river, so literally the "River Valley", this is common in Wales and the UK with many rivers being called Afon or Avon. There is also a Saint Afan, which it is possible the river was named after. There have been other suggestions but none accepted locally. Geography The village is surrounded by hills: the biggest is Foel Fynyddau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wye And Usk Foundation
The Wye and Usk Foundation is an environmental charity based in Talgarth, Powys in Wales which seeks to secure and improve the natural environment of the River Wye and River Usk for the benefit of local communities, anglers and others. Founded in 1995 in response to a decline in Atlantic salmon, it is a member of The Rivers Trust and operates both in the Welsh and English parts of the catchments. The foundation maintains webcams on the two rivers and on the Wye's major tributaries, the River Lugg and the River Monnow. The Trust carries out habitat conservation work such as managing riparian vegetation and fencing out grazing animals to decrease trampling, not just on the main rivers but also on numerous tributaries. Other work includes construction of fish passes around weirs, litter clearance, re-gravelling of sections of river depleted of their natural supply and dealing with invasive non-native species such as giant hogweed ''Heracleum mantegazzianum'', commonly known as gia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brown Trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morpha ''fario'', a lacustrine ecotype, ''S. trutta'' morpha ''lacustris'', also called the lake trout, and anadromous forms known as the sea trout, ''S. trutta'' morpha ''trutta''. The latter migrates to the oceans for much of its life and returns to fresh water only to spawn. Sea trout in Ireland and Britain have many regional names: sewin in Wales, finnock in Scotland, peal in the West Country, mort in North West England, and white trout in Ireland. The lacustrine morph of brown trout is most usually potamodromous, migrating from lakes into rivers or streams to spawn, although evidence indicates some stocks spawn on wind-swept shorelines of lakes. ''S. trutta'' morpha ''fario'' forms stream-resident populations, typically in alpine s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sea Trout
Sea trout is the common name usually applied to anadromous (sea-run) forms of brown trout (''Salmo trutta''), and is often referred to as ''Salmo trutta'' morpha ''trutta''. Other names for anadromous brown trout are sewin (Wales), peel or peal ( Southwest England), mort ( Northwest England), finnock (Scotland), white trout (Ireland) and salmon trout (culinary). The term "sea trout" is also used to describe other anadromous salmonids, such as coho salmon (''Oncorhynchus kisutch''), coastal cutthroat trout (''Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii''), brook trout (''Salvelinus fontinalis''), Arctic char (''Salvelinus alpinus alpinus'') and Dolly Varden (''Salvenlinus malma''). Even some non-salmonid fish species are also commonly known as sea trout, such as Northern pikeminnow (''Ptychocheilus oregonensis'') and members of the weakfish family (''Cynoscion''). Range Anadromous brown trout are widely distributed in Europe along the Atlantic and Baltic coasts, the United Kingdom and the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus '' Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Oncorhynchus'') basin. Other closely related fish in the same family include trout, char, grayling, whitefish, lenok and taimen. Salmon are typically anadromous: they hatch in the gravel beds of shallow fresh water streams, migrate to the ocean as adults and live like sea fish, then return to fresh water to reproduce. However, populations of several species are restricted to fresh water throughout their lives. Folklore has it that the fish return to the exact spot where they hatched to spawn, and tracking studies have shown this to be mostly true. A portion of a returning salmon run may stray and spawn in different freshwater systems; the percent of straying depends on the species of salmon. Homing behavior has been shown to depen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Torfaen County Borough Council
Torfaen County Borough Council () is the governing body for Torfaen, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. History The borough council was created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as a lower-tier district council with borough status. Gwent County Council provided county-level services for the area. The county council was abolished in 1996 and Torfaen became a principal area with county borough status, with the council taking over the functions previously performed by the county council. Borough status allows Torfaen to give the chair of the council the title of mayor. However, the council discontinued the role of mayor in 2018. A presiding member role has been created instead to chair meetings. Political control The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been held by the following parties: Lower-tier borough County boro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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