What is preventing everyone is the cost (There is no plan for the river Wye, October 7).

But the old adage is true: it is as if we know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

We are already in a situation where we are doing too little too late. Recovery now would indeed be a miracle but for the sake of future generations we need that miracle to happen.

Herefordshire Council made the right step to insist on requiring scientific certainty that no adverse effects to the river Wye will be created when new developments happen throughout the entire river Wye catchment.

Not to do so would put the whole county in the same situation as the river Lugg catchment.

However, citizen science is producing water quality evidence that in fact it is the whole catchment failing: and if Natural England (NE) were honest and scientific they would boldly assert that the loss of a keystone species (water crowfoot) indicates just that.

NE, you have a responsibility to the living beings in the rivers of Herefordshire, not just to chemical data, which according to the last Nutrient Management Board needs checking for accuracy.

Jennie Hewitt
Madley

  • What do you think is most responsible for the state of the river Wye? Have your views published here.