I see that there is some serious looking rain forecast. Will this affect the chalk-streams much? Do they colour up? Or will it not make any difference?

Any idea?

They are usually OK, I have not been rained off at all this winter. The Kennet can suffer a bit but the Wylye etc are often OK. No promises though!!

Do you think it will help maintain the water levels? I am guessing that they will be on rock bottom/ unfishable soon what with this drought.

Morgan ,the rain will have little or no effect ,unless there are road works or similar ,shouldny worry too much the Kenett held up quite well the last big drought 77/76?

__________________
Andy Wren
Winter grayling taking a year off !
Claret not just a great dubbing colour!

FWIW the lower Frome is holding up well, which is surprising given the dry winter.

The “serious looking rain” is falling in Yeovil now but is of the “dust settling” rather than “washed off the river” sort.

Andy

Thanks guys. Where does the water come from...obviously from the sky but I have heard mention of 'aquifers' which provide constant levels rather than the spate conditions one might find elsewhere? All a bit of a mystery to me!?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalk_stream

Wikipedia has a good entry on chalk streams - with a link to a description of aquifers

I fished the Wiltshire Avon on Monday and the water levels were better than I had expected although probably around 18 inches lower than in previous years! Mind you it was fishing very well although due to the lack of weed (ranunculus etc.) the fish are pretty spooky.
Go for light tippets!

The rain will take a while to filter through the aquifers but it shouldn't colour the water too much.

Not really of much use to fishing but just out of interest, how long does it take the rain to filter through. By which I mean when will the drop of rain that falls on the hilltop today emerge at the spring at the bottom of the hill? Two weeks, two months, never if the water companies have anything to do with it...

Andy

There was a discussion on yesterday's Jeremy Vine show (BBC Radio 2) on the subject of the current drought and its affect on Southern rivers. Made for pretty depressing listening (apparently, if it rained every day for the rest of the summer aquifers would still not be replenished). But at least it made a change from outraged suburbanites wailing about the hosepipe ban whilst watering their gardens, washing their cars, filling their dishwashers, and turning on their washing machines.

Bring on the water meters!