Well, That'll Have to Go!

For more than 12 months there has been a tree laying across the river in Preuilly, just upstream from the boat ramp. You can see it in this picture taken in 2010. Last year winter was unusually dry and the tree didn't budge. Finally, this year, with conversely generous winter rain, the tree has been pushed down stream - only to hit the barrage (weir) just downstream of the boat ramp.

Debris piled up against the footbridge over the weir.

The weir is associated with the Moulin de Chanvre (the Hemp Mill), the last house in Preuilly on the Chaumussay road. The water backs up behind the weir and is diverted down a mill race on the rive droite (right / north bank). The weir is also the border between the communes (local administrative districts) of Preuilly-sur-Claise and Boussay.

This is just so you can admire the reflections in the mill pond.

So who has the responsibility of clearing away the debris of the fallen tree? Theoretically the landowner (ie the proprietor of the Moulin de Chanvre) has the responsibility, but mill owners are offered several choices of approach, ranging from doing all the work themselves to having the Office nationale de l'eau et les milieux aquatiques (National Office for Water and Aquatic Environments) arrange everything. In practice, probably Yohann Sionneau will sort it out. He's the river technician based in Preuilly with the Communauté des Communes de la Touraine du Sud (an organisation that all the local communes belong to, allowing them to pool resources). He can probably organise the manpower and machinery via the local council and fund it from a central river maintenance fund.

Susan