Rescue training exercise (?) in River Aire at the Dark Arches.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 9:09 pm

As there has been a dry spell for some time I thought it may have been worth a look at the River Aire where it flows underground at the Dark Arches. I had a look in the very early afternoon today (April 3 2012) and my timing was excellent as there was what seemed to be a rescue training exercise going on (at least one of the men I saw had 'Rescue' on his hard hat). There did not seem to be a real incident as the men were walking on the then easily seen stone floor slabs in the relatively low river. I guess the training exercise was done while the river was low for safety reasons. This photo (looking downriver from the road/foot bridge) shows the 'raft' the men were using.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 9:11 pm

This photo shows some of the men walking on the stone floor of the river.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 9:13 pm

This slightly out of focus photo is another view of the men walking on the stone floor of the river.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 9:21 pm

As a result of the river being lower than normal one unexpected thing to me was the sight of hundreds of small fish (I guess all around 3 to 4 inches in length) that I saw just in the downriver side of the walkway almost at the end of that (coming from Neville Street). I doubt I would ever see them in normal fast, murkier and deeper flowing water. I took a photo which is that here. I apologise for what is probably the worst ever photo quality in SL, but it does give an idea as to what I saw as almost every short thin dark object is a fish. I guess it does at least show the river may be clean despite what may be a bit of oily slick seen.

book · Post by **book** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 9:27 pm

Are they fry, trout or some other fresh water fish?

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 9:31 pm

book wrote: Are they fry, trout or some other fresh water fish? I could not tell book as the river was several feet below my viewpoint. There did though look to be a few hundred of the fish around.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 9:57 pm

There looks a lot of easy stage scaffold on that barge, I think it's a specialist team helping contractors erect scaffold under those arches for maintenance. B.R.B had specialist divers and Carillian construction inspect Gildersome tunnel due to it being so badly flooded, It's a good bet this is a similar set up I.M.O!

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 10:02 pm

Cheers Phill. You are probably right as this photo better shows the scaffold tubes on the raft.The whole thing was such an unusual thing to see, as I've never seen anyone working there before.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 10:22 pm

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Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Tue 03 Apr, 2012 10:23 pm

Leodian wrote: the sight of hundreds of small fish (I guess all around 3 to 4 inches in length) that I saw just in the downriver side of the walkway almost at the end of that (coming from Neville Street). almost every short thin dark object is a fish. I guess it does at least show the river may be clean despite what may be a bit of oily slick seen. Excellent post LeoA relative of mine who was in the Police in 1960's said he really hated occassions when they had to look for someone down there.Ref the fish, on Thurs 29th (last) I was by the weir off East Street / Turlow Court just by Meanwood Beck outflow.There were hundreds of small fish/fry, I first noticed what I thought was a couple of large dark patches. In fact the river at the inflow side of weir (see pic) was black with them.Again, excellent post.