Expert reveals why River Sheaf in Sheffield turned orange this weekend

The mystery surrounding why a river in Sheffield turned bright orange has been solved.
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The River Sheaf took on an alarming hue on Saturday, February 29, as this photo taken by Bethany Wells in Heeley shows – and its unusual appearance didn’t go unnoticed.

While many people were left scratching their heads, others pointed out that it was probably down to the presence of ochre – a naturally occurring pigment containing iron which is known for its orange tint.

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When the Porter Brook turned a similar shade in 2018, the Environment Agency said this was believed to be due to an iron discharge from historical mine workings.

The River Sheaf in Sheffield turned orange on Saturday, February 29 (pic: Bethany Wells @preparedtobe)The River Sheaf in Sheffield turned orange on Saturday, February 29 (pic: Bethany Wells @preparedtobe)
The River Sheaf in Sheffield turned orange on Saturday, February 29 (pic: Bethany Wells @preparedtobe)

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Simon Ogden, from the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust, said: “I would have thought it’s likely that this was caused by ochre. There are a lot of outlets and there’s so much water in the table at the moment that I’m sure there will be springs picking up ochre,” he said.

“This is more common on the Don, Rivelin and Loxley rivers because there are a lot of abandoned mines up there which fill up with water, whereas I can’t think of any old mines in the Sheaf Valley.

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“Ochre is something which occurs naturally, rather than just being associated with mining, and it’s by no means the worst thing that can happen to a river.

“It looks terrible but it’s not actually as bad as many forms of pollution you can’t see.”

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “We were made aware of an orange discolouration of the River Sheaf in Beauchief and Millhouses on Saturday. The Sheaf was discoloured orange all the way down to its confluence with the River Don in central Sheffield, a distance of around 7km.

“An Environment Agency officer attended and traced the source to the abandoned Dore Colliery, which enters the Limb Brook in Ecclesall Woods. The mine water discharge had reduced significantly by late afternoon. We have alerted the Coal Authority, which undertakes remediation of abandoned coal mines through a national prioritised programme.”

You can report pollution to the Environment Agency’s incidents hotline on 0800 807060.

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