
Other sources of pollution
The Environment Agency (EA) is currently monitoring how much pollution is coming from these sources.
Boat Level
Boat Level has been identified by the EA as a key source of mine water contamination to the Hogstow Brook, which joins Minsterley Brook south of The Waterwheel.
The old drainage tunnel (also known as a level or an adit) discharges water from The Bog, Pennerley, Tankerville and Nipstone mines into Hogstow Brook.
As well as being the main drainage tunnel, it also served as a haulage level, with small boats transporting the ore out of the mines.
Roman Gravels
Roman Gravels has been identified by the EA as being a key source of metal pollution to Hope Brook and further downstream in Minsterley Brook.
Although a reclamation scheme was carried out by Shropshire County Council in the 1990s, there are still issues with rainfall washing metals out of the mine wastes, including:
- unrestored spoil heaps along the banks of Hope Brook
- a large 250-metre-long culverted spoil tip
- spoil on the site of the Roman Gravels Mine
Wood Adit
Wood Adit has been identified by the EA as being a key source of mine water contamination to Hope Brook and subsequently Minsterley Brook.
The old mining tunnel is 3.5km long and drains the Roman Gravels, Ladywell and White Grit mines, discharging to Hope Brook, near Oakedge, in the Hope Valley.