Black was the River, you see
DESCRIPTION
The Ogmore is an unremarkable river. From its source at Craig Ogwr (527m) it runs approximately 28km before meeting up with the Bristol Channel at Ogmore-by-Sea. It is a river that has been a constant in my life. I grew up with it and know it well. As a child almost everything I did seemed to revolve around the river - swimming, fishing, camping alongside its banks, watching the annual raft-race and just general mischief. It has taken me many years to appreciate it and its role in local society, so I felt that this was my chance to pay tribute.
Ever since I can remember, the river has been fairly healthy, full of salmon, trout, and eel, but this hasn’t always been the case. It used to run black. Heavy industry (mainly coal mining) in the South Wales valleys caused all of the rivers to run black with coal dust. The rivers were damaged significantly, and since the closure of most of the mines in the 1970s & 80’s, an extensive clean-up operation has been underway. Vast improvements have been made, the river has recovered well and the fish have returned. However, due to its proximity to certain industrial sites, issues from invasive weeds, and general detritus, the river is still far from what is considered clean.