The River Wey Society
Protecting a Dorset Treasure since 1994
The River Wey Society is a local voluntary organisation established to protect, preserve and cherish the River Wey, its valley and the environment surrounding it.
The Society has its roots in a serious environmental problem that affected Upwey in the late 1980s and ultimately brought together local people determined to protect the river.
How the Society Began
The story begins in 1988, when excessive abstraction of water from the chalk aquifer caused the famous spring at the Upwey Wishing Well to stop flowing.
The resulting shortage of water in the upper River Wey threatened thousands of fish at the Upwey fish farm as well as the wider environment of the Wey Valley.
Concern about the future of the river led to the formation of the River Wey Study Group. Its members investigated the problems affecting the river and worked with the relevant authorities to find ways of protecting it.
The River Wey Society Is Born
As support for the Study Group increased, it developed into a permanent organisation.
In November 1994, the River Wey Society was formally established.
The founding members included local people with professional knowledge and experience. Two solicitors were engaged to draw up the Society's constitution, and advice was obtained from a senior representative of the National Association of UK River Protection Societies.
Interestingly, the Society describes itself as having been:
“conceived in drought, born in flood.”
This is particularly appropriate because while lack of water had prompted its creation, the Weymouth area subsequently experienced exceptional rainfall. In December 1993 and February 1994, 36 houses were flooded, described in the Society's history as the worst Wey Valley flooding since July 1955.
Giving the River a Voice
From its earliest days, the Society wanted to provide a strong, united voice for people living along the Wey Valley.
It developed relationships with organisations responsible for the river and surrounding environment and represented residents when decisions could affect the river, its wildlife or the people living alongside it.
The Society's constitution gives it a particularly broad historical purpose. As well as protecting and improving the River Wey and its environment, it seeks to preserve knowledge about the history, geology and geography of the river and Wey Valley.
River Watch Officers
An important development came in 2001.
The Society recognised that information needed to travel quickly between residents living along different parts of the river. The Wey was therefore divided into five sections, each overseen by a River Watch Officer.
If something happened upstream — rising water, an obstruction or another potential problem — information could quickly be passed downstream.
The system proved so useful that the Environment Agency adopted the principle, and it helped form the basis of the local Flood Warden network.
The value of that local knowledge was demonstrated during heavy rainfall in January 2021, when River Watch Officers were monitoring conditions throughout the valley as water levels rose rapidly.
A Society Built on Local Knowledge
One of the strengths of the River Wey Society has always been the knowledge of people who actually live beside the river.
Over the years members have observed changes in water levels, flooding, wildlife and vegetation and reported potential problems.
Volunteers have also undertaken practical projects along the river. These have included clearing vegetation and debris, tackling invasive Himalayan balsam and helping maintain riverside paths.
This combination of local knowledge, practical conservation and communication with official organisations has remained central to the Society throughout its history.
More Than 30 Years of Protecting the Wey
From the environmental crisis of 1988 to the formation of the Society in 1994 and the establishment of River Watch Officers in 2001, the River Wey Society has become an enduring part of the Wey Valley community.
Its membership has grown from the original group of concerned residents to around 90 households, according to the Society's published information. It continues to be run by volunteers.
More than thirty years after its formation, its fundamental purpose remains much the same:
to ensure that the River Wey, its environment, wildlife and unique character are protected for future generations.
A Short History
1988 — Excessive abstraction causes the Upwey Wishing Well spring to stop flowing.
Late 1980s — The River Wey Study Group is formed.
1993–94 — Exceptional rainfall causes serious flooding in the Wey Valley.
November 1994 — The Study Group becomes The River Wey Society.
2001 — The river is divided into five sections with dedicated River Watch Officers.
Today — The Society continues to represent residents and protect the River Wey and its
