The Environment Agency have been doing a rolling programme of Lock refurbishments over recent years, and this autumn / winter is the turn of Abingdon Lock.
The lock will be will be drained and the lock chamber and surrounds refurbished.
Fences are already in position, and signs are up. Work personnel are being advised to be properly booted and suited and to wear life jackets.
The planning application for Abingdon Hydro has been published this month on the district council planning portal.
The foreward says The generation of hydro electricity from the River Thames using two Archimedes screws. In addition the site will have publicly accessible observation platform an information centre for visiting groups, and a fish pass in the form of a meandering stream. The land has a public footpath (which will be retained) but it does not currently have any other use.
The end of consultation is 5th December and the expected decision is 27th December.
** As with the application for 160 homes it includes a bat survey. There must be money to be made for surveying bats.
I often feel so lucky to be living in Abingdon with all of its waterside paths and views. The city and village where I grew up were deserts in comparison. I took this picture from Abingdon Bridge this evening looking back towards the Upper Reaches Hotel.
The end of month round up of pictures has more from the waters edge + Abingdon Marathon, Apple Day, Against Breast Cancer Day, and all the fun of the Abingdon Fair + organ fairground music.
On holiday in the Yorkshire Dales or the Lake District we will sometimes walk miles to view a recommended waterfall.
But on a day like today Abingdon Weir creates, over a few feet, more power and fury than many of those tourist destinations.
The River Thames can be wild.