EA mismanagement of on-line resources

[Rascal Joe]

The EA has just given 24 hours notice that the river conditions RSS feed is to be withdrawn (for reasons that do not stand up to analysis).

I was due to release a new version of the River Thames Guide app next week that shows live river conditions overlaid on the app's interactive map (see attached screenshot); this is done by parsing the EA RSS feed so will no longer be possible.

I urge all river users to complain to the EA about the lack of an RSS feed by writing to these members of their management team:

maria.herlihy@environment-agency.gov.uk <maria.herlihy@environment-agency.gov.uk>
barry.russell@environment-agency.gov.uk <barry.russell@environment-agency.gov.uk>
james.bevan@environment-agency.gov.uk <james.bevan@environment-agency.gov.uk>

 

[boatone]

Barry Russell is no longer involved in Thames management and complaints to James Bevan will likely be referred downwards.
The best email address to use is WaterwaysThames@environment-agency.gov.uk
Emails to this address will be logged and referred to a responsible member of the waterways team.
The notice of change came out of the blue and there was no consultation with user reps
Limited river conditions info is now available here: River Thames: current river conditions

 

[Chris_d]

Have to say its time they reviewed it as its pretty useless information anyway, the actual river levels are more useful.

 

[Rascal Joe]

The best email address to use is WaterwaysThames@environment-agency.gov.uk

It is my experience (not with the EA) that complaints to generic, catch-all email addresses as you suggest are a complete waste of time; the main role of the recipients of such messages is to deflect complaints away from management - and it is only senior managemtyn who get things fixed.
The arbitrary nature of the decision regarding RSS feeds, the short notice and the lack of consultation are all further evidence that the EA cares little for river users.

 

[st599]

Have to say its time they reviewed it as its pretty useless information anyway, the actual river levels are more useful.

Depends on your usage of the information. I know quite a few sailing clubs where training instructors are allowed to run is defined by the red board status.

 

[Chris_d]

Depends on your usage of the information. I know quite a few sailing clubs where training instructors are allowed to run is defined by the red board status.

Thats fair enough, do they use the River Conditions Page or an RSS feed though.
My issue with it is that its a very crude measure purely related to the flow, the red condition can be set at a fairly low river level and there is no warning that the actual level has risen as well, its just red which could mean an increase in level of 10cm or 1m. For me it would be better if the red condition had a number attached to it as well Level +10cm, +20cm etc..

 

[Scapegoat]

Wonder why they haven’t done an auto redirect from the old page to the gov.uk page? Many people will have no idea where to look for the info.

 

[Rascal Joe]

Wonder why they haven’t done an auto redirect from the old page to the gov.uk page? Many people will have no idea where to look for the info.

The River Thames Guide app will open the correct (new) page from today.

The EA stated that the change was to improve security and it is now linked to the main .gov web site to achieve that improvement. The EA needs some improved technical support - the conditions page used until yesterday was already on the .gov web site (!). The only difference (apart from another folder which does not change security) is to move from http to https; this is hardly the big deal they are making it out to be and does not, in any sensible manner, require the RSS feed to be taken down. Seems to me to be a 'convenient' excuse further to limit the help and support provided for river users...

 

[Seamaster7]

Thats fair enough, do they use the River Conditions Page or an RSS feed though.
My issue with it is that its a very crude measure purely related to the flow, the red condition can be set at a fairly low river level and there is no warning that the actual level has risen as well, its just red which could mean an increase in level of 10cm or 1m. For me it would be better if the red condition had a number attached to it as well Level +10cm, +20cm etc..

Red boards go out when there is a set amount of weir gates open on each weir, it is unrelated to flow rate. Each individual Lock site has it’s own trigger point for Red boards. The level won’t change much until the weir Is fully open but the flow rate will be substantially more the further you are past the board trigger point. You can check the level for the reach you are in online at the river levels website for each lock.

 

[Parabordi]

Title could have stopped at just "EA Mismanagement"!! (its not just them CRT are just as sh!te)

 

[Chris_d]

Red boards go out when there is a set amount of weir gates open on each weir, it is unrelated to flow rate. Each individual Lock site has it’s own trigger point for Red boards. The level won’t change much until the weir Is fully open but the flow rate will be substantially more the further you are past the board trigger point. You can check the level for the reach you are in online at the river levels website for each lock.

The red boards are warning of a strong stream, a strong stream is a high flow isn't it.

 

[Pump-Out]

Yet another great decision made by our navigation authority, who does not understand the responsibilities of being a navigation authority.

My existing favourites link not working, and no redirection.

 

[Scapegoat]

And the .gov pages are not “mobile friendly”. Pretty fundamental for users on the move I’d have thought.
Looking at the lockkeeper duty roster page is useless on a phone - no fixed labels so very awkward to use.
I’ve commented a few times on the page feedback option but suspect it’s fallen into a black hole

 

[nfluester]

Turns our the EA had an open redirect to porn site on river conditions page read the details here

UK gov website being used to redirect to porn sites | Pen Test Partners

 

[Outinthedinghy]

When I was younger I used to think that the subscribing to the theory that everything is screwed was a symptom of ageing.
Now I am a bit older (still under 50!) I have realised that everything actually IS screwed !

Oh well. At least the River still has water in it and quite a lot at the moment.

Not like it was in August. The sun, the cold beer, the fear of barbecues causing wildfires, people having fun, the drought, occasional lock breakdowns, the cold beer, the River, the sun and the shade .

Anyway.

 

[Chris_d]

Turns our the EA had an open redirect to porn site on river conditions page read the details here

UK gov website being used to redirect to porn sites | Pen Test Partners

Yipes interesting reading, EA web servers running on Windows 2003!
Redirecting to a porn site sending a clear message to the EA.