Finally, after long delays, work has started at Chasewater. Taking a stroll up there yesterday, I noted work going on on the marsh behind the dam and cranes were dropping portacabins into position near the pier.

It seems that casual visitors will be in for a shock – although security was remarkably lax yesterday (I walked through the site unchallenged and chatted to the workers without comment) – the road over the dam is supposed to be closed and major access points to the park have been fenced off, including the path up from the canal basin. It seems that during the works, access will be restricted to the south and north entry points – anything around the dam will be off limits.

Maybe it’s time for a diversion diagram to be published again by Lichfield Council. Let’s not hold our breath, eh? My earlier publication of the authorised route map can be found here.

To Chasewater regulars, it seems like we’re all in for interesting times. This work is six months behind schedule, regardless of the wriggling on the official dam blog, and will be taking place during the worst season possible. I await the first hitch with interest. I want all to go smoothly, but somehow I feel that’s not an option.

At the northern end of the dam, work on boreholes and haul-roads commences.

Cabins are being positioned between the peer and dam. Let's hope the 'extreme weather event' Galliford are engineering to defend against doesn't happen yet, otherwise their offices will look like New Orleans.

The mobile CCTV installation indicates that they're expecting security issues.

Surveyors continue to plot the course of future works.

Park users will find familiar routes blocked off - although this one is easily circumvented...

Attempts to limit public access seem almost half-hearted in nature.

Meanwhile, water levels in the reservoir continue to fall, exposing new mudflats. When the water level approaches that of the canal, pumps will be used.