Projects
The Committee is eager to encourage scientific and conservation projects
involving Dan yr Ogof. A number of these are currently underway, notably:
New Cave Survey
The current survey of the cave was published by BCRA in 1974. Although
there have been no major new discoveries since then, there is a substantial
amount of passage to be added and a number of corrections. The project will
also publish, wherever possible, survey data for the cave.
Fixed Aids
The Committee has undertaken a complete review of the fixed aids
installed in the cave and in the past year has made a number of significant
changes.
Another aspect of this project is to log and, eventually, remove all aids
installed in the cave which are not approved Fixed Aids. A number of these
relate to new discoveries accessible by climbing above the main cave. Simply
removing unapproved aids used to reach these would mean that future
generations wishing to go there would have to re-climb them as the original
discoverers did. The safety and cave conservation implications of this were felt
to be unacceptable so an "abandonment system" has been trialled whereby a
thin hauling-line can be left in-situ to pull up a rope if the area needs to
be visited. These will not be endorsed as Fixed Aids and will not be subject
to regular inspection by the Fixed Aids Officer.
Water Discolouration
Over the years, the resurgence at Dan yr Ogof has occasionally, for no
apparent reason, discharged red-brown water into the river Tawe, sometimes
visible as far downstream as Swansea. This became much more pronounced
during 2005, leading to complaints to the showcave management. Investigation
underground shows the discolouration to be happening upstream of the 'known'
cave - apparently underground in the undiscovered 'Giedd' system as surface
streams remained clear. A major study is now underway to gather data on the
phenomenon and understand its causes.
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