Initial Progress Reports
East End Pond Restoration – update 03/01/23
- Planning approval for tree felling/pollarding:–
No Progress
- Seasonal water level monitoring:-
The first sign of water appeared on 29th November 2022.
It’s been rising ever since at a rate of approx. 1inch a day.
The water depth (measured from the gravel bottom below the silt) is now over 3ft and continuing to rise. Water is not covering the whole of the pond basin yet due to the depth of silt.
December 2022
Removing silt from the basin accumulated over the past 30 years would improve water depth. However, there’s approximately 300cubic meters of it (50mx20mx0.3m) which would require approx. 15-20 lorry loads to remove it from site. The original plan, which still appears to be the best option, is to “Remove dead vegetation from the pond basin and shape the pond floor so as to create a mosaic of smaller ponds within the larger pond/islands at low water levels. Excavated debris to be spread on the sloped sides to lessen the gradient. This work will require a JCB/small digger.” In order to prevent the excavated silt from flowing back into the pond it may be advisable to construct a barrier to retain the bank like the one constructed in 1995, the remains of which are still in place today as can be seen in the picture below.
- Feedback from Anglian water:-
A senior hydrogeologist for Anglian Water’s Strategic Pipeline Alliance informed us of the following: - Our hydrogeology team had a look at the groundwater level data we have available in the area and various lines of evidence to identify why the groundwater levels have lowered over the years within the pond. As you already mention in the background information, the dewatering associated with gravel extraction can temporarily lower the groundwater levels in the surrounding area. If the land is subsequently restored as water-based recreation/nature reserves, groundwater levels can recover to the pre-gravel-extraction levels. However, we assume that water level management associated with the low level agriculture (presumably an old gravel working) is continuing to depress groundwater levels within the area. The low level agriculture area is located only 270 m north-east of the pond and its ground level is approximately 4-5 m lower than the surrounding land, as can be seen from the Profile Chart below capturing the profile from the pond to the low level agricultural land. At this distance and the ground level difference, the water level management for the low level agriculture could have an impact on the water levels within the pond.
Additionally, aerial imagery and your photographs/information show that the pond area is now overgrown. The trees could potentially be lowering the groundwater level near the pond as they will be using the water to grow. However, we are not able to say whether felling the trees would restore the water levels within the pond. Our observations of the groundwater levels within the area (south-west of Langtoft) confirm that there will be seasonal variation with regards to groundwater levels which will be strongly rainfall-dependent.
I’m sorry we couldn’t be of more help and probably only confirmed your suspicions.
- Next Steps:-
- Pursue on site meeting with SKDC arborist along with Parish council Amenities group reps.
- Continue to monitor water levels