Water
quality improvement works at South Park Road pond
10th - 17th September
2003
How it was:
the Bourne stream on its course from Bourne Bottom to Talbot Heath (below
left),
and in its shallow channel to the pond, mainly avoided the dense reedbed (below
right). We aim to divert it into the reedbed.
The works: On 10th September J
Corcoran Ltd arrive on site and clear vegetation for the new stream
course (faintly marked in blue, below)...
(Below) Two 600mm dia. pipes
are installed to create a new crossing for maintenance vehicles (it will
be necessary to get access to the reedbed to clear vegetation and
sediment occasionally)
A second maintenance crossing (below)
is constructed across the original course of the stream, beside the
wooden footbridge (now removed)
A weir structure is
installed in the original stream channel (below); this will
divert stream water into the new channel except at times of heavy
rainfall when the volume of flow increases drastically. On
these occasions the original channel will act to help alleviate
flooding in the area.
... and dig out
a wider, deeper two-stage channel from the uppermost reaches of the
reedbed (below)...
... toward the
stream (below)
By the 15th
September, the new channel is complete, and a 'sump' is constructed (below)
- a small pond (or sump) which is intended to cause some settling of
sediment. This sump will be cleared of sediment as-and-when
required.
(Below)
when the weir is complete, the diverted stream runs it's new meandering
course ...
