The Environment Agency
has teamed up with Exeter and District Angling
Club to breathe new life into a Devon pond
Sampford Peverell Pond,
close to Tiverton Parkway Railway Station,
has recently suffered two major fish kills
caused by de-oxygenation of the water and
algal blooms. It has held good stocks of
roach, perch, bream, tench and carp in the
past and is one of two ponds at Sampford
Peverell.
The site is popular
with local anglers who are keen to restore
it to its former glory. Agency fisheries
officers recently netted the pond to get
an idea of surviving fish stocks. They were
helped by members of the angling club.
Small numbers of roach,
carp and bream were found and measures are
now in place to help the pond recover. These
include pollarding some of the trees around
the pond to allow better oxygenation and
more sunlight.
The Agency and angling
club will monitor the site over the coming
months to see what effect the changes have
made. Once conditions have improved the
pond will be re-stocked with fish from other
waters. Before being introduced, the replacement
fish will be health-checked to ensure they
are not carrying any potentially harmful
parasites or diseases
‘We are happy to provide
advice and support to local anglers on how
best to get this pond back into good health.
They’ve suffered a couple of major fish
kills recently. These were due to natural
phenomena and through no fault of the club.
We’re working closely with anglers to help
the pond recover including netting the site
to get an idea of fish numbers,’ said Nick
Maye for the Environment Agency.
The two Sampford Peverell
Ponds were originally created in the early
1900’s to supply steam trains using the
nearby Exeter – London railway line with
water.
A photo showing the
netting operation is available from the
Environment Agency’s regional press office
on 01392 442008.
People can report pollution
incidents, poaching, fly-tipping or other
environmental crime by calling the Environment
Agency’s free 24-hour hotline 0800 80 70
60.
+ More
Environment Agency submits
alternative flood defence plan for Attenborough
A planning application for an alternative
route for the flood defences at Attenborough
will be submitted by the Environment Agency
on Thursday 1 April 2010.
The new route around
Attenborough Village Green will be submitted
to Broxtowe Borough Council in response
to requests to look at an alternative route.
The proposals consist of a stone clad floodwall
that will follow a route around the outside
of the Village Green.
The flood defence route
along The Strand remains an option with
planning permission already granted in April
2009. This permission was important in enabling
us to start work on the whole Nottingham
Left Bank scheme in June 2009. The alternative
periphery route around the Village Green
could now provide a quicker solution to
getting flood defences in place in Attenborough
to protect people and property.
Attenborough is part
of the Nottingham Left Bank Flood Alleviation
Scheme, which will reduce the risk of flooding
to over 16,000 Nottingham homes and businesses.
It will cost in the region of £50
million making it also one of the biggest
schemes ever built in England and Wales.
Flood Risk Manager,
Innes Thomson, said: “We have listened to
the many concerned parties in Attenborough
and want to look at the other possible option
of a route around the village green, taking
into account economic, social and environmental
aspects together and recognising the importance
of completing the flood defences as soon
as possible.”
