Action needed to save deteriorating lakes in Wanstead Park

One of the saddest sights of the summer has been the emptying lakes in Wanstead Park.

The picturesque Ornamental Lake has been particularly hard hit, with the water levels reaching record lows.

The wildlife has adapted. Herons and little egrets have descended on the lake, seeing the possibility for rich pickings, as the fish struggle to survive amid disappearing water.

The hot weather has obviously played a big part in the emptying of the lakes but there have been problems for many years now.

Back in 2009, Wanstead Park was put on the English Heritage at risk register, partly because of the state of the waterways in the park. Almost a decade later, the park remains on the register.

The exasperation of many locals at the failure of the parks custodians, the City of London Corporation (CLC), to seriously address the situation, has been regularly vented on social media.

At present the only water supply to the lakes comes from a pump linked to a bore hole that supplies the Heronry Lake. This then flows onto the Perch and Ornamental lakes. However, the licence with the Environment Agency limits the amount of water that can be pumped.

The pump can only ever be a part of a much bigger solution to provide water supply for the lakes.

Foremost, people need to know why (beyond drought) the water is disappearing and what can be done to address the situation.

There is already much evidence. The Heronry has always leaked water, going back to war damage that has never been adequately repaired. The Ornamental remains more of a mystery.

Recently, a calvert was discovered, which sees water run away, when the lake does hold water to a certain level – though, this would not be a concern at present. 

There has been talk of applying for a lottery grant but this seems to be a continually moving panacea.

At the last AGM of the Friends of Wanstead Park, members heard how the CLC has to address the flood risk or incur fines from the Environment Agency. This is likely to result in £10 million of expenditure over the next three years.

The irony of such work, set against a background of leaking and sometimes empty lakes, will not be lost on those who regularly visit the park.

Chair of Friends of Wanstead Park John Meehan recently suggested that the non-statutory elements in the work to strengthen the dams in the park could be used as match funding for a lottery fund bid. A good idea.

What is for sure is that something needs to be done. At present the lakes look in a terribly neglected, dilapidated state.  If the CLC came forward with a plan that linked the flood prevention work to restoration of the waterways in the park that would be a major step forward and would receive universal support.

One move forward whilst water levels are so low would be to at least remove all the debris that clutters up the lakes. This would be a forerunner to more comprehensive measures being taken to ensure that the lakes hold water for the foreseeable future.  What is for sure is that something needs to happen and soon.

Published in Wanstead & Woodford Guardian - 30/8/2018