Dead fish have been removed from a Mansfield pond amid the low levels of water in it as the region-wide drought continues. Mansfield District Council says that water in the pond at Berry Hill Park, off Lichfield Lane, is "extremely low" because of the weather, with the country experiencing its driest summer since 1935.
A Mansfield resident has expressed his shock at the low levels of water in the pond, which he says are the lowest he has ever seen. Philip Mitchell, 52, lives on Nottingham Road and says that he visits Berry Hill Park on a regular basis.
The facility boasts 25 hectares of parkland as well as a bandstand and café. But it was the pond at the park which caught Philip's eye when he visited on Saturday, August 13.
He said: "I have lived in the area since 2008 and I have never seen it so low. I understand that Mansfield District Council has removed dead fish, the geese have gone and the levels are so low that the ducks are actually standing because there isn't enough for them to float."
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A drought was declared across the East Midlands on Friday, August 12, with images in recent days showing how the drought has completely changed the appearance of several parks in Nottingham. Mariam Amos, the strategic director of Mansfield District Council, said: "The council is aware of the issues with the pond at Berry Hill Park.
"In common with many areas of the UK, it has been affected by the drought this summer. As a consequence, the water levels of the pond in Berry Hill Park are extremely low.
"This has, unfortunately, led to the death of a number of fish. In addition, with the pond being a static feature of the park and without the benefit of any inflowing water source, the oxygen levels in it are doubly affected.
"Our parks team have been on site during the past few days, clearing the dead fish and removing the branches they can safely reach. All will be disposed of appropriately."
But as well as the low water levels, there is also a notice from Mansfield District Council about levels of algae in the water at the Berry Hill Park pond. The notice from the authority reads: "Blue-green algae may have been found in this water.
"The water may present risks of skin rashes or stomach upsets to water users that are subject to full body immersion. As such, users are advised to avoid deliberate contact with the water, prohibit full body immersion and to adopt good personal hygiene by showering or washing hands after contact with the water.
"Some types of blue-green algae are toxic to humans and animals and it is essential that people and their pets do not come into contact with the water while the algae is in bloom. In the event of an algal bloom it is a sensible precaution for you, your children and your animals to avoid contact with the surface scum and water close to it."
Ms Amos added: "A separate issue is the growth of blue-green algae in the pond which is a potential health risk to the public and why we have posted notices about it and have advised people not to go into the water. We certainly want our residents and visitors to keep coming to the park and enjoying the facilities there – but please stay out of the pond.
"We are in contact with the Environment Agency, local fisheries and Notts Wildlife Trust for guidance over how to improve the situation and to protect the fish. We have been advised that removing the remaining fish is not the best course of action because they are already in a stressed condition and probably would not survive the move.
"The best hope is that it will soon rain sufficiently to fill up the pond and improve its oxygen levels. The algae issue is likely to be an ongoing challenge because the pond is static and also has a lot of ducks and geese using it."
In terms of solving the algae problem, the council says that bird droppings help to create the environment that algae need to thrive and it is therefore asking the public not to feed the ducks. Ms Amos added: "We are also considering using straw to help reduce the impact of the algae in the short term but, in the longer term, the council is in the process of sourcing funding for habitat improvements to various sites, including the pond at Berry Hill Park. If successful, this would include larger scale work to improve the water quality of the pond."
The issue of algae in the water has also affected Nottingham, with Nottingham City Council urging people to stay out of the lake at Colwick Country Park. A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms remains in place throughout the country on Tuesday (August 16).
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