In the summer of 2021, and again throughout the dry spell last summer, Ballard Lake lacked incoming run off – and rainfall to maintain adequate water levels – the depth of water in the lake reduced to around 100mm (4”) in places during the worst of the dry period.

 

The lake suffered because of this, with dissolved oxygen levels falling perilously low due to lack of water movement, too many fish and debris from wildfowl etc. Working closely with the Environment Agency, the estates team placed pumps in the lake to aerate and increase dissolved oxygen levels, and whilst this was generally successful, unfortunately some fish were lost.

 

Whilst Ballard is not a fishing lake, over a period of years fish have been placed in there and have bred increasing the stock to an unmanageable level, we therefore needed to look at what possible courses of action we could take to reduce fish numbers and improve the condition of the lake.

 

With help from the Environment Agency (EA), a select number of fish from the Lake have been health checked and have been given the ‘all-clear’.  The lake will now be destocked next week by Ivel Aquatics, being an EA approved contractor, and moved on to a fishery. An appropriate EA permit has been obtained to carry out this conservation work.

 

 

Further information available from:

Graham Flexman

Town Clerk, New Milton Town Council

Email: info@newmiltontowncouncil.gov.uk

Tel: 01425 619120

Dated: 17 April 2023