Parish council steps in to rescue Walberton pond

This is only the second time in fifty years that the pond has dried up, but a spokesperson for the council said members are aware ‘the risk may increase as the climate changes.’

In order to tackle this problem head on, and save the pond’s wildlife, the parish council is dealing with the short-term risk to fish welfare and making provisions for a ‘more resilient’ pond in future.

The spokesperson went on to say that the council has been monitoring the pond’s water levels since June, concerned that decreased rainfall might endanger the fish, and are currently reporting a daily drop of 5MM.

The water levels are still above the safety threshold for fish, meaning they are unlikely to experience major welfare problems just yet, but the council officer made clear that ‘this won’t last very long.’

They have estimated they have two weeks before the pond’s water level falls too low to sustain the larger fish and have been in regular contact with the Environment Agency.

Unfortunately, the spokesperson said, the agency do not assist with water top-ups or fish relocations.