Wildlife woes continue after an 'inadvertently' drained Mansfield pond is left empty again
Concerns for wildlife continue as just days after water levels were stabilised at a Mansfield pond 'inadvertently' drained by the council it is empty once again.
Mansfield Wildlife Rescue said they had started releasing toads back into the pond at Pleasley Vale Business Park after waters levels returned to a ‘healthy’ level but just days later the water has drained out.
The council has now admitted the mill pond was drained “inadvertently ahead of schedule” as part of what it said was a "major programme of improvement works"
The council has blamed lack of rainfall for the current water levels.
Cheryl Martins, who runs Mansfield Wildlife Rescue said: “This water would still be in the pond if it wasn't still draining, rain or no rain, the pond has never drained before and we have had some hot, dry summers.
“Workmen assured us a fortnight ago that the sluice gates were repaired and the pond did refill and it was back to a good, healthy level so we started releasing toads back in and now it absolutely drained down to the mud again.
"The council has already admitted the pond was drained accidentally and we’re just not getting any answers from them as to why it has drained again and getting contradicting messages from the workmen.
"We don’t know where the toads we released will have gone, it’s heartbreaking because we’re back to square one. The swans can’t fly again and are sliding around in the mud, we’ve been removing swans out of the road so they don’t get hit by lorries, some geese have died and the kingfishers haven’t been seen in the area since the work started.
"It will take years for this pond to recover.”
Mansfield Wildlife Charity said the timing of the works had affected the bird nesting season and had resulted in catastrophic short term effects and long term implications on the habitat.
A spokesman for Bolsover District Council (BDC) said: “The sluice gates have been repaired and appear to be holding water. We have not had enough rainfall for the water levels to rise so far. Water may be bypassing the structure and this is part of the repair work we are doing.”
Speaking about the timing of the work the spokesman added: "The pond was drained inadvertently ahead of schedule due to issues with the sluice gates which have since been repaired and the pond has refilled.”
Cheryl said the once thriving habitat had been all but “destroyed” by the timing of the works.
Councillor Jane Yates, leader of BDC, said: “It is vitally important that we balance the needs of the environment with the needs of our tenants and users of the mills. The course of action taken has struck that balance brilliantly and I believe the outcome will be beneficial to all.”
The council appointed P&D Environmental Ltd to carry out the revised scheme of river and millpond environmental and flood mitigation improvements at the business park, at Outgang Lane, Pleasley Vale, to protect its historic mill buildings from floodwater and to carry out further urgent investigative works to the mill pond dam walls and culverts.
The authority said this programme of works forms part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to “preserving the heritage of Pleasley Vale, safeguarding it from flood damage, and ensuring it remains a safe, attractive and environmentally rich location for businesses, visitors and wildlife.”