Improvements at The Aquadrome
Work commencing week beginning 12 May:
Tree safety work will be carried out at The Aquadrome. The annual survey is available on request if you wish to find out more on this essential work.
We will also be conducting a wildlife disturbance survey.
Summary of Works at the Aquadrome
The Aquadrome Local Nature Reserve is a 41 hectare site situated at the northern end of the Colne Valley Regional Park. The Local Nature Reserve you see today is the result of gravel extraction which left behind large “holes” in the valley floor that now form Batchworth and Bury Lakes. The lakes naturally filled with water when extraction ceased in the 1920s, aided by natural springs.
UP DATE ON RECENT WORK
The landscaping work using heavy machinery is now complete. The re-profiled lake banks are now ready to be planted with a mix of native flowers and aquatic plants.
Contractors will be back to the Aquadrome in May to complete the planting work. The reason for the delay between the bank re-profiling and the planting is to ensure that the plants, which are currently at the nursery, have grown to a healthy size. They can be successfully re-located from the nursery to the Aquadrome where they can settle in and establish.
The fences will remain in place for up to 18 months to help the new plants establish and prevent any being eaten by ducks, swans and geese. 
If sections of fence become damaged and allow ducks to graze on the new plants, the fences will have to remain on site for longer. Please help us to remove these fences as soon as possible by reporting any sections of damaged fence. It is also advised not to feed the ducks near the fenced areas.
The footpath to the circular walk through the woodland is now open following works which were undertaken to replace the sluice in Bury Lake.
Please bear with us whilst these essential works are carried out. If you have any questions regarding this project please contact: Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611 or Countryside Management Service on 01727 848168.
Three Rivers District Council was awarded a grant from the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) at the end of 2007. This money has enabled the Council to carry out a number of projects such as tree works and the creation of reedbeds at this recently declared Local Nature Reserve.
Works, in addition to that funded by the ALSF, include the replacement of the sluice in Bury Lake and the replacement of the scaffold bridge at the Glade.
Tree pollarding was carried out to encourage new growth
The new bridge at The Glade
A further major project at the Aquadrome will be the construction of a new café and toilet block.
Future projects at the Aquadrome include improving the main car park, enhancing the footpaths, additional bank stabilisation works, habitat creation and enhancement.
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ITEM
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DETAILS |
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TREE WORKS
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Aggregates
Levy
Sustainability
Fund |
Works commenced in January 2008.
Completed by end February 2008. |
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WET MEADOW CREATION
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Aggregates
Levy
Sustainability
Fund |
Wildflower seed, bulbs and plugs to be planted, mainly in the pinetum area. Planting date to be agreed.
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REEDBED CREATION
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Aggregates
Levy
Sustainability
Fund |
Contractor appointed to carry out bank works, primarily on Batchworth Lake, but also Bury Lake.
Works to start March 2008. |
INTERPRETATION/
WELCOME BOARDS
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Aggregates
Levy
Sustainability
Fund
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Six new welcome and interpretation boards currently being designed. |
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SITE FURNITURE
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Aggregates
Levy
Sustainability
Fund |
New litter bins, dog bins and benches to replace old/broken site furniture. Works scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2008.
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REPLACEMENT BRIDGE IN THE GLADE. NEW DDA
APPROVED BRIDGE TO
REPLACE THE TEMPORARY
SCAFFOLD BRIDGE
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Funded by SITA |
Provisional start date of 10 March. Week 1: Remove scaffold bridge. Lay foundations. Week 2: Install new bridge. Completion expected early April 2008.
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REPLACEMENT SLUICE IN BURY LAKE - TOP RIGHT.
TO REPLACE CURRENT
SLUICE WHICH IS
CONCRETED SHUT.
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Grounds Maintenance |
Provisional start date of mid-April.
Should complete within two weeks of start date. |
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NEW CAFE AND TOILET BLOCK
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Building to start in May, after the Rickmansworth Festival (17 and 18 May). |
Over the past few weeks we have completed some tree work around Batchworth and Bury Lake. This work involved pollarding some of the larger trees around both lakes. This involved removing the top quarter of the tree. This is a traditional management technique that will prolong the life of the tree as it will put out fresh shoots in the spring.
The next phase of the project is to establish a fringe of reed around sections of the lake at the locations of the recent tree work.
To ensure plant establishment, the depth of water at these locations will need to be reduced. This will be achieved by importing soil to create a new lake bank in which plants can be installed.
To minimise disturbance to visitors the soil will be brought onto the site via Stockers Farm. However it is inevitable that sections of the path network will have to be closed as heavy machinery will be on site.
To ensure establishment the newly planted areas will be fenced to prevent damage by grazing wildfowl such as ducks and geese. These fences may be unsightly however they will not be a permanent feature and will be removed in due course.
Why are we doing it?
This project is in response to a number of factors that affect the Aquadrome.
Bank erosion has become a problem over the past few years, with sections of bank on Batchworth and Bury Lake so badly eroded that it is now starting to affect the footpaths.
On both lakes there are limited amounts of emergent vegetation. This has resulted in reduced opportunities for nesting birds and spawning fish also invertebrates such as dragonflies and damselflies rely on lakeside vegetation to complete their life cycle. 
This project aims to readdress these problems. The establishment of native plants along the lake edges will help reduce the effects of erosion by dissipating the wave action. The plants will also provide a habitat for a wealth of wildlife.
Who is funding the work?
This project is funded by Natural England through DEFRA’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.
2008/09 Capital Works, from April 2008
Key works will include:
Car Park improvements – renewal of existing main car park (not grassed areas which will hopefully be part of 2009/10 works).
Footpath Enhancements – improve network of footpaths around site. Provide footpaths which are fully accessible by all.
Vehicle Barrier – replacement of vehicle barrier for access within the Aquadrome. Will increase security and safety and will ensure closed after use.
Bank stabilisation – reedbed creation to reduce erosion, create additional habitat, increase wildlife value, help reduce blue-green algae problems