BETTS ECOLOGY CASE STUDY: DRAINING A LAKE AND MOVING FISH

Background

For several reasons such as pollution, invasive species, excessive siltation/ hydroseral succession, lakes and pools sometimes have to be drained. This means minimising the impact on fish and sometimes birds, herpetofauna and other aquatic-dependent taxa. Betts Ecology have been commissioned for many operations of this type. In this case necessary maintenance required draining a lake connected to the River Thames, collecting and identifying fish and retaining them for re-introduction or removal elsewhere (alien species particularly) under the supervision of the relevant agencies.

Client & Location

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Operations

Betts Ecology collected the fish as water levels dropped during drainage pumping, holding fish with minimum stress in bespoke tanks during lake maintenance.  Betts Ecology then returned the native species after separating exotic invasive species that had entered from the Thames or been introduced. Betts Ecology also provided advice on improvement to water quality.

Outcome

Betts Ecology operations ensured successful return of fish following lake maintenance; aeration and riparian planting to assist favourable conservation status of the aquatic ecosystem and discourage algal blooms.

Photos © Betts Ecology