Three tonnes of weeds, £3,000 - will it be enough to stop the smell at Poole Park lake? (From Thisisdorset)

Three tonnes of weeds, £3,000 - will it be enough to stop the smell at Poole Park lake?

1:00pm Monday 17th September 2012 in Latest

POOLE Park lake’s pong has been eased after contractors used specialist equipment to remove skiploads of blanket weed from the worst-affected areas.

This week’s three-day operation, which cost around £3,000, was carried out because the 40-acre lake was once again suffering from an overgrowth of the choking weed, which gives off an unpleasant smell as it decays.

A council spokesman explained that problem areas were targeted, such as the model boating zone and margins of the lake, including where the watersports activities are based.

“It’s mitigation work. We can’t say we think it will eradicate the problem,” he admitted. “If we had an unlimited budget we could probably employ these people for longer, but we haven’t got that much money.”

He added that the lake would be drained during the winter to expose its bed.

“Cold weather has helped deal with the problem in the past and it may be the most effective way,” he said.

Simon Legg, greenspace maintenance team leader, Borough of Poole, said: “Following three days of weed removal, we believe that around 15 tonnes of weed was successfully removed from Poole Park lake.

“We are extremely pleased with this result and will continue to monitor the lake for further weed growth. Having arranged for the removal of the weed we are grateful that Eco Sustainable Solutions have kindly agreed to dispose of it free of charge.”

In the past, suggestions have been made that volunteers could help clear blanket weed, but working in the silt and mud-based lake would raise issues of health and safety and need to be carefully co-ordinated and supervised.